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.
An annual event involving dirt, beer and cash once again drew dozens of eager competitors to a ski resort in Maine last weekend. More than 30 couples competed in the North American Wife Carrying Championship, a 254-metre race during which contestants splash through water, leap over logs and trudge through mud – all while
With an increasing number of newbies joining the ranks of travel advisors in Canada, it’s critical that the wisdom and experience of veteran agents be passed on to ensure their success and the continued success of the industry, says ACTA. With this in mind, at its recent Summit event in Toronto the association enlisted a panel of prominent travel sellers and career coaches to share some “actionable insights and proven strategies to help make their journeys a success.”
From to ‘F–k-it Lists’ to ‘Silver Bullet Wellness’ and ‘Raceteering,’ Virtuoso has revealed the latest surprising luxury trends based on a survey of its high-net-worth/ultra-high-net-worth clientele. Conducted in partnership with travel trend forecasting agency, Globetreder and referencing data from its 2024 Brand & Travel Tracker Survey, the network’s ‘Luxury Travel Trend Watch: 2025’ identifies seven trends that it says will shape the luxury travel landscape in the new year and beyond.
To encourage Taylor Swift fans and visitors to explore deeper throughout the city during the entertainer’s upcoming series of concerts in the city in November, Destination Toronto has created a website ‘Taylor Swift in Toronto’ web site designed to help fans make the most of their time in town – and leverage its moment in the singer’s spotlight.
The Grand Egyptian Museum will partially open its main galleries today (Wednesday) including 12 halls that exhibit aspects of ancient Egypt, as part of a trial run. The museum, a mega-project near the famed Giza Pyramids in Cairo, which has cost well over $1 billion so far, will open the halls for 4,000 visitors as a trial run until the official opening date, which is yet to be announced.
Entry and arrival in St. Maarten is now easier for visitors with the launch of a new a new Digital Embarkation/ Disembarkation (ED) Form and the opening this week of a new arrivals hall at Princess Juliana International Airport.
Small-ship cruise line Azamara has launched a revamped global reservation system aimed at enhancing the booking experience for travel advisors. Dubbed RezA, the new system is part of Azamara’s broader commitment to improving relationships with its travel partners through its “Listening, Learning, and Linking” initiative.
When Julie Riddell and her husband, Gerry, bought their Fort Myers, Fla., vacation property in 2009, it didn’t cross their mind that they might be buying in a hurricane-prone area. “But for at least eight years, we’ve been seeing a lot more action and more frequency (of storms),” the Toronto resident said.
The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reports it intercepted 5,028 firearms at airport security checkpoints during the first nine months of 2024. The total represents an average of 18.3 firearms detected per day at TSA checkpoints, more than 93% of which were loaded.
The meetings and events industry is projected to flourish in 2025, with meeting professionals expressing confidence in its future and noting planned increases in meetings budgets, according to Amex GBT Meetings & Events in newly released 14th Annual ‘Global Meetings and Events Forecast.’
Barbuda has a brand-new international airport, signalling the start of a new chapter for the island’s connectivity, tourism, and economic growth by offering direct connections to global destinations without a stop in neighbouring Antigua first.
With more than 50 percent of its global travellers opting to join a small group adventure on their own, G Adventures says it is taking its solo offering to the next level with the launch of ‘Solo-ish Adventures,’ the tour company’s first travel style created exclusively for solo travellers.
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.
Air Canada pilots have given a green light to a tentative agreement with the airline, easing any fears of a future strike. The Air Line Pilots Association says its 5,200 members voted 67 percent in favour of the contract, which provides a cumulative wage hike of nearly 42% over four years and goes into effect immediately.
A Canadian meteorologist with The Weather Network says it’s possible more extreme weather could come in the wake of Hurricane Milton’s devastation, and Canadians still in Florida should “take these storms seriously.”
Hong Kong has welcomed a new pair of giant pandas gifted by Beijing – the third pair of giant pandas to be sent to the city from mainland China since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Tourism industry representatives are optimistic about the potential impact of housing six pandas, hoping it will boost visitor numbers in Hong Kong.
The setting sun backlights a pristine panoply of pines of different sizes and species. Far northern Canadian countryside rolls by at a leisurely pace of a train ride, viewed through an upper deck glass-enclosed of a special observation car. Waves of green and brown in slightly varying shades sweep by.
Food trucks and snack shacks will join four sit-down restaurants and 12 bars on Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s new private beach destination on Grand Bahama opening in July, 2025.