There were a billion reasons that 2023 was a great year for travel and tourism (ed note: not all listed here!). Other round-up highlights over the holidays included the return of Mexicana airline (in unique fashion), ongoing Boxing Week sales from tour companies, and the return of Disney product to the Air Canada Vacations portfolio.
According to a recent global survey conducted by Hilton, travellers say they will reduce other areas of personal spending to prioritize leisure travel in 2024, with a majority across generations indicating their No. 1 reason to travel in 2024 will be to rest and recharge – with more emphasis on sleep than ever before.
Mexico launched its army-run airline Tuesday, when the first Mexicana airlines flight took off from Mexico City bound for the Caribbean resort of Tulum. The airline’s military-run holding company now also operates about a dozen airports, hotels, trains, the country’s customs service and tourist parks.
We get hundreds of news notifications and press releases every day, which means thousands each week and, well, you get the idea… That means that all the news that’s fit to print (or post these days) doesn’t always make it. Here’s a wrap for 2023 of our inbox, with some worthy news bites that we missed the first time around – and maybe you did too!
As the world anticipates the arrival of 2024, many eyes will turn to Hong Kong for the city’s largest New Year’s Eve firework display on Dec. 31, 2023 (Sunday). Set against the iconic Hong Kong skyline, spectators will be treated to a 12-minute firework musical, surpassing any previous New Year’s Eve displays in the city in both coverage and duration.
Cruise lines are reporting record bookings and that has them expanding their fleets with ever-larger ships. There’s a bumper crop arriving in 2024, each of which seems to offer more features than ever before. Two newcomers will be among the world’s largest, including an Iconic record-breaker with room for more than 7,000 guests.
No backstories or raisons d’etre this week. Just a simple video with a simple message: Happy New Year from us. The song from the Swedish superstars was released in 1980 but the sentiment remains the same. Hope you have the very best for 2024 – and see you next year!
Even before her job offer was finalized in 1973, Senka Dukovich realized her career as a flight attendant had an expiry date. “I had to sign a contract as a new hire that I would quit after 10 years, or that I would quit at 32 years old, whichever came first. Can you believe that?” she recalled.
The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors Wednesday because of a strike over contract negotiations timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the death of its creator, Gustave Eiffel. Called a “symbolic action on a symbolic day,” the workers union said it was also worried about long-term prospects for the monument amid the need for repairs to the aging landmark.
Montreal has replaced Vancouver as the Canadian destination that First in Service (F1S) travel advisors across the country are booking the most, according to new survey results released by the independent travel agency. Meanwhile, Italy ranked as the top international destination.
With final year-end totals of 864,000 Canadians forecast to have visited New York in 2023, Canada will reclaim its second-place ranking amongst top source markets for the Big Apple. Tops is the UK (974,000), while the rest of the top five includes France (728,000), Brazil (589,000) and Germany (554,000).
TTC Tour Brands has unveiled new eLearning courses for travel advisors, The TTC Tour Brands Masterclass is a complete overhaul of the brands’ training modules, redesigned to be detailed, yet succinct overviews of their entire portfolio, including Trafalgar, Contiki, Costsaver, Brendan Vacations, Luxury Gold, and Insight Vacations. And to provide more perks for graduates.
MSC Cruises says its Yacht Club ‘ship within a ship’ concept offers an exclusive holiday sanctuary on board many of MSC Cruises’ ships, providing guests an unique cruise experience with complete serenity, added exclusivity, and privacy that is not lacking in choice.
If 2023 was the year that travel came roaring back, 2024 promises to see the continuing evolution of travel, with travellers looking to see ‘traditional’ destinations in a new way – and discover new ones – and in a way that gives back to local people and communities and gets them closer to the culture and tradition of a place, says G Adventures.
The US Department of Transportation is investigating possible deceptive practices in airline loyalty programs after federal lawmakers raised concerns about how companies are calculating points and rewards. DOT says it is planning “to carefully review complaints regarding loyalty programs and exercise our authority to investigate airlines for unfair and deceptive practices that hurt travellers as warranted.”
