STRANGE BUT TRUE: Tales of the weird and wacky
From an underwater music festival to kooky counting in Korea, ancient pizza in Pompei, and a story from California that’s positively a gas, it’s true that last week was indeed strange.
RAMSAY RESTAURANT TO FIRE UP GRILL IN BC
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is bringing his burger and steak outlets to a Vancouver casino and nearby resort. Gordon Ramsay Burger – the first in Canada – is set to open its doors at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver this fall, and Gordon Ramsay Steak will follow next year at River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, BC.
THE AQUATIC LIFE: Diving into Celebrity’s Aqua Class
There’s no badge, no secret code, but being in Aqua Class makes you a member of a select club on a Celebrity cruise. And despite its name, you never actually need to get your feet wet to savour the Aqua life.
LISTENING IN: Bruce still a spring chicken
Few singer-songwriters have been so good for so long as Bruce Springsteen. Indeed, it’s a sad, if understandable fact that many, while continuing to play, must rely on their previous glory days as new music diminishes – at least in terms of quality. Not so the Boss, whose output beyond the ‘70s and ‘80s has been every bit as engaging.
TIME TO ‘TAKE OWNERSHIP’: IATA slams feds for airport delays
Instead of pursuing “costly and poorly thought-out” air travel consumer rights regulations, federal governments in Canada and the US need to “take ownership” of the issues causing “unacceptable” delays at airports across the continent and resolve them, says the director general of IATA.
LOW-COST ARAJET COMING TO CANADA
Canadians will have a new connection to the Caribbean and South and Central America courtesy of low-cost Dominican Republic-based carrier Arajet, with the launch of Toronto service in October, followed by flights from Montreal in November.
IBEROSTAR USES AI TO CUT FOOD WASTE
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts says its use of artificial intelligence (AI) has helped trim the fat off its food service by significantly reducing food waste this year and furthering its goals of achieving a “waste-free future” by 2025.
RETAIL ROUND-UP: Ensemble, TRAVELSAVERS, and F1S in the news
Ensemble agents got cooking on a Silversea FAM to Iceland and beyond, TRAVELSAVERS Canada has a new marketing manager, and First in Service reveals its top-selling destinations.
CANADA JETLINES FLYING HIGH
Another month, another record number of hours flown, says Canada Jetlines, which has also announced the addition of its third plane. Following a 265% increase in hours flown in Q2 over the hours flown in Q1, the discount carrier says it set a new record of hours flown in July with 622 block hours flown in the month.
REEF RELIEF: Australia pleased by pending Great Barrier Reef status
Australia’s government has welcomed a draft UNESCO decision to a lift a threat of downgrading the Great Barrier Reef – the largest living structure on earth and a famed tourism attraction – to an endangered World Heritage site.
RIVIERA RIVER CRUISES MEETS DOURO DEMAND
To meet increasing demand from travel advisors and their clients, Riviera River Cruises says it adding a new ship and new itinerary on the Douro River in Portugal and Spain for 2024.
RISKY BUSINESS: Traveller destination fears dwindling
Traveller fears are dwindling at the same time many are hoping to plan trips to countries that currently garner some government “reconsider travel” warnings, according to a new poll.
PHOENIX FRIES: But better than a ‘Montreal winter’
A record string of daily highs over 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) in Phoenix ended Monday as the dangerous heat wave that suffocated the Southwest throughout July receded slightly with cooling monsoon rains.
THE BUTLER DOES IT AT BLUE DIAMOND RESORTS
All-inclusive Blue Diamond Resorts has announced substantial upgrades to its elevated Diamond Club and Star Class room categories. The enhancements will be offered across the Royalton Luxury Resorts and Planet Hollywood Beach Resorts portfolios to guests with bookings on or after Oct. 13.
MSC CRUISES BOOSTS ‘FUTURE CRUISE PROGRAM’
MSC Cruises has introduced a new and improved ‘Future Cruise Program’ designed to benefit travel agents and the line’s guests when a customer who had used an agency for their holiday at sea books their next sailing while onboard.
ACV ADDS MORE EPACKAGES DESTINATIONS
Air Canada Vacations has added a host of popular sun destinations to its ePackages shopping tool. Among them: Bermuda, Belize, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Fort-de-France, Martinique, Grand Cayman, Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, Saint Vincent, St. Kitts, Port of Spain, Kingston (Jamaica), and Mexico City and Monterrey (Mexico).
