The Taliban are taking over the operations of Afghanistan’s only luxury hotel in Kabul, more than a decade after they launched a deadly attack there that killed nine people. The Serena Hotel closed its operations in the Afghan capital on Feb. 1, with the Hotel State Owned Corporation taking over.
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.
World Pride this year is to be held in Washington DC and international delegates and tourists are expected to flock to the city during the festivities which run from May 23 to June 8. But there is a fly in the ointment. Donald Trump’s executive order, signed on day one of his presidency, does not sit well with the LGBT+ community, both domestic and global, and there are serious concerns as to what treatment visitors can expect at the Border and at the festivities.
A major winter storm disrupted travel plans, closed schools and shuttered city services across Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces Thursday, as communities dug out from upwards of 20 centimetres of snow, with blustery winds and freezing rain forecast to move east.
There’s no shortage of natural wonders and travel destinations in Alberta’s north; however, the biggest draw for visitors isn’t the boreal splendour or isolated lakes, it’s the people who live there. There are approximately 1.4 million domestic visitors to the northern Alberta annually, according to the most recent national travel survey released by Statistics Canada. The top trip purpose, equalling about a third of all tourists, was to visit friends and family.
A Maine coon cat named Mittens became an accidental jetsetter recently when her cage was overlooked in a plane cargo hold and she made three trips in 24 hours between New Zealand and Australia.
What’s a wood ear? You’ll find out as Windstar Cruises whips up new tastes with its new complimentary Asian/Mediterranean specialty restaurant Basil + Bamboo. The new concept is taking the place of Cuadro 44 restaurant across the line’s fleet in 2025. It’s first on Star Breeze in February 2025, and will debut as the new alternative dining venue aboard Star Seeker, due in December.
It’s been a long time since Led Zeppelin rock and rolled: Dec. 7, 2007, to be exact, and that was 27 years after their last concert with the original foursome in 1980 (before John Bonham died). But fans can now relive the era of arguably rock’s best band with the release of “Becoming Led Zeppelin,” a new documentary that opened last week at IMAX theatres, but debuts in regular theatres today (Friday).
A huge winter storm was expected to descend across parts of Ontario and Quebec late Wednesday and quickly spread across Atlantic Canada over the next two days, prompting Environment Canada to issue a flurry of weather warnings.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has begun lobbying the current US administration. This has included pleas to reverse the regulatory decisions the Department of Transportation (DOT) implemented during the Barack Obama and Joe Biden administrations.
Princess Cruises – aka “The Love Boat” – will celebrate its 60th anniversary this year with a special 14-day anniversary cruise to Mexico, departing from Los Angeles on Dec. 6. On sale now, the 60th Anniversary Mexican Riviera Voyage aboard the Royal Princess will include some of the same ports on the cruise line’s first-ever voyage, which set sail on Dec. 3, 1965, on Princess Patricia.
The Britannic Explorer, newly unveiled by Belmond, is the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales. Set to debut in July 2025. The Britannic Explorer will depart from London, offering three-night journeys with a choice of three routes through the spectacular natural landscapes of Cornwall, The Lake District, and Wales.
A lighthearted Danish petition is pledging to “bring hygge to Hollywood” by buying the state of California in response to Donald Trump’s talk about taking control of Greenland, a vast and mineral-rich Arctic island, from Denmark.
This week: Amex GBT powers eco-conscious choices; Ensemble powers Rwandan woman; ACTA posts key 2025 event dates for; incentives from Sunwing/Blue Diamond, Encore Cruises, G Adventures, and Africa Travel; and a Bob Marley-based trip contest by the Jamaica Tourist Board.
Airlines expect a strong tailwind from travel demand in 2025. United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and several other US-based carriers have all given investors strong forecasts for the year and Wall Street expects major airlines to increase revenue and profit in 2025. (Air Canada will present its present its fourth quarter and full year 2024 results on Feb. 14).
Tainted alcohol is becoming a problem for foreign travellers in some small tourist areas in South East Asia. A bartender in a popular Vietnamese tourist town has been arrested in relation to the deaths of two foreign tourists. Authorities in Hoi An say they died of methanol poisoning from tainted alcohol.
Set in the ancient Wychwood forest in the Cotswolds (about 30 minutes from Oxford), TreeDwellers takes modern accommodation to new heights with seven eccentric “treehouses” that seamlessly blend both luxury and nature.
Stunning vacation photos and engaging videos — User Generated Content (UGC) is marketing gold. It’s authentic, shareable, and helps creates a vibrant community of passionate advocates who inspire others to travel. Moreover, it’s exactly what today’s traveller craves. Here’s how it can help your business.
Luxury cruise line Cunard has unveiled its 2026 Alaska program, which will operate between May and September, offering 15 roundtrip voyages from Seattle, ranging from seven to 12 nights. Guests looking for a longer vacation that combines contrasting destinations can choose extended voyages of up to 42 nights that includes the Caribbean.
Jackie Friedman, President of host agency Nexion Travel Group, has absorbed Mike Foster’s role as President of Nexion Canada. Esther Roemmele, a seasoned leader and long-time member of the Nexion team, will step into the role of Director of Canadian Operations, managing daily operations. She previously served as Director of Member Services. Jenny Lloret will become Supervisor for Member Services.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of Playa Hotels & Resorts for approximately US $2.6 billion, including approximately $900 million of debt, net of cash. Playa is a leading owner and operator of all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
BermudAir will launch new nonstop service between Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) and Bermuda (BDA), beginning June 12. The two-hour flight will provide the only direct service between Montréal and Bermuda.
The pandemic saw the day pass industry leap to life at resorts, spas, water parks and hotels. From luxury to lower end, more people craved a way to break the isolation monotony while trying to maintain social distance. The passes are a win-win-win. Locals soak up some rest time on the cheap, travellers don’t have to commit to an overnight stay – but can still check out a place that may be sold out, or a little too expensive to stay all week.
The Islands of the Bahamas welcomed a record-breaking 11.22 million international visitors in 2024, making it the best year ever, far exceeding the 9.65 million arrivals in 2023.
Part art gallery, science exhibition and 21st century funhouse, the Paradox Museum Miami takes guests on a tour through optical illusions and other enigmas geared for the age of Instagram. Housed in Miami’s trendy Wynwood arts and entertainment district, the attraction features more than 70 exhibits that challenge the imagination,
TravelBrands has announced the return of Jeff Carpenter as Strategic Account Manager, a newly created position designed to enhance TravelBrands’ positioning with retail partners across Canada. One of the key focuses of this role is to provide enhanced support to home-based consortium accounts.
A magnitude-7.6 earthquake shook the Caribbean Sea south of the Cayman Islands Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey. Several islands and countries urged people near the coastline to move inland but authorities in most places later lifted the tsunami alerts.
Every year Kathy Rowe and her husband exchange the same Christmas gift: plane tickets to the United States. The couple from Torbay, N.L., had planned to do the same last holiday season, and used points to purchase non-refundable plane tickets to Dallas, where they would rent a car for a road trip in May.
Renowned as a “City of Spires” and for its historic university, Oxford has never suffered for profile, notably as a daytrip delight for visitors from London. And in recent years, the city has attracted a new cohort of Harry Potter fans intent on seeing sites used in the smash film series – namely Christ Church college and the Bodleian Library.
The spate of recent aviation disasters and close calls have people worried about the safety of flying. The midair collision that killed 67 near Washington, the fiery plane crash in Philadelphia and a commuter plane crash on Friday in Alaska are only the most high-profile disasters.