Determined to impact the hardships and food insecurity of many people this holiday season, TravelBrands has continued its ongoing partnership with Food Banks Canada for the fourth consecutive year with a $10,000 donation to the charity.
With a host of new offerings and enhancements – and agent specialist perks – Uniworld Boutique River Cruises says it’s sailing into 2024 with high expectations and enthusiasm. Highlights will include the launch of a new ship, the SS Victoria, which will debut in Amsterdam at the start of the European river cruise season.
Sunwing is continuing Boxing Day week deals into the New Year with savings on vacations to Mexico, the Caribbean (including Cuba), Central America and the United States available when booked by Jan. 7, 2024. Customers can get up to $1,500 off per couple on vacation packages at over 200 hotels and resorts.
From repurposed planes and the use of new technology to a milestone flight using biofuel, a key aviation session at the recent World Travel Market London heard how established and new airlines are working towards a more sustainable future.
A 6-year-old boy who left on a flight for the Christmas holidays to visit his grandmother in southwest Florida instead was put on the wrong plane and ended up 160 miles away in Orlando, Florida.
Bethlehem is gearing up for a subdued Christmas, without the festive lights and customary Christmas tree towering over Manger Square, after officials in Jesus’ traditional birthplace decided to forgo celebrations due to the Israel-Hamas war. The cancellation of Christmas festivities, which typically draw thousands of visitors, is a severe blow to the town’s tourism-dependent economy.
Airports and airlines are gearing up for the prospect of travel snarls over the holidays, even though the forecast looks favourable for now. Environment Canada is predicting bright skies and relatively mild temperatures across most of the country through Dec. 25.
Air Transat took flight for the first time to Peru Wednesday night with sister-service from Montreal following today (Dec. 22). The non-stop flights – the only ones between Canada and Peru – will be operated throughout the year, with two departures per week from YYZ and one departure per week from YUL.
There’s nothing like Christmas in a castle, and this year, Windsor Castle outside London will see Christmas displays celebrating the 675th anniversary of the Order of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in Britain which was founded in Windsor in 1348.
With more than 3.25 million customers expected to travel with Air Canada on 1,200 Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, and Air Canada Express flights globally, every day, the airline wants to make sure that travellers spend more time with loved ones than in lines at airports. With this in mind the airline has revealed its top travel tips to help customers “travel like an expert” during the peak holiday period, which runs from mid-December until Jan. 7.
This year’s 46th Winterlude in Canada’a Capital Region is scheduled to take place Feb. 2-19 with a promise of experiences that combine winter with rich culture, artistic creativity, and a celebration of Canada’s diversity. Each year, the iconic event transforms Ottawa-Gatineau into a festive gathering with indoor and outdoor activities for all tastes.
The Pogues’ song ‘Fairytale of New York’ is one of the most played Christmas songs of the 21st century. A standout line in the chorus reads: “The boys of the NYPD choir were singing ‘Galway Bay,’ and while many have joined in to sing out the line, few are aware that the NYPD choir has, in fact, never existed, let alone sung ‘Galway Bay.’
From “destination duping” and “detox trips” to “puppymoons” and cinematic- and concert-driven destinations (Edmonton, anyone?), Expedia Group has uncovered eight surprising and solidifying travel trends – and destinations – for the upcoming year, revealing them in “Unpack24,” a report based on comprehensive booking data across its Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo brands, plus a survey of 20,000 travellers.
Lynx has announced another summer network expansion, offering service to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) from Toronto Pearson, starting March 28 and May 3 respectively. The new service will take the carrier to more than 10,000 seats per week to and from the US from YYZ.
Goway and APT & Travelmarvel, both like-minded Down Under specialists, leveraged a long-standing partnership earlier this year that saw the former become the official North American partner for the latter – and it’s a plan that has proved positively bonzer (“first rate” in Aussie lingo), according to company officials.