Air Transat has announced it has partnered with FLX Platform by Accelya to facilitate its New Distribution Capabilities (NDC). Powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), the platform enabled more than half of all global NDC transactions in 2023, according to data from T2RL and is now generating more than 350k personalized offers per second across its airline partners.
Reflecting the continued resurgence of travel after the pandemic, World Travel Market London – the world’s largest English language travel trade show – says this year’s edition will be the largest to date. Taking place Nov. 5-7 (with a new Tuesday start), the event is forecasting seven percent growth, prompting expansion into new halls at ExCeL London.
Passengers riding on Via Rail’s most heavily travelled corridor may endure a slower trip after Canadian National Railway Co. imposed restrictions on Via’s new recently arrived Siemens trainsets running between Montreal and Windsor, Ont. to lower their speed at public crossings.
Expedia Group has published its Unpack ’25 Report, which outlines eight trends set to define travel in 2025 and actionable steps for how travel businesses can capitalize on them. Based on data from Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, the predictions of where people will go and what they’ll do there in the year to come includes Goods Getaways, JOMO Travel, One-click Trips, and a traditional value vacation type that’s getting a new look from Gen Z.
Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand are popular among Canadians in the summer, and certainly during Spring Break season in the late winter/early spring when warm weather and sandy beaches beckon families looking to escape the cold and snow at home. But city tourism officials maintain that Fall may be the best time of all to visit the South Carolina destination.
Flair Airlines continues to elicit the most complaints amongst passengers in the latest statistics from the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA). Flair topped the chart with an average of 17.9 complaints per 100 flights for the period April through June 2024. By contrast, the best – at the bottom of the chart – was Porter Airlines, with only 1.2 complaints per 100 flights.
There’s no place like Myrtle Beach for golf. From the South Carolina destination’s 90-plus courses to its world-renowned mini golf trail, and now the Tiger Wood PopStroke venture, it’s no wonder the city has been called ‘The Golf Capital of the World.’ Indeed, about three million rounds of golf a year are played there.
In this week’s Round-Up, we go on the road with The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND) and check out the United Arab Emirates on an Exotic Journeys FAM trip. Meanwhile, the Affluent Traveler Collection is taking luxury to new levels.
It’s never to early to start planning for Can-Am Days, Myrtle Beach’s annual festival of friendship for its Canadian visitors. So, mark the calendar, the 64th annual event will take place March 8-16, 2025.
Thrill-seekers looking to get their name in the record books will now have even more opportunity to do so as MSC Cruises plans to roll out its Guinness World Records entertainment program across its entire fleet. The popular program, which gives guests the chance to break official Guinness World Records titles through a variety of activities, is now available on 12 ships and will be rolled out across the entire MSC Cruises fleet within the next year.
As Hurricane Oscar begins to roll across Cuba, many Cubans were still suffering Sunday without electricity, which had yet to be totally restored after days of blackout. Some neighbourhoods had electricity restored in Cuba’s capital, where 2 million people live, but most of Havana remained dark.
Customers who give their rental car companies the highest scores for trust are also most likely to reuse that brand for their next rental. However, according to the just-released J.D. Power 2024 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study, overly complicated vehicles, problems experienced during the rental car experience, and the inability to choose a specific vehicle can negatively affect trust, thereby damaging customer loyalty.
The Alberta and federal governments are putting a combined $5.5 million toward attracting tourists to the Rocky Mountain town of Jasper, Alta., after the July wildfire that destroyed one-third of the town, including multiple hotels and 800 housing units. Year-round tourism is Jasper’s main economic driver as close to 2.5 million people visited the surrounding national park last year alone.
Travel Leaders Network (TLN) wrapped its cross-country fall regional PEAK showcases last week boasting “biggest ever” numbers. Such was the turnout in Toronto – 160 members plus 72 supplier partners – that the TLN was forced to relocate to a larger venue near Pearson Airport than was required in previous years.
Sunwing Vacations’ Partner of the Month for October, Iberostar Beachfront Resorts, is offering perks and ways for clients to save, plus benefits for advisors who book their getaways at select properties in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
Goway has appointed travel industry veteran Sean Hebert as its new Vice President, The Americas with a mission to spearhead the company’s transformation of its North American and Latin American product lines.
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.
When a hurricane sets its sights on Florida, storm-weary residents may think of catastrophic wind, hammering rain and dangerous storm surge. Mounds of sand swallowing their homes? Not so much. Yet, that’s the reality for some after Hurricanes Helene and Milton clobbered Florida’s Gulf Coast with back-to-back hits in less than two weeks.
Universal Orlando Resort announced it will open its fourth theme park – Universal Epic Universe – on May 22, 2025. The park will feature themed areas based on Harry Potter, Super Nintendo and “How to Train Your Dragon,” as well as monster movie brands, Universal officials said Thursday.
When you gotta go, you gotta go. Like most people, public restrooms are not my first choice for bio-breaks, or even the second choice. But when you don’t have a choice and nature is calling loudly then you can plan your international travel based on the best and worst destinations for public restroom cleanliness.
Travelling bird watchers take note: New Zealand’s elusive hoiho – believed to be the world’s smallest penguin – is New Zealand’s bird of the year, having won the country’s recent fiercely fought avian election and offering hope to supporters of the endangered bird that recognition from its victory might prompt a revival of the species.
Le jazz was hot. The band rocked sets that ranged from Abba to Zappa. Bubbly and sangria were the drinks of choice. The party on the roof overlooking Promenade des Anglaise had the electric chic of a music video and the location was the most sybaritic on the French Riviera.
Guerlain Spa Toronto, situated within Hotel X Toronto, was named Canada’s Best Hotel Spa 2024 at the World Spa Awards. In its 10th year, the international awards program celebrates the very best in the global spa industry.
Recently we ran an early-days clip of U2 when the band were hardly recognizable as what they would become. Here’s another – of AC/DC – from 1976 on Australian TV, though the band isn’t so much unrecognizable as just kinda funny.
Starting Dec. 1, Canadian citizens will again be able to obtain their Egyptian visa upon arrival in the country, or electronically, reversing a controversial pre-entry requirement implemented by the Middle Eastern country last October that forced applicants to obtain their documents via mail from Egyptian consulates in Ottawa or Montreal.
Travellers are becoming increasingly concerned about the evolving risks in international travel, according to a survey of frequent travellers conducted by travel risk experts Global Rescue. Based on the survey of its members, the company says nearly a third (30%) of respondents revealed that geopolitical instability is their most significant perceived travel risk.
The Grenada Tourism Authority reports that new direct service by WestJet from Toronto to Grenada will start Dec. 15 and operate weekly until April 27, 2025. Flights to ‘the Spice Island’ are now open for booking.
When in Africa, you’ll often hear passing reference to Zimbabwe’s outstanding hospitality, and there’s nowhere better to appreciate it than at the iconic World Heritage Site of Victoria Falls. Everyone smiles warmly and greets you like an old friend – they’re all genuinely delightful. And how could they not be, living at a World Heritage site?
Carnival Cruise Line has announced an announced an enriched Learn & Earn training platform as part of its Loyalty Rocks! program for travel advisors. Travel advisors will now have new curriculum options, as well as access to more than 50 video-based courses designed to sharpen expertise on a variety of Carnival topics, including ship overviews, industry trends, and tools like social media training.
The United States has fined German airline Lufthansa $4 million for its treatment of a group of Jewish passengers who were denied boarding a 2022 flight in Frankfurt after they had flown to Germany from New York.