From chocolate to new luxury in London, plus world-class sports and brand-new cultural hubs, there’s no shortage of hot new openings and fresh takes on traditional classics on display in Britain this summer. Here’s a quick look at 10 to-do tips to help a make a visit in 2024 even more memorable.
Another day, another problem for Boeing and United Airlines. On Friday, a post-flight inspection revealed a missing panel on an older Boeing 737-800 that had just arrived at its destination in southern Oregon after flying from San Francisco, officials said, the latest in a series of recent incidents involving aircraft manufactured by the company.
About 200 food service workers at Vancouver’s airport have voted to take strike action if their demands for pay increases in a first contract are not met. In a media release, Unite Here Local 40 said job action “could disrupt daily airport operations as the spring break and Easter weekend rush approaches.”
The Venom Drop, the world’s longest dry slide at sea, bumper cars and a secret speakeasy are just a few of the highlights awaiting guests aboard MSC Cruises’ 6,762-passenger World Europa.
As Jamaica prepares to host global delegates at the Caribbean’s pre-eminent travel trade event, Caribbean Travel Marketplace, in May, the country’s tourism minister has declared a new benchmark for tourism metrics: 2023. “Normally we talk about 2019 (before the pandemic), as being the benchmark,” Edmund Barlett said during a zoom event ahead of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s 42 annual event. “Now we have changed that. 2023 is the new benchmark for Jamaica’s tourism.”
A volcano in Iceland erupted Saturday evening for the fourth time in three months, sending orange jets of lava into the night sky. No flight disruptions were reported at nearby Keflavik, Iceland’s main airport, but hundreds of people were evacuated from the Blue Lagoon thermal spa, one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions, when the eruption began.
G Adventures will soon be offering an extended program of trips to Bosnia and Herzegovina that are designed to support local communities, while showcasing the Balkan nation’s distinctive culture, nature and heritage.
In this week’s round-up: Accolades (perhaps surprising) for Pearson airport; promising global travel news from UN Tourism, IATA and American Express; plus, mixed financial results from Transat, a new destination for Contiki, and plenty more industry tidbits.
After entertaining new entrants for several years, Canada’s airline market is once again on the path to consolidation, raising the likelihood of higher fares and fewer flight options. Since May, newer low-cost carriers Swoop and Lynx Air have disappeared from the skies and WestJet has scooped up Sunwing Airlines.
Revenue increased by almost 18 percent, but overall profit declined for Transat in the first quarter, with the travel company citing the (now resolved) threat of strike by flight attendants, fierce competition, and supply chain challenges as factors contributing to a $61 million net loss. At the same time, record customer deposits for future travel (+14%) have been achieved.
Since the age of four, when my mother first played the irrepressible song “Off to Dublin in the Green” by an obscure group called The Abbey Tavern Singers, I’ve been hooked on traditional Irish folk music.
There’s just a few weeks left to pick a spot to see the skies darken along a strip of North America, whether by land, sea, or air. For those who live inside the 185-km. path of total darkness, it may be a matter of just stepping outside and donning special eclipse glasses to watch the April 8 spectacle unfold. For the millions outside the path, or those who just want to improve their chances of clear skies, it could mean hitting the road with a game plan.
Whether it’s green beer, a drop of Irish whiskey or a pot of poitín, having a drink on St Patrick’s Day (or anytime really in Ireland) is considered the norm. And while far be it from us to be thinking about not drinking while in the haze of St. Patrick’s Days (it’s a weekend, really, not a day), it does happen we’re told.
Signs along the narrow, winding road up Brimstone Hill caution Drive Slowly. You hardly need to be reminded, because the steep up this hill that should be called a mountain is strenuous even for the local goats.
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday, it naturally behooves us to offer an Irish song this week, and I’m a sucker for the classics, like “The Rocky Road to Dublin,” “Whiskey in the Jar,” and “The Orange and the Green” – which is why we’ve done those in years past.
The fundamental changes and likely long-term effects of artificial intelligence on the tourism industry are “underestimated,” says a prominent travel research firm. Speaking at the recent ITB Berlin travel trade show in Germany, Phocuswright Sr. VP. Charuta Fadnis said she could even envision a world where virtual agents replace live ones.
Responding to a US government audit, Boeing said Tuesday that it would work with employees found to have violated company manufacturing procedures to make sure they understand instructions for their jobs.
UN Tourism has released its latest Tourism Visa Openness report on global visa policies, revealing continuous shifts in international travel regulations – and indicating that the world at large has returned to pre-pandemic levels of openness and visa-free travel.
Canadian are making a noteworthy shift towards villa rentals and luxury stays in response to post-Covid dynamics, according to travel advisors polled at First in Service (F1S) as part of a survey focussing on the key and evolving trends shaping the 2024 landscape for luxury stays, villa rentals, and unique lodging options.
Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto, long a popular destination for tourists, is closing off some private-property alleys in its famous geisha district because of complaints about misbehaving visitors. Tourists crowd the narrow, quaint streets of the area called Gion, often following tour guides who show people around and lecture for long hours, local district official Isokazu Ota says, adding, “We are going to put up signs in April that tell tourists to stay out of our private streets.”
For many Canadians, no vacation is made complete without adding a sprinkle of adventure to their days in paradise. From history and culture to marine life and picturesque ocean views, the top-selling sun destination of Cuba is full of unique experiences that travellers of all kinds will love and can only get in this beautiful country.
The real power of social media lies in connecting a brand with its consumers on a human level instead of a sales and commercial level. Connecting with the audience starts with content production focused on generating two-way communication and then moderating to build an active community. Here are a few ideas to consider.
Canadians rank as the second highest global market for anticipated average trip spend and are prioritizing spontaneous, bucket list and once in a lifetime vacations, according to American Express Travel, which has released its annual 2024 Global Travel Trends Report highlighting the inspiration and trends driving global travel bookings this year.
Toronto Pearson has been named the “Best Airport over 40 million passengers in North America” for the sixth time in seven years by Airports Council International (ACI) – World, the global trade representative of the world’s airports. The airport regained the prestigious ranking in 2023 after achieving the honour for five consecutive years between 2017 and 2021, but missing in 2022.
As officials investigate what caused a “strong shake” before a sudden plunge on a plane traveling between Australia and New Zealand, a passenger on Tuesday described a wild ride, with people without seatbelts thrown from their seats and some crashing into the plane’s ceiling.
From FAMs to trade show news, and a pair of prestigious awards to the introduction of a new tech tool for MICE, it’s a busy time in the trade – all aggregated in our weekly retail round-up.
Insight Vacations has launched small group, women-only tours designed to encourage solo travel and spotlight women in the travel industry, for travel in 2025. And for a limited time, female travellers will receive 8 percent off the new itineraries when booked by May 31. There are 11 different tours across Europe, the Americas, India and Africa.
It’s California here we come (again) as Porter Airlines adds seasonal roundtrip flights on two new non-stop routes between Montreal and Los Angeles and San Francisco International Airport (SFO), creating further connections from eastern Canada to US west coast this summer.
Florida’s rubbery, slow-moving sea cows are beloved by all who are fortunate enough to meet them. Manatees widely roam the waters of Florida from April through October, though when the heat hasn’t hit full on, they still hang out in places like freshwater Florida Springs, where the temperatures remain constant throughout the year.
Cruises are surging back to popularity among Canadians this March Break, as more travellers look to try a mode of tourism they may have avoided since the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts say Caribbean cruises are drawing greater numbers of northerners to Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay, and other ports of call thanks to their sun-soaked itineraries and affordable fares in the face of soaring hotel prices.