LISTENING IN: Super-duper Roger Hodgson

As an all-time favourite of mine, I could (but won’t) launch a Supertramp September of videos, with little limit of great song choices from which to choose (but not many decent clips to accompany). Instead, here’s something from co-frontman Roger Hodgson’s successful solo career, which followed the unfortunate break-up of the British band.

IDALIA’S FLORIDA FURY: Latest storm an ‘unprecedented event’

Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday in Florida as a Category 2 storm and unleashed devastation along a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast, submerging homes and vehicles, turning streets into rivers, unmooring small boats and downing power lines in an area that has never before received such a pummeling.

AIR CANADA SLASHES CALGARY ROUTES: Blames pilot shortage

Air Canada is eliminating six major routes out of Calgary this winter, in part due to an industry-wide pilot shortage. The airline will no longer offer non-stop flights from Calgary to Ottawa, Halifax, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Cancun, or Frankfurt as of the end of October.

CHINA DROPS COVID TESTING FOR ENTRY

China no longer requires a negative COVID-19 test result for incoming travellers, representing, a milestone in its reopening to the rest of the world after a three-year isolation that began with the country’s borders closing in March 2020. The new measure (or lack thereof) was announced Monday and came into effect Wednesday (Aug. 30).

AVIATION ‘BAROMETER’: DXB heralds aviation bounce back, rise of Dubai

Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel, announced it served 41.6 million passengers in the first half of this year — exceeding figures for the same period in 2019 as travellers return to the air after the lockdowns of the coronavirus pandemic.

FROM CUBA WITH LOVE: Sunwing’s top resorts for romance

Couples planning a romantic all-inclusive getaway filled with stunning beaches, a warm and inviting culture, and resorts with everything they need for an unforgettable stay should keep Cuba at the top of their destination wish list, says Suwning.

CHURCH AND STATE: Europe’s houses of worship struggle to balance faith, tourism

A recent Saturday evening Mass at Sagrada Familia parish in Barcelona, Spain, had all the hallmarks of a neighbourhood worship service. But it also featured security checks to get in and curious tourists peering down to take photos of the worshippers from above. The regular Mass is held in the crypt of modernist architect Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece church, one of Europe’s most visited monuments.

AND ALL THAT JAZZ: Pilot union launches complaint against Air Canada, Jazz

The union representing pilots at Jazz Aviation claims that their employer and Air Canada have breached the Canada Labour Code, even as it ratified changes to their collective agreement. Jazz, a subsidiary of Chorus Aviation Inc., provides regional service for the country’s biggest airline under the Air Canada Express brand.

DIANNE JACKSON TO TRANSAT DISTRIBUTION

Karine Gagnon, General Manager of Transat Distribution has announced the of Dianne Jackson as Director, Franchise and Affiliate Members at TDC, effective September 11, 2023. Jackson will be part of the leadership team and will report directly to Gagnon.

ARAJET TO CONNECT CANADA, ARGENTINA

Caribbean low-cost carrier Arajet – a new entrant in the Canadian market – will add connections to Argentina from Toronto and Montreal, enhancing a roster of recently announced service from Canada to Sao Paulo, Brazil; Santiago de Chile; Cartagena and Medellin, Colombia; as well as several Caribbean islands, such as Jamaica, Aruba or Curaçao.

NEW TRADE SHOW SERIES EXPANDS FOR FALL

Citing the success of its inaugural spring shows in April, Oakville, Ont.-based Granite Travel Trade Expos has announced new regional travel trade show dates in the fall, including more Ontario cities plus locations in Western Canada.

VALUE OFFER: Barbados campaign makes ‘A World of Difference’

The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) in partnership with BookBarbados and Tripian has launched the Barbados ‘World of Difference’ Experiences Campaign, an innovative initiative designed to enhance the value proposition of the experiences that can be enjoyed in Barbados while driving the on-island spend of visitors.

EYE ON I: Idalia on the way to Florida

Floridians hope that when Idalia hits the Gulf Coast it won’t join the long list of destructive Atlantic Ocean storms whose names started with “I.” Since 1955, 13 Atlantic storm names beginning with “I” have been retired, according to the National Weather Service. That happens when a storm’s death toll or destruction is so severe that using its name again would be insensitive, according to the World Meteorological Organization, which oversees storm naming.

