Pancakes, tofu and (oddly, more than one story about) mollusks all prompted wacky tales this week, as alas, human behaviour never ceases to amaze. Oh, and there’s at least one item we’re certain will make you laugh.
It might only be the second biggest event in the UK this May (see King Charles lII, Coronation of), but the Eurovision Song Contest is a big deal in Britain (and elsewhere in Europe). And this year’s event, to be held in Liverpool May 8-13, has increased significance as the northern British city – known for its musical chops – has stepped in as a substitute for Ukraine, the originally scheduled host.
The United Nations rights chief on Wednesday urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to block an anti-LGBTQ bill that prescribes harsh penalties for some homosexual offenses, including death and life imprisonment.
Budget airline Lynx Air announced it is launching two new routes for the summer. The Calgary-based airline says it will offer seasonal summer flights between Toronto Pearson International Airport and Kelowna International Airport starting April 13, and between Hamilton’s John C. Munroe International Airport and Vancouver International Airport starting April 16.
Singapore Changi has reclaimed its spot as the world’s top airport in the prestigious annual “Passengers’ Choice Award” rankings by Skytrax. Vancouver rated a respectable 20th on the top 100 list, moving up eight spots from 2022.
Casino giant Caesars Entertainment is offering what may be the most extravagant guest package for the highly anticipated Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix later this year at a whopping US$5 million.
Visit Britain advises that If you’re “Madferit” in Manchester, as illustrated in the image above, you are “excited” and not, “a crazy weasel.” And when a Geordie in Newcastle says “alreet, pet,” they simply mean “hi,” not that you’re an okay cat.
A new survey from Virtuoso has identified when, where, and why (and how) upscale Canadians will be venturing in 2023. Notably, that includes a propensity for using travel agents, as well as other trends that differ from global norms.
WestJet debuted new technology this week to reduce drag on its aircraft, thereby saving fuel and reducing carbon emissions. The Calgary-based carrier is the first in Canada and second in the world to use the drag reduction kit.
Transitioning from sister line Costa, Carnival Venezia officially joined the Carnival Cruise Line fleet this week in Cadiz, Spain, with Costa Captain Tihomir Muzic handing over the ship to Carnival Captain Claudio Cupisti. “We are so pleased to welcome Carnival Venezia to the fleet, which following a dry dock, will debut as our first ‘Fun Italian Style’ ship this May,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
Families Minister Karina Gould says that the federal government has now “completely eliminated” the backlog of passport applications that caused major delays – and major political strife – last year. Gould told reporters yesterday that she can guarantee that people who apply for passports will now get them on time, and though she urged people whose passports expire in 2023 to get them renewed immediately.
Business travel is back in a big way, according to American Express Global Business Travel. Amex GBT told company investors on a recent fourth-quarter 2022 earnings call that they expect total business travel spending to grow by 24% in 2023 to reach over a trillion dollars.
When Canadians think Nevada, it’s understandable that lavish Las Vegas tends to command attention. And while tourism folk from the state would never try to dissuade visitors from this country from rolling the dice on a holiday in the city, they are quick to point out there is much more to the state than Sin City’s well-known gambling and entertainment escapades.
An agency responsible for tourism in Regina has apologized for using slogans that have been criticized for their sexual overtones. Two days after launching a rebrand, Experience Regina has removed phrases online that seemed to make light of the city’s name rhyming with vagina.
The Azores heads the list of the world’s “most underrated destinations” in a poll by top travel industry executives at a recent global trade show. The Atlantic islands, located 1,370 km from the Portuguese mainland, edged Northern Greece, scoring top marks in the survey with 14.5% of the vote.
Norwegian Cruise Line has named David J. Herrera as the brand’s new President effective April 1. The move comes as Harry J. Sommer transitions to be the next President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. the parent company for the NCL, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, effective July 1.
In conjunction with the International Day of Happiness on Monday (March 20), Finland has been named the happiest country in annual United Nations ‘World Happiness Report.’ And with the aim of sharing its secrets of success, Visit Finland is inviting global Grinches to join a free masterclass in happiness taking place in the Nordic country this summer.
For the third year in a row, Miami Beach finds itself struggling with spring break violence, including two fatal shootings and unruly crowds, despite a massive police presence and activities designed to give people alternatives to drinking alcohol and roaming the streets.
The federal government says the NEXUS trusted-traveller program will fully ramp back up within five weeks, allowing frequent border crossers to complete their applications and speed up their trips.
The number of air passenger complaints to Canada’s transport regulator has more than tripled over the past year, soaring past 42,000 as of this month. The ballooning backlog means each case now needs more than a year and a half to handle, spurring advocates and politicians to question the efficacy of the process, even as hiring and funding ramp up.
Heathrow Airport says it has contingency plans to remain open and operational if security workers walk off the job on March 31 as planned. The strike action – scheduled to take place at Terminal Five over the busy Easter Break – will last 10 days through Easter Sunday on April 9.
ACTA has announced its networking events for 2023 including its ACTA Advocacy Fund Raising Golf Tournament and three ACTA Travel Industry Summits. The association says registration will open soon, but in the meantime, invite members to save the dates.
The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) has confirmed Tracy Berkeley as Chief Executive Officer, creating history as the organization’s first female leader. Berkeley has been serving as the BTA’s Interim CEO since June 2022.
Trevello Travel Group says its new focus on cruising is making waves – with increased sales and prestigious awards.
Federal investigators in the US say an air traffic controller cleared an Air Canada Rouge plane to take off from Sarasota, Fla., while an American Airlines jet was making its final approach to the same runway last month, leading the American pilots to abandon their landing.
As uncollected garbage reeks in the streets of Paris amid a strike by sanitation workers, more labour strikes were planned for today across numerous sectors, from transportation to energy. The Civil Aviation authority asked to have 30 percent of flights canceled at Orly, Paris’ second airport, and 20 percent in Marseille.
Air travellers to Canada on flights originating from the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong or Macao are no longer required to provide evidence of a COVID-19 test result before boarding.
Juan Carlos Garcia Granda is looking forward to the day when Canadians can enjoy a cup of coffee at a Tim Horton’s in Cuba. And while Cuba’s tourism minister wasn’t specifically rolling up to Canada last week to announce a win for coffee drinkers from this country (even if local coffee is considerably better), he was making a point that Cuba is increasingly solving its supply problems – accentuated during the pandemic – not least through foreign investment that is now actively encouraged.
In an exercise of fleet optimization, Seabourn has sold Seabourn Odyssey to a Japanese transport company, though the luxury cruise line says it will continue to operate all published voyages through Aug. 22, 2024, under a charter arrangement.
Visitors to a British castle in the West Midlands can go back in time to relive one of history’s great sporting spectacles as rival knights compete in the ultimate test of strength and skill at Kenilworth Castle’s Knights’ Tournament.