In this week’s look at the world of retail travel, Transat was on the road to amazing Marrakesh, hosting an advisor FAM; Ensemble has launched a hotel-cruise amenity program for clients; award-winning Travel Masters, TRAVELSAVERS Canada celebrates new tech and new affiliates; and F1S has welcomed a new exec.
There’s no better way to explore Nassau than on foot. It’s the ultimate way to enjoy the area’s historical landmarks, local shops, and dining spots at your own pace. It’s laid back, relaxed, and the best way to explore the Bahamian capital. So, lace up the walking shoes and check out our list of must-see sights and attractions.
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined Air Canada US$250,000 for operating flights carrying United Airlines’ designator code in regions in which a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight prohibition was in effect for US operators. The airline was ordered to cease and desist from future similar violations.
Food often serves as the best gateway to learning about a new destination, offering an opportunity to indulge during your getaway. Fortunately, Nassau & Paradise Island have an array of dining options, from upscale and casual spots to on-the-go snacks, bars, and more. With so many choices, we’re here to make your dining decisions as simple as possible.
G Adventures reports it raised more than CAD$325,000 raised to-date to uplift communities worldwide at its recent GX World Community Tourism Summit in Jaipur, India. Held in conjunction with its non-profit partner, Planeterra, the Summit took place Sept. 27, coinciding with World Tourism Day celebrations around the world.
From direct bookings by suppliers to sheer exhaustion in their jobs, a new survey of TRAVELSAVERS Canada agency owners and managers has identified their greatest challenges. The former pain point was named by 54% of those polled, while OTA competition was named by 33%. Agencies are also coping with staffing and economic issues, the survey revealed.
Hurricane Milton is expected to intensify rapidly into a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the already storm-ravaged Gulf Coast of Florida. While forecast models vary widely, the most likely path suggests Milton could make landfall Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida into the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said.
From a first reservation conducted by telegram in 1970 to a just-launched state-of-the-art reservation system that took five years to develop, Goway has certainly come a long way. And still has a long way to go, says company founder, 81-years-young Bruce Hodge, who officially introduced “the new Goway” Thursday at a gala event in Toronto as the tour company enters its 55th year with a fresh look and renewed ambition.
In a victory for air travellers, the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld rules that bolster compensation for passengers subjected to delays and damaged luggage on international flights.
With over 2.4 million seats serving Winnipeg this year, WestJet says it has expanded operations by 21 percent in 2024 and will continue to strengthen travel options for both business and leisure in Manitoba’s capital.
Airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news that you may have missed.
Frequent travellers may want to think twice before repeatedly and excessively searching for the best flight fares options. It’s an exercise, experts warn, that may lead to price actually going up due – a phenomenon occurs because online booking platforms deploy cookies to track and remember an individuals search patterns, prompting dynamic pricing adjustments.
The Competition Bureau says it has obtained court orders requiring Air Canada and WestJet to hand over information for the watchdog’s market study into airline competition. Granted by the Federal Court, the rulings require the country’s two biggest carriers to produce records and answer questions around barriers to entry into the field, performance metrics and agreements with airports and other airlines.
More than 1,000 freemen, many wearing black hats and red cloaks, and including actor Damian Lewis, drove a flock of sheep across the River Thames this week in the annual London Sheep Drive – an homage to a centuries-old tradition.
Channeling its reputation as ‘theme park capital of the world,’ Orlando is now in full swing for spooky season, declaring itself “Halloween Vacation Capital” and inviting visitors to discover a full slate of frightful family events in October – from haunting theme park events and kid-friendly trick-or-treat trails to terrorizing adults-only performances and Halloween-themed activities.
Spain’s Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean are named after birds for good reason. They’re the winter retreat of flocks of Europeans escaping the cold and most everyone who comes here flies in. But increasingly they’re cruise features in the fall and winter as itineraries continue to shift away from the troubled Middle East and Persian Gulf.
Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, died earlier this week. Starting in the late 1960s, the Brownsville, Texas native wrote such country and rock ‘n’ roll standards as “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” “Help Me Make it Through the Night,” “For the Good Times” and “Me and Bobby McGee.”
Hotels.com has released its annual Hotel Room Innsights Report uncovering surprising services and stories from more than 400 partner hotels worldwide, including Canada. This year’s report reveals astonishing items left behind by guests, wild room service orders, hidden hotel perks. and “out of this world” services offered to help accommodate today’s travellers.
Sunwing launched its winter campaign Wednesday at events in Toronto and Montreal, and virtually in the West, putting travel advisors at the heart of the travel company’s “obsessive” mission to not only deliver value to Canadians, but to effectively communicate that message.
Qatar Airways – named the world’s best airline by Skytrax in 2024 – will launch a new service to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) starting on Dec. 11, with three weekly non-stop flights to Hamad International Airport (DOH), similarly rated the World’s Best Airport.
To show gratitude to travel advisors for their “unwavering dedication, hard work and year-round commitment” to their clients, Sunwing Vacations has declared October “Sunwing Loves Advisors” month. The full 31-day fete follows similar sentiment shown in May on Travel Agent Appreciation Day in May, which the tour company says, “was simply not enough.”
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has unveiled and opened for sale the next evolution of its Prima Plus Class, the all-new Norwegian Luna. Marking the company’s 21st ship in its fleet, the ship will kick off its inaugural Caribbean season, sailing roundtrip from Miami, beginning April 4, 2026, through November 2026.
An unexploded US bomb from World War II that had been buried at a Japanese airport exploded Wednesday, causing a large crater in a taxiway and the cancellation of more than 80 flights but no injuries. Japanese Land and Transport Ministry officials said there were no aircraft nearby when the bomb exploded at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan.
“Travel agent” consistently rates as one of the most desirable professions in consumer polls (sorry, rock/movie star is even better!), yet attracting new personnel to the retail industry is clearly not as easy as it would seem.
“The Power of You” was a fitting theme for Ensemble’s recent Horizons event, where the consortium’s president Michael Johnson declared current times as nothing less than the ‘golden age of travel advisors.” Taking place in Las Vegas, the Sept. 16-19 event brought together over 800 attendees, including the network’s owners, managers, advisors, and key supplier partners, in an experience designed to inspire, inform, and empower professionals across the industry.
Heather Gerrard has joined the Sunwing Vacations sales team as business development for Alberta and the Prairie provinces. Gerrard comes from the tour operator’s inventory department, having previously worked at Signature Vacations’ call centre before moving to the operations team.
Declaring a “new era for doing business with Collette,” the 107-year-old tour operator has opened access to four new and enhanced self-service and learning tools for travel advisors. Dubbed the EnCompass Campaign, they include four main components.
Woodbridge, Ont.-based Arts & Leisure has added Liz Story to its growing team as Sales Manager, Canada. Prior to her new role, the well-known industry veteran has held similar roles at the Thomas Cook Group, Holiday House and Paul Gauguin Cruises, amongst others.
Officials in Johannesburg have proposed renaming a major street after a Palestinian woman who was involved in a hijacking more than 50 years ago, sparking criticism from several political parties and the city’s Jewish community. The city council is considering naming the street in its financial district of Sandton after Leila Khaled, a Palestinian militant and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine group.
Transat Distribution Canada is ‘humbly, carefully’ confident about the prospects for 2025, says the network’s GM Karine Gagnon, who notes that 2023 was an exceptional year for members. And while 2024 has not been quite as a strong, it has not been far behind. And “for me,” she says, “that’s a great place to be.