When it comes to choosing ideal travel destinations, 35% of experienced travellers prioritize landscape-rich locations followed closely by 31% who seek destinations that offer adventurous activities, according to the recent Global Rescue Summer 2024 Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey. But women have distinct preferences compared to men.
The damage is severe as torrential rains from a storm called Boris that had the Danube peaking at a 10-year high and saw water lapping at the steps of Hungary’s Parliament building in Budapest. It’s meant there’s not enough space for ships to sail under bridges on the central part of the river.
The head brewmaster for Weihenstephan, the world’s oldest brewery, has a secret: He really likes alcohol-free beer. Even though he’s quick to say he obviously enjoys real beer more, Tobias Zollo says he savours alcohol-free beer when he’s working or eating lunch. It has the same taste but fewer calories than a soft drink, he said, thanks to the brewery’s process of evaporating the alcohol.
One of the great Canadian band of the classic rock era, Saskatchewan’s Streetheart scored several hits in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, including covers of Them/Van Morrison’s “Here Comes the Night” and “Under My Thumb,” which in my humble estimation improved on the Stones’ original. My favourite, however, was/still is “What Kind of Love Is This?,” arguably their most memorable hit.
It’s being called the “normal-normal” – that is, the state of things beyond post-pandemic and its subsequent “new normal.” Back to where things were (travel-wise) before COVID. And that may be. But what about when normal includes the threat of pandemic as more than a one-off; never-ending and escalating wars; raging wildfires and drowning floods; tourism – and tourists – under siege by the locals; endless industry strikes; and plane parts (from Boeing at least) literally falling from the sky?
ACTA says it disappointed by the lack of progress demonstrated at Tuesday’s Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) annual general meeting on Recommendation 16 of the provincial auditor general’s report, which recommended a comprehensive review of the Travel Industry Act, 2002 and its associated regulations to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the regulatory system in Ontario.
Travel intent remains strong among Canadians, despite economic headwinds like inflation, according to a new survey releases by Sunwing. Polled in mid August, nearly two-thirds (61%) of over 1,500 respondents said they are planning to travel internationally on a vacation in the next year and over half (55%) of those are likely to consider an all-inclusive vacation package.
When in Africa, one often hears passing reference to Zimbabwe’s famed hospitality, and there’s nowhere to appreciate it more 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 could they not be, living in such magnificence?
Helene became a hurricane Wednesday after the huge storm rapidly strengthened in the Caribbean Sea and moved north along Mexico’s coast on a path toward the US, leading residents to evacuate, schools to close, and officials to declare emergencies in Florida and Georgia.
Japneet Singh, a security patroller at Nova Scotia’s famed Peggy’s Cove – a longtime treasure of Atlantic Canada’s coastline southwest of Halifax – is no stranger to the perils of the sea. Singh’s summer job is to watch over the black rocks overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, which are routinely slapped violently with salty waves, and covered in slippery algae that can take an unsuspecting visitor by surprise.
Described as “a calming riverside oasis in the centre of cacophonous Bangkok,” Capella Bangkok has been earned top spot in The World’s 50 Best Hotels awards 2024 at a glittering gala in London. The Thai property leads a prestigious list designed to “shape the aspirations of consumers, travellers and hoteliers globally.”
Convincing a client to add insurance to their booking may be getting harder, according to a new survey from TD Insurance, which reveals that nearly a third of Canadians are who are planning to travel in the next 12 months say they will trim their trip safety net as part of a strategy to forgo non-essential costs without giving up going altogether.
It’s (almost) almost all about cruising as the countdown begins for ACTA’s upcoming river cruise summit with Avalon Waterways has begun, Nexion announces a cruise summit in 2025, and Virtuoso names its top cruise lines. Meanwhile, Onvigo agents are dreaming about Cancun after a recent fam (banner photo)
In a travel world bursting at the seams with overpacked, over-touristed destinations, travellers could use a little St. Kitts and Nevis – two Caribbean sister islands that can bring a little calm to our frenetic lives – according to St.Kitts’ new tourist authority CEO.
Sunwing Vacations Group hosted its second annual leadership event last week north of Toronto, bringing together approximately 150 leaders across its six vacation and retail travel brands for a day of celebration and learning about key business, brand and strategic updates that are positioning the group for continued future growth.
