With travel to and from Asia on the upswing following the region’s late emergence from pandemic, Air Canada says it is boosting its Asia-Pacific network beginning in mid-December, through to the end of summer 2024.
Disney Cruise Line has opened a new dedicated cruise terminal in Port Everglades, Fla., marking the company’s second year-round homeport in the state and the start of the cruise line’s “largest expansion in history.” The Disney Dream will begin sailing from the Greater Fort Lauderdale-area facility on Nov. 20, to be followed by the Disney Magic on May 9, 2024.
Tourisme Montréal reports that its summer season surpassed it pre-pandemic performance in 2019, with an increase of 15% in international visitations. Among the positive trends was an average hotel occupancy rate of 80% and overall revenues higher than those of 2022. Business conferences were also on the upswing with major events experiencing an in-person participation rate of 72%, 2% more than last year.
Ten Canadian travel agents from Toronto and British Columbia recently joined members of the Exotik Journeys team on a recent FAM trip to discover the treasures of Turkey.
Lopesan, a major international hotel group with over 17,000 hotel rooms across Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean, has eyes for Jamaica, telling the country’ tourism minister at World Travel Market in London last week that it is urgently seeking to develop a 1,000-room luxury resort on the island.
Rome’s next luxury hotel has some very good bones: Archaeologists say that the ruins of Nero’s Theatre, an imperial theatre referred to in ancient Roman texts but never found, have been discovered under the garden of a future Four Seasons Hotel steps from the Vatican.
The Israel-Hamas war has not only had a negative impact on aviation to and from the Middle East – the effect is global, says leading travel analytics firm, ForwardKeys. Overall, the report says the world’s aviation market had dropped by five percent in the three weeks since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7 due to in a dent in consumer confidence to travel.
Few things beat a warm, sunny beach in the midst of winter, but your clients shouldn’t go just anywhere warm when the weather gets cool at home. Thailand offers sandy beaches and a friendly welcome, as well as the opportunity to transform a beach escape into an unforgettable dream vacation. It’s about the beach and so much more.
Goway has been planning tailor-made trips for globetrotters since 1970. Goway’s team of Destination Specialists are the experts on all-things Thailand, from the best way to plan an itinerary to insider advice on great places to eat or hidden gems to add to the trip. If your clients want to head on a beach escape to Thailand, plan with Goway. Learn more on Goway’s website
Long-haul carrier Emirates opened the Dubai Air Show on Monday with a US$52-billion purchase of Boeing Co. aircraft, showing how aviation has bounced back after the groundings of the coronavirus pandemic, even as Israel’s war with Hamas clouds regional security.
Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles. It’s one of the friendliest and most welcoming countries in the world. It’s also a place of vast history and exciting cultural opportunities. If your clients want to discover ancient history, meet friendly people, and savour some of the best food in the world, they should plan a tailor-made trip to Thailand.
ACTA says it is meeting with Ontario government officials on Nov. 30 to make its case for reform of the funding framework for the Travel Industry Council of Ontario, and member fees in the province. But in the meantime, the association is urging members to make their voices heard – no later than Mon. Nov. 27 – over changes to a model it says is inherently broken.
Thai cuisine is one of the most succulent, delectable, all-around delicious cuisines in the world. Feasting on pad thai, khao soi, satay, and other Thai treats is one of the highlights of a trip to Thailand. But these dishes are only the first course of flavour that a traveller can enjoy in Thailand.
Ultra-luxury cruise line Silversea is promising the “most diverse and immersive voyage” in its history when ‘Silver Dawn’ sets sail from Fort Lauderdale on a 140-day world cruise on Jan. 6, 2026. Dubbed ‘The Curious and the Sea,’” the cruise will visit 70 destinations in 37 countries – the most ever on a Silversea World Cruise.
Residents in southwestern Iceland left their homes on the weekend after increasing concern about a potential volcanic eruption caused civil defense authorities to declare a state of emergency in the region. Earlier, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa – one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions – closed temporarily as a swarm of earthquakes put the island nation’s most populated region on alert.