INTREPID, FLIGHT CENTRE ISSUE CALL TO FIGHT MODERN SLAVERY

Intrepid Travel has launched a new travel consortium in partnership with Flight Centre, one of the world’s largest travel agency groups, marking the first major collaboration aimed at measuring and addressing modern slavery supply chain risks across the industry.

CANADA JETLINES REVEALS NEW SUN DESTINATIONS

Canada Jetlines has released an expanded winter flight schedule featuring service between Toronto and Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Orlando – in addition to enhancement to existing services to Cancun and Las Vegas.

ORLANDO TESTS SELF-DRIVING SHUTTLE

There is going to be a new way to get around downtown Orlando, Florida, and it’s not going to require any human drivers. Starting late this month, an electric, self-driving shuttle will whisk passengers around a 1.6 km loop in the downtown area for no charge.

ALASKA, JOURNEYS: Carnival opens more 2025 sailings

With the notion that It’s never too early to plan for an Alaskan adventure, Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled more of its 2025-26 deployment by opening sailings to Alaska from Seattle on two ships: Carnival Spirit and Carnival Luminosa. Several Carnival Journeys cruises aboard the two ships are also open for sale, including a transatlantic

FLORIDA’S WEST COAST BRACES FOR STORM: Tropical Storm Idalia could become a hurricane

Tropical Storm Idalia formed Sunday in the Gulf of Mexico on a potential track to come ashore in the southern US. Forecasters said they expected Idalia to become a hurricane on Tuesday in the Gulf of Mexico and then curve northeast toward the west coast of Florida as a Category 2 hurricane with winds of up to 100 mph (160 kph), according to the latest forecasts Sunday from the Hurricane Center.

U.S. LEADS WORLD TRAVEL RECOVERY

The World Travel & Tourism Council has unveiled new insights into the strong expansion of the US Travel & Tourism sector, which measured by economic contribution and spending by international and domestic visitors, boasted the world’s largest Travel & Tourism sector in 2022.

PORTER PLANS DAILY FLORIDA FLIGHTS THIS FALL

Starting in November, Porter Airlines is launching daily service from Toronto to five Florida destinations: Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Fort Myers (RSW), Miami (MIA), Orlando (MCO), and Tampa (TPA); as well as two destinations – FLL and MCO – from Ottawa.

GOTCHA: Spirit settles class action over bag fees

It was disclosed last week that Spirit Airlines has agreed to pay US $8.25 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over its bag fees. The airline was sued by passengers who booked their trips through third-party travel sites between 2011-17.

IN THE DARK: Cause of Kenya’s longest power outage remains unclear

The longest nationwide power outage in Kenyans’ memory remained a mystery Sunday as the government-owned power company blamed a failure at Africa’s largest wind farm, which laid the responsibility on the power grid instead. Some of Kenya’s more than 50 million people, including in the capital, Nairobi, saw power return almost 24 hours after the massive outage occurred late Friday.

ROUND-UP: Aug. 21-25, 2023

Last week, CATO continued its crusade for industry reform in Ontario; Porter said it will match Air Canada Aeroplan points; Club Med introduced new Ontario reps; and wildfire repercussions continued in Maui and the Okanogan, while the southwestern US dealt with the opposite problem (too much rain).

NEWS UPDATE: ACTA, CATO, TICO AND THE FUND

The recent contentious issues between TICO, ACTA, CATO and the Ontario Government regarding the review of Ontario’s Compensation Fund, which saw ACTA and CATO withdraw their appointees to the TICO does not appear to be lessening in intensity or see the various parties finding a solution. These issues are sure to be front and centre at the ACTA summit on September 14 and the TICO AGM on Sep 26.

NATURAL DISASTER DO’S AND DON’TS WHEN ON HOLIDAY

With thousands of Canadians – and others elsewhere – forced to evacuate, or worse, flee, the world’s most intense wildfire season ever, a travel expert is offering advice to travellers and families caught up in the chaos.

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