A volcano began erupting again in southwestern Iceland again, just hours after authorities evacuated a nearby community and a geothermal spa, one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions. Flames and smoke shot through the air as the volcanic fissure opened near the town of Grindavik.
Canada is forecast to be Asia-Pacific’s sixth largest source market in the next three years, according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), which is forecasting a strong travel rebound and growth in the region through 2027.
This week: Transat Distribution Canada, Nexion, Expedia TAAP, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Virtuoso-Allianz, and Zebrano Travel.
No, Air Transat hasn’t changed the name of the Atlantic Ocean to the Canadien Ocean. But with a nod and a wink to the potus across the border, the company said it was unilaterally changing the name and announced as much in onboard announcements across its network yesterday – April 1.
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts Cuba is in the Sunwing spotlight in April as the tour company’s partner of the month. Travel advisors booking their clients by April 30 (for travel by Oct. 31) will be able to take advantage of special limited-time offerings, as well as earning up to up to 3X STAR Points themselves.
Claiming “Our goal is to fly where our customers want to travel,” Porter Airlines is adding more Canada to its summer schedule. The carrier says domestic flying will comprise 80% of its total network capacity, up from 75% in its original seasonal plan.
Université de Montréal has issued a series of guidelines to students and staff who will be travelling to the United States for academic purposes amid what it described as growing anxiety among members of the community.
Air Canada is adding a new route and boosting frequencies to popular Europe destinations for the summer, highlighted by new service from Montreal to Edinburgh, Scotland. The carrier is also adding close to 1,300 weekly seats to Paris and Athens, and is also extending its peak Toronto to Rome schedule until October.
With 75% of Ontario consumers who are aware of the protection available to them more likely to book at a TICO-registered businesses compared to only 43% who don’t, the province’s regulatory body has added new resources to its Registrants Toolkit, which is designed to enable travel professionals to highlight the benefits of booking with a TICO-registered business to current and prospective clients.
In a digital age where screens compete for our attention, finding time to truly disconnect and immerse in the present moment is more important than ever. And with white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, and slower-paced island life, there is no better place to do so than Nassau & Paradise Island, says the Bahamian destination’s promotion board.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the State Department will re-evaluate its travel warnings for Jamaica and other countries to ensure they reflect real conditions on the ground. As part of a tour of the Caribbean last week, Rubio heard complaints from Jamaican officials about the warning for their country, which is heavily dependent on tourism.
Tourism operators in Ontario’s hot spots have been bracing for the fallout of U.S.-Canada tensions but instead are seeing an uptick in demand that some attribute to Canadian staycationers. Still, experts say a booming summer travel season is not a guarantee across the province amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
Intrepid Travel has launched an emergency appeal to help victims of Friday’s devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, which caused widespread damage across the country and parts of Thailand. All funds raised will go directly towards providing medical support and aid to communities through Intrepid’s trusted local NGO partner in Myanmar. The Intrepid Foundation will match all donations up to AUD$100,000.
A mixed reaction from Canadians has greeted the launch of WestJet’s on-board Wi-Fi service powered by Starlink – the satellite internet technology made by Elon Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX. Activated in March, the service now offers free Wi-Fi on 16 of the carrier’s nearly 140 planes, with the airline expecting to complete hardware installations on its narrow-body fleet by the end of this year and on its wide-body aircraft before 2027.
A new Corporate Traveller (CT) survey conducted by YouGov reveals that while 75% of small and mid-market enterprises (SMEs) are adopting artificial tools for travel management, only one in six fully trust it. But while the trust gap poses a challenge for corporate travel managers, CT warns that with AI adoption accelerating, early adopters could gain a competitive edge – while skeptics risk falling behind.
MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique marked significant milestones for three World Class ships on Friday in Saint-Nazaire, France, with the delivery of MSC World America, the coin ceremony of MSC World Asia, and steel cutting for the newly named MSC World Atlantic.
News nuggets, airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news you may have missed.
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration told Congress during a hearing Thursday about a midair collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people that the agency must do more to ensure flying remains safe. “We have to do better,” Chris Rocheleau said. “We have to identify trends, we have to get smarter about how we use data, and when we put corrective actions in place, we must execute them.”
Unemployed clients are bad for business, so it may be some measure of relief that a new poll by Leger is suggesting that Canadians are feeling less anxious about losing their jobs as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to pursue his trade war with Canada and much of the world. However, worries persist, including the notion that Canadians are merely growing numb to the everyday chaos.
A new partnership between Porter Airlines and Pascan Aviation will improve access to air travel across Eastern Canada, taking advantage of Porter’s growing North American network and Pascan’s Québec and Maritimes-focused regional flights. Primary connecting airports are in Halifax and Québec City, with other hubs serving as secondary options.
Every morning, Tom Stehr wakes up and heads straight into his maple shop. As he walks through the Huntsville, Ont., building, he passes displays of syrup memorabilia, Canadian flags and maple leaf decor. “I just fell in love with everything about maple,” Stehr says. “It’s totally Canadian. It’s iconic.”
It’s so easy to settle into a cruise that you might wonder: “What would it be like to live at sea?” Forget days, or even weeks. Cruise lines are planning voyages that last for two and three seasons. One is selling a year of sailing and there are even companies turning ships into globe-circuiting floating residences.
Sunwing’s Vacation Van is back in action. Following its launch in Toronto last fall, the van has gone international, making the journey to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for an activation starring Canadian game show host, Adam Growe (“Cash Cab”).
Blue Rodeo needs little introduction. I recall watching them performing at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto in the mid-80s – some 40 years and 16 albums ago. Now the beloved Canadian band – whom many would argue is the best ever – has earned every honour there is in this country, from multiple Junos and a Governor General’s Award to being inducted on the Walk of Fame and having a street named after them in downtown T.O.
Some US embassies in European nations are taking to social media with pointed warnings to would-be visitors: Watch your step. Embassies in at least 17 countries have put up posts featuring images of administration figures, including Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, warning those seeking visas that engaging in behaviour deemed harmful by the government could get deported.
The Federal Court of Appeal is upholding a decision by the country’s transport regulator that aims to boost accessibility for air travellers living with a disability. A judicial tribunal has dismissed an appeal by Air Canada that sought to overturn a requirement to fully accommodate passengers whose wheelchairs are too large to fit through the cargo doors of some aircraft.
Gen Z is eager to embrace the bounce-back in business travel, but younger travellers are also more likely to feel stressed, experience disruption, and lack clarity on the support their employer provides.
The Las Vegas Visitor and Convention Authority (LVCVA) is visiting Canada this week, with its Eastern Canada mission concluding in Winnipeg Thursday, following gala events in Montreal and Toronto earlier in the week,
Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) is hosting its national leadership conference at Club Med Marbella on Spain’s Costa del Sol this week, with the key theme of personalized development. On hand are owners and managers of franchised and affiliated agencies of the TDC network, regional managers of Transat/Travel agencies, members of the TDC management team, as well as a host of preferred partners.
When travellers think of beach getaways, their first thought may be to spend their days relaxing under the sun, and while white-sand lounging certainly has a place on tropical vacations, it’s not the only way to experience the sands of paradise. With dozens of beaches to explore in Aruba, there’s no limit to what vacationers can do, from ocean exploration to enjoying the lively nightlife.