WTM London 2023 (World Travel Market) wrapped up last week with the world’s largest English-language trade show giving all appearances of being its first to truly take place in a post-pandemic world. While the P word was still prevalent, the W word (war) carried more resonance, not least due to the not-surprising absence of Israel tourism delegates.
Reflecting it’s recognition of the importance of the Canadian market, VisitBritain has created a new director position in the country, naming veteran staff member Cathy Stapells to the role. Stapells was previously Senior Marketing & Communications Manager Canada. The well-known Lynda Falcone continues as National Travel Trade Manager Canada.
An investigation is underway into what Canada’s transport minister and the RCMP call “threats” against Air India, after an online video warns people not to fly on the airline on Sunday, Nov. 19. Pablo Rodriguez says Canada and its security partners are investigating “recent threats circulating online,” referring to comments about Air India.
Accessibility advocates are speaking out about unreliable assistance in air travel, pointing to regulatory gaps and scattershot enforcement that can leave travellers with disabilities injured, stranded, or demeaned. And the problem, they say, goes beyond a single airline.
With the goal of showing that community and adventure do not have to be sacrificed for comfort, G Adventures’ new Geluxe Collection will feature 28 trips that focus on being physically active, with one-of-a-kind accommodation, elevated dining, and a heavy focus on community and culture in destination.
Airline accessibility took the spotlight last week, as did a host of other airline news, including new Lynx service to Tampa. Other round-up items feature Florida rail service Brightline announcing commissions for agents, Sandals preparing for its last masterclass of the year, and a visit by Martinique Tourism officials ahead of the island’s forthcoming and much-anticipated Air Canada service from Toronto.
A charter flight flying from London to Orlando was forced to land after the crew realized it had reached 14,000 feet with two window panes missing. The Titan Airways plane, which was previously used by King Charles and UK prime minister Rishi Sunak, took off from London’s Stansted Airport on October 4 before the crew realized the windows had been damaged during a film shoot the previous day.
Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau apologized for the airline’s accessibility shortfalls and rolling out new measures to improve the travel experience for hundreds of thousands of passengers living with a disability.
Driving in a foreign country can be a challenge for North Americans visiting destinations where driving on the other side of the road is standard. It can be especially challenging when many rental cars feature manual transmission, a gear-shifting system rejected by the overwhelming majority of Canadian and American drivers.
Today’s luxury travellers are looking to see and do it all – and to do so exceptionally. With this in mind, Four Seasons has rolled out the first of its new series of private jet experiences for 2025. The all-encompassing itineraries introduce some of the world’s most popular destinations in new and unexpected ways – as planned by Four Seasons experts.
The next time you’re gazing at the “Mona Lisa” at the Louvre in Paris, consider that beneath the subject’s exquisitely enigmatic smile, a new secret has been uncovered about the Leonardo de Vinci masterpiece.
Guinness will soon have a new home in the heart of London. Work is underway at ‘Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard,’ which is located near Neal Street in Covent Garden. The 4,600-sq.-metre microbrewery will build on the success of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin and the opening of Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh in 2021.
It’s Five O’clock Somewhere and even though it may only be 11 a.m. in Key West, the crowds at Margaritaville and Sloppy Joes have A Lot of Drink About. Florida’s furthest-south island, that attracted Hemingway and Harry Truman and whole generations of sons of sons of sailors is still partying heartily.
I’d been mulling over this song for awhile, but when the opening violin intro came on at a wedding reception I attended recently caused a rush to the dance floor I accepted it as a sign, and immediately headed for YouTube. Dexys Midnight Runners are considered a one-hit wonder and even Homer Simpson joked in an episode, “You haven’t heard the last of them!”
The labor union representing tens of thousands of Las Vegas hospitality workers announced Wednesday that it had reached a tentative deal with casino giant Caesars Entertainment, a major breakthrough that could help avert an unprecedented strike at more than a dozen hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
As travellers increasingly look to get off the beaten track and explore places less prone to over-tourism, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced its list of Best Tourism Villages 2023. The accolade recognizes villages that are leading in nurturing rural areas and preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values, and culinary traditions – all contributing to the notion of harnessing tourism “as a catalyst for their development and well-being.”