Moxy Hotels, the bold and playful brand known for its vibrant social spaces and spirited service, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month (September). Since its inception in 2014 with the first Moxy Hotel opening in Milan, Moxy has been a disrupter in the hotel space by challenging the status quo, while creating a lighthearted, social atmosphere for modern travellers.
Hurricane watches were issued for parts of Cuba and Mexico on Monday as a cluster of storms located south of the Cayman Islands is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane – to be named Helene – in upcoming days with it moving north toward the Florida and the US as it cuts a path between Cuba and Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula in upcoming days.
The only single-dose oral vaccine approved in Canada to protect against cholera is now available commercially through travel health professionals in this country. Distributed by leading global travel vaccine supplier Bavarian Nordic, VAXCHORA helps deliver protection against the sudden intestinal infection within 10 days after a single oral dose.
Rocking an Olympic-themed atmosphere, Transat Distribution Canada welcomed its English Canada members in Toronto over the weekend for the organization’s annual conference. Some 250 participants were on hand from across the TDC network, including Transat execs, agency owners, advisors (including from the agent@home program), and 60 preferred partners.
Playa Hotels & Resorts has officially opened reservations for Kimpton Tres Rios, its newest managed property – and first ever all-inclusive – for stays in early 2025. Set on a white sand beach and surrounded by lush mangroves, the all-age luxury resort is located in Mexico’s Riviera Maya has undergone a significant transformation since early 2023.
A total of 67 out of 120 destinations around the world recovered to pre-pandemic arrival numbers in the first half of 2024, resulting in international tourism reaching 96% of 2019 levels overall in the seven months through July 2024,
China promised tiny tourism-dependent Palau a million tourists a year if the country would only drop its allegiance to Taiwan, says the country’s President Surangel Whipps Jr. But the Chinese tactic of “weaponizing” tourism saw its visitors to the Pacific archipelago suddenly decline by half when Whipps Jr. declined the offer.
The head of the Air Canada pilots union says she’ll step down if members opt not to approve a tentative deal with the airline, raising the stakes as aviators mull whether to accept hefty salary gains or drive an even harder bargain.
The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) is urging Ontario’s travel trade to unite and make their voices heard at the Sept. 24 Travel Industry Council of Ontario annual meeting, particularly in calling for the provincial government to comprehensively review and update the Travel Industry Act, as well as to demand progress on a review of TICO’s own operations as the regulatory body for Ontario’s travel industry.
As Belfast continues to celebrate a year-long program of culture inspired by Belfast’s designation as a UNESCO City of Music in 2024 and its well-known literary reputation, Northern Ireland’s economic minister called in Toronto last week to talk travel with the trade.
Alaska Airlines has closed its $1 billion purchase of Hawaiian Airline, shortly after the US federal government removed the last major regulatory obstacle to the deal. Alaska says it will keep Hawaiian as a separate brand, eliminating the need to repaint planes.
The Travel Corporation (TTC) today announced the appointment of Melissa DaSilva as Interim CEO of TTC Tour Brands, effective immediately. DaSilva, who most recently served as President of TTC Tour Brands North America and brings over three decades of travel industry expertise to her new role, succeeds Gavin Tollman who will exit the business when the company sale closes later this year.
Air Canada’s pilot strike was settled – or was it? In a big week of news last week, ACTA also revealed foundational shifts in the retail travel industry, a new Explora Journeys vessel set sail, Flair flew to Guadalajara, Mexico, for the first time, and a eminent travel agent in this country announced retirement plans.
A new proposal from the country’s transport regulator would charge airlines $790 for each passenger complain it resolves – regardless of which party wins the dispute. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has launched a one-month consultation on the proposed reforms, which would apply to valid customer complaints processed and settled by the regulator.
Ariella Kimmel and Mandi Johnson were grabbing a bite to eat in Vienna, when their August trip to the Austrian capital was upended. The Canadian duo had travelled to the city to see Taylor Swift in concert only to learn her shows would be cancelled because of two men plotting to launch an attack on fans outside the venue, Ernst Happel Stadium.