YEG EXPANDS EDUCATION TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Edmonton International Airport (YEG) is the first Canadian airport to sign on to a new initiative led by Action Coalition on Human Trafficking (ACT) Alberta that provides translated materials to Canadian newcomers about their rights in Alberta.
NEWFOUNDLAND QUEST: They come for the play, stay for the kindness
Janet Hayward didn’t show too much outward excitement night as she walked recently toward a Gander, Nfld., theatre to see the musical that inspired what she calls her “Newfoundland Quest” – but she did arrive a full hour early.
TWISTS AND TURNS: How today’s consumers are planning and purchasing travel
Today’s travellers are spending over five hours researching their trips – longer than a flight between Toronto and Vancouver – according to new research from Expedia Group, which has also revealed how and where travellers plan and book travel, the growing role of social media and advertising influence, top online resources, and the new online path to purchase.
BRAND USA BOSS CHRIS THOMPSON TO RETIRE
Chris Thompson is goin’ fishin’. But colleagues and well-wishers will have until May 31, 2024 – after IPW in Los Angeles – to say goodbye to the popular Brand USA exec, who announced his retirement yesterday.
SERENITY NOW: New Crystal makes maiden voyage, plans more ships
Crystal has officially relaunched under the new guardianship of A&K Travel Group, as Crystal Serenity set sail Sunday following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. The original Crystal cruise line filed for bankruptcy in 2022 and sold off its two ships.
SOMETHING IN THE AIR AT IHG
IHG Hotels & Resorts, in collaboration with Apple, is giving guests the ability to seamlessly share content from their iPhone or iPad to their guest room TV. AirPlay will begin to roll out in select IHG hotels globally before the end of 2023.
WESTJET TO BOOST ABBOTSFORD, HAMILTON SERVICE
The WestJet Group has announced changes its winter schedule with an expansion of sun destinations from Abbotsford, BC, serving the Fraser Valley and a similar transition from Swoop to the mainline carrier in Hamilton, Ont., as WestJet integrates its low-cost subsidiary.
PORTUGAL LENDS FLAVOUR TO ACTA SUMMITS
ACTA has announced that its annual Fall summits will feature expanded tradeshows this year with major destination sponsor Visit Portugal offering an authentic Portuguese experience along with regional partners from Azores, Lisbon, Porto, Alentejo, TAP Air Portugal and SATA Azores Airlines.
RESHAPING TOURISM: Lake Tahoe backlash a ‘wake-up call’
Lake Tahoe tourism officials were surprised, and a bit miffed, when a respected international travel guide put the iconic alpine lake straddling the California-Nevada line on its list of places to stay away from this year because of the harmful ecological effects of overtourism.
WHAT’S BUGGING BUSINESS TRAVELLERS: And why Canadian road warriors feel their careers are at stake
Ninety four percent of Canadian travellers say the future of their career depends on successful business travel in the coming year. The new research from SAP Concur also reveals that the most pressing challenges facing Canadian business travellers today include economic inflation, job security, and safety concerns.
NOT OUR FAULT: Fed employees not involved in Regina rebrand fiasco
Federal government employees expressed relief that Prairies Economic Development Canada was not involved in last spring’s disastrous rebrand that saw Saskatchewan’s capital city criticized for sexualized slogans, including “show us your Regina.”
HOW TO SPOT AND STOP COMMON AIRBNB SCAMS
Airbnb has changed the way people book accommodation, offering unique and affordable stays in destinations all over the world. Unfortunately, this rise in popularity has also led to an increase in scams targeting the platform’s unsuspecting guests, and a recent analysis of Airbnb complaints on Twitter reveals that nearly a quarter of all grievances are related to fraud.
A NEW ROAD TO MACHU PICCHU
Through a collaboration with a local Peruvian community, Intrepid has developed a new section of the 26-km-long Quarry Trail, previously unseen by travellers. Found in the Andes Mountains, the trail, which begins in the town of Ollantaytambo and winds through the high peaks and villages of the Sacred Valley, ends at the famed fortress of the Incan empire, Machu Picchu.
GATWICK TO GUSSIE UP NORTH TERMINAL
Passengers travelling through London Gatwick’s North Terminal will soon be able to enjoy a host of new features, as its biggest-ever transformation gets underway. Among those who will experience the £10-million refresh will be WestJet passengers flying from Canada to the British capital.