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.
Any conversation about rock’s best vocalist typically begins and ends with Freddie Mercury. But those of a Canadian persuasion sometimes tentatively proffer an alternative: Burton Cummings, the legendary Guess Who frontman, and subsequent solo star.
Explosively intensifying Hurricane Milton is the latest freaky system to come out of what veteran hurricane scientists call the weirdest storm season of their lives. Before this Atlantic hurricane season started, forecasters said everything lined up to be a monster busy year, and it began that way when Beryl was the earliest storm to reach Category 5 on record. Then, nothing.
A Turkish Airlines jetliner headed from Seattle to Istanbul made an emergency landing in New York on Wednesday after the pilot died on board. Pilot İlçehin Pehlivan, 59, lost consciousness at some point after Flight TK204 took off from Seattle Tuesday night, Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün said in a statement.
In contrast to returning to near pre-pandemic levels of activity in the industry, global emissions from Travel & Tourism dropped in 2023, marking an “important achievement” with the sector’s economic contribution growing faster than its environmental impact, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Perfect Day Mexico will make a splash in 2027 as the latest in Royal Caribbean’s growing lineup of destination experiences, which began with Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas in 2019, and includes upcoming ventures in Paradise Island, Bahamas; Cozumel in 2026; and Labadee, Haiti.
Qantas Airways has drawn up a stir after broadcasting a slightly racy movie across an entire flight. And the Australian carrier now is apologizing to customers.
Toronto-based Kensington has announced the rebranding of its core businesses. As part of the transformation, Kensington will be the main brand offering several sub-brands featuring a portfolio of luxury experiences: Kensington Tours, Kensington Villas, Kensington Cruise, Kensington Air, and Kensington Private Jet, with plans to explore additional categories in luxury travel.
Grand Palladium Hotels & Resorts is known for its luxury accommodations, pristine resort grounds and on-site entertainment and activities that provide every member of the family unforgettable vacation experiences, says Sunwing Vacations.
Toronto Pearson airport ranks a lowly 19th out of 20 in the newly released 2024 J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study, scoring a lowly 559 on a 1,000-point scale, and below the 595-point media. Pearson was listed in the study’s “mega” airport category, defined as facilities with 33 million or more passengers per year.
Orlando’s tourism machine began grinding to a halt Tuesday with at least three major theme parks and the main airport announcing closures ahead of Hurricane Milton ’s expected hit as a major storm in Florida.
With the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games firmly in the rearview mirror, Britain’s West Midlands region is still building on the legacy of the Games with new tourism product and itineraries, not least when it comes to leisure tourism, which has typically lagged behind business tourism in the region.
Nassau-Paradise Island has no shortage of great places for visitors to stay – from small to (very) big, and ancient to all-new. Yesterday we examined four of note – Atlantis, Baha Mar, British Colonial, and Margaritaville. Here we round out our Great 8 accommodation options in the Bahamian capital with four more marvellous mainstays: Four Seasons, Goldwynn, Graycliff, and Sandals.
The Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) returned to the Canadian market last week, meeting with travel trade industry representatives and media. Stacey Liburd, Anguilla’s Director of Tourism, and Kohn Richardson, Co-ordinator of International Markets, visited Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City where shared record-breaking arrival numbers, led by visitors from the island’s top markets, Canada and the US.
The Taiwan Tourism Administration (MOTC) celebrated the grand opening of the Taiwan Tourism Information Centre in Vancouver last week, reflecting a significant step in promoting Taiwan to the Canadian market and liaising with the travel trade.
The WestJet Group has named Jacqui McGillivray as its Executive Vice-President and Chief People Officer, effective today (Oct. 7) She replaces Angela Avery, who announced her retirement earlier this year. Avery will stay on in an advisory capacity to assist with a smooth transition.
A “black swan” worst-case hurricane scenario feared by scientists is set to wallop Tampa on Wednesday – something that hasn’t happened in nearly 100 years. On Monday, Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico to become a Category 5 hurricane – the strongest level – on a path toward Florida, prompting evacuation orders along the same stretch of coastline that was swamped by Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago.
From the small boutique properties of Cable Beach to the book-ending behemoths Atlantis and Baha Mar, and with both new options and old favourites, Nassau-Paradise Island (NPI) has dozens of hotels of different stripes sure to appeal to very type of visitor to the popular destination.
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.