Brian Keaulana is the quintessential Native Hawaiian waterman, well-known for his deep understanding of the ocean, gifted with surfing and lifeguarding skills passed down from his big-wave rider father. Now, as one of the islands’ standard-bearers of surfing, Keaulana wants to further boost the sport in his homeland by building an artificial wave pool – a splashy proposal that is making waves, particularly among some Native Hawaiians.
On a day when a toddler was shot in the head by a stray bullet while playing outside at daycare in Utah – just another day in the life of a country where gun violence has claimed nearly 17,000 lives in the first half of 2023 alone – the US Travel Association gamely tackled the issue of gun violence in America at last week’s IPW travel trade event in San Antonio.
A rocky start to the travel high season in Europe is fuelling fears of a repeat of last summer’s post-pandemic air travel chaos that unleashed delays, cancellations, and mountains of lost luggage from London to Sweden to Amsterdam.
With a lineup of key seasonal sun destinations throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, Air Canada Vacations has unveiled its 2023/24 offerings aimed at early planners for the winter season.
Marriott International has launched a new incentive program that enable agents to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on every booking logged with up to 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points available per room, per night that can be used to redeem points for travel.
Carnival Pride is embarked Sunday on her first sailing of the Europe summer season, sporting the signature Carnival red, white, and blue hull design for the first time, after undergoing extensive enhancements that include bow-to-stern upgrades to enhance accessibility on the ship for guests with disabilities.
Orlando kicks off Pride Month June 1 with the entire month devoted to showcasing “a diverse community that warmly embraces cultures from all backgrounds coming together (and) remaining a welcoming destination for LGBTQ+ visitors.”
A man who opened an emergency exit door during a flight in South Korea was formally arrested Sunday and faces up to 10 years in prison on a charge of violating the aviation security law. During a preliminary questioning, the 33-year-old told investigators that he felt suffocated and tried to get off the plane quickly, according to police.
WestJet pilots are bound for a 24% pay bump over four years under an agreement-in-principle between the company and the union – marking a new standard for labour gains in Canadian aviation, according to one aviation expert.
Declaring the pandemic now endemic, Brand USA, the nation’s destination marketing organization, opened IPW 2023 last week showcasing the country as an unrivalled travel destination that is poised for a historic year in travel.
Travellers arriving in the UK faced long delays Saturday after a technical problem shut electronic border gates at airports across the country for most of the day, forcing everyone to have their passports checked manually on what was expected to be one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
With “strong interest” already brewing for next winter, Air Canada has released its winter 2023-24 schedule, featuring nearly 10 percent capacity over its 2019 pre-pandemic high water mark.
‘Sun Week’ at Sunwing is back – a week-long extravaganza of big deals, big contests, and an even bigger grand prize. Kicking off today (May 29), travel agents can book their clients’ summer getaways with savings up to 50 percent while also earning the chance to win prizes themselves.
When Oceania Cruises launched Vista in this month, the cruise line set a new global standard for the upper-premium category of cruise ships. Designed with evolutionary style concepts and substantial luxe elements, the 1,200-passenger Vista – Oceania’s first new build in over a decade, and first of the Allura class vessels – approaches the luxury level of sister brand Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Both are owned by Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
Last week, there was good news for Canadian trusted travellers; two Canadian carriers boosted their codeshare; Sandals unveiled its newest resort; there were flash sales galore; and Allianz stepped up – again – for Dreams Take Flight.
From a boat-float parade along its famous River Walk to a closing night gala at The Alamo, delegates will long remember this year’s IPW in San Antonio as US travel officially emerged from the pandemic.
Air Canada briefly grounded its planes Thursday due to a problem with its computer system. The airline said a technical issue with the system it uses to transmit messages to aircraft and monitor their performance, prompted a halt to operations.
The all-new Sandals Dunn’s River has opened to guests as the 17th resort in the Sandals Resorts portfolio. Having debuted over 30 years ago, the 260-room Ocho Rios property is “utterly transformed” – except for the stunning stretch of white sand beach it inhabits.
Four years after buying a bust for $34.99 at a goodwill store in Austin, Texas, Laura Young said goodbye this week to a friend as the priceless 2,000-year-old Roman artifact headed home to Europe.
It was a week for animals running amok, and an exceedingly hungry star, plus an Illinois traveller took getting to the airport on time to a whole new level. Then there was turmoil over tacos south of the border, all contributing to this week’s weird and wacky news file.
The new Crystal is setting a global course for 2024, planning extended cruises to iconic and off-the-beaten-track destinations around the world while almost never repeating a port. The luxury line’s two ships will both be globe-trotters, highlighted by a 141-night world cruise on Crystal Serenity as well as a series of unique Grand Journeys ranging from 37 to 68 nights.
Tina Turner was an unstoppable singer and stage performer who teamed with husband Ike Turner for a dynamic run of hit records and live shows in the 1960s and ’70s surviving her horrifying marriage to triumph in middle age with a string of hits, including the chart-topping “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” Dubbed the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Turner died at her home in Switzerland this week after a long illness at age 83.
Towering a few hours from one of the world’s largest cities, the Popocatepetl volcano has been coating nearby towns with ash and disrupting flights at Mexico City’s airport, the busiest in Latin America. Approximately 25 million people live within 60 miles of the mountain.
Canada’s outdoor travel sector grew in 2022 as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, putting an end to many outdoor leisure travel barriers faced across provinces since 2020. In 2022, more than half a million new Canadian households ventured out to experience camping for the first time.
Last week we looked at a host of SoCal destinations – some familiar, some less so – whose delegates attended the recent visit California sales mission in Niagara on the Lake, having put the insiders on the spot to tell us one thing they wished a Canadian knew about their region. Here’s Part 2, covering the middle and northern parts of the Golden State (starting north of Los Angeles).
Break out the tiny bubbles – The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), the state agency providing holistic tourism management for the Hawaiian Islands, has awarded the contract for Destination Brand Management and Marketing Services in Canada to VoX International.
A soaring blue-glass tower that has sat empty for close to two decades on the Las Vegas Strip – through the Great Recession and an unprecedented pandemic that shut down the famed tourist corridor for months – is set to open its doors to the public in December as the gambling centre’s latest resort and casino.
Abu Dhabi has launched ‘One Summer Isn’t Enough,’ a new campaign that shows the wide range of experiences available throughout the season as part of the emirate’s plan to attract 24 million visitors by 2023.
In today’s digital age, with the increased reliance on technology for professional and personal use, cybersecurity is more important than ever. Networks and data are under constant threat and need to be monitored diligently, while security measures need to be resourced adequately to ensure digital safety.
The federal government has rolled out a revamp of its trusted-traveller program to clear clogged airports as the summer travel season kicks off. A tweaked “verified-traveller program” will launch dedicated security screening lines at six of the country’s biggest airports between June 7 and June 21, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Tuesday.