News nuggets, 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.
NEWS
It took four years, but global tourism is finally set for full recovery in 2024, according to the United Nations, which says around 1.1 billion tourists travelled internationally in the first nine months of 2024, representing 98% of pre-pandemic levels. And according to the latest World Tourism Barometer by UN Tourism, a full recovery from the biggest crisis in the sector’s history is expected by the end of the year.
Last week in Vancouver, Air Canada became the first Canadian airline to offer customers the ability to use facial recognition to board flights. The optional Digital Identification program – available through the Air Canada app, is designed to create faster seamless boarding and will soon be rolled out at additional airports across the country. The next evolution of the airline’s Digital ID initiative at YVR follows a successful pilot project on select flights and will offer travellers “the convenience and security of digital recognition at the gate to confirm their identities.”
Belize has a new online and departure arrival immigration and customs declaration system, designed for all travellers entering and leaving the central American country. The platform requires visitors to complete and submit the required immigration and customs information in advance through a user-friendly web link, enhancing data accuracy and streamlining the travel experience. The system began Dec. 1 for all travellers entering and exiting through the Philip Goldson International Airport, however both printed and digital forms will be accepted for three months. Digital forms can be accessed HERE.
BY THE NUMBERS
Virtuoso’s 2025 Luxe Report reveals that 44% of Canadian travel advisors surveyed say their clients are adjusting their plans to mitigate the effects of climate change. Specifically, 80% report clients are opting for destinations with moderate, less extreme weather, and 74% indicate travellers are choosing off-peak times when temperatures are typically milder. And 26% of advisors saying their clients are committed to reducing their carbon footprint by supporting carbon offsetting initiatives
AIR
Air Canada plans to bar carry-on bags and impose a seat selection fee for its lowest-fare customers in the new year. Starting Jan. 3, basic fare passengers on trips within North America and to sun destinations will have to check duffel bags, rolling suitcases and large backpacks for a fee – $35 for the first, $50 for the second. And as of Jan. 21, lower-tier customers will have to pay if they want to change the seat assigned to them at check-in – a policy it had suspended just two days after implementation earlier this year amid backlash from travellers.
WestJet has announced that WestJet Agent Direct is now available for new users to register and start booking. To celebrate the travel agent booking platform’s enhanced connectivity (it has been available since earlier this year for users of the airline’s previous tool, WestJet Agent), the airline is recognizing new and existing users with a contest and 10 giveaways. The ‘Get on Board with WestJet Agent Direct’ contest, open to both new and current users, runs through Feb. 3, 2025, and offers travel agents 10 chances to win WestJet gift cards, Extended Comfort vouchers and prize packs. Unlimited bonus entries are available for bookings made on the platform. For more, click HERE.
Porter Airlines inaugurated two new, nonstop routes between Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) and Florida last week, marking the first time the carrier has operated US flights from the Nova Scotia capital. Service is 3x weekly service to Tampa and daily service to Orlando.
DEALS
The ‘Best-Ever Black Friday Sale,’ by Oceania continues until Dec. 10, featuring up to a four-category stateroom upgrade plus an exclusive additional amenity, providing added value of up to US$5,500 per stateroom. Guests can also choose from a premium drink package (unlimited wine, beer, and spirits), shipboard credit up to $1,000, or free/reduced airfare. The offer is valid on more than 90 global voyages sailing in 2025 and 2026, on bookings made between by Dec. 10 with promotional code “UGBF.”
An Explora Journeys sale offering travellers the opportunity to save up to 50% on select journeys, with a reduced deposit of only 5% has been extended until Dec. 17. Explora Journeys is the is the lifestyle cruise brand of the MSC Group.
TOURS
With travel to Brazil booming (and Canadian visa requirements removed), Goway Travel is shining a spotlight on the colourful destination (photo) this winter as part of an enhanced focus on its Latin American product line. That includes custom travel offerings and the introduction of 20 brand-new packages designed to offer a wide range of experiences and price points for travellers with all manner of interests and in a wide range of domestic destinations, including Rio de Janeiro (photo above), Iguassu Falls, and the Amazon rainforest.
Collette has launched its new Explorations brochure for 2025-26 tours. The inspirational guide features more than 50 small group tours on all seven continents. The new brochure also includes a preview of tours set to debut in 2026, featuring destinations like Canada, South Africa, Arizona, Vietnam, and Scandinavia. The free brochure can be ordered for mail delivery or via a digital download at www.collette.com.
HOTELS
In Arizona, the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort has completed a US$115 million property-wide rebrand and renovation. Formerly the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, the property is the first Grand Hyatt in the state. New are six elevated dining experiences in partnership with celebrity chef Richard Blais, expanded pool and cabana offerings, a refreshed Spa Avania, expanded group meeting space capabilities, and more.
Opening in January, Park Lane Copenhagen fuses historic charm with boutique elegance. Located in the upscale town of Hellerup, this former 1920s cinema features luxurious suites, original stucco, and designer touches by Camilla van den Tempel. The interior blends classic Danish architecture with serene tones and curated local art. Guests can enjoy fine dining, a cozy café, and personalized service, all reflecting its prestigious inclusion in Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
RESORTS
Hyatt Hotels will introduce a new Dreams Resorts & Spas branded resort in the Dominican Republic by the end of the year. Dreams Cap Cana Resort & Spa will feature 519 guestrooms, including 40 villas and 100 swim-up suites. Located 15 minutes from Punta Cana International Airport, the resort will be part of the exclusive gated community of Cap Cana, situated on Juanillo Beach and home to one of the largest inland harbor marinas in Central and South America, two amusement parks, a state-of-the-art Los Establos Equestrian Center that houses stables, riding arenas, and polo fields, and an award-winning Punta Espada Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course.
VAI Resort is preparing to open in early 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. Designed to be the ultimate desert oasis, the resort will feature Arizona’s largest resort lake and Konos Island, a spectacular a man-made party haven with white sand beaches. Guests can unwind in style with a 2.5-hectare swimming pool, an aerial bar, and private cabanas. Plus, with 10 exclusive bars, 13 top-tier restaurants, and a state-of-the-art entertainment hub, VAI Resort promises to cater to every taste.
CRUISE
Viking took delivery last week of the company’s newest ocean ship, the Viking Vela. Classified as a small ship, as are all Viking ocean ships, the Viking Vela has 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests. The vessel will spend her inaugural season sailing itineraries in the Mediterranean and in Northern Europe.
Reservations for the inaugural season of Windstar Cruises’ new 112-suite Star Seeker yacht are now open, with cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska, and Japan. The vessel’s maiden voyage will depart from Málaga, Spain, on Dec. 28, 2025, crossing the Atlantic with a special stop in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands for a New Year’s Eve celebration complete with fireworks alongside sister ship Wind Star. The cruise ends on Jan. 13, 2026, in Miami and after an official christening ceremony will set again on a eight-day voyage in the Caribbean – the first of several voyages in the region before crossing the Panama Canal towards Alaska and Japan.
ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS
The Blue Man Group has announced that performances are closing in Chicago and New York City, where the group first launched in 1991. The men still have shows in Las Vegas; Orlando, Florida; Boston; and Berlin, along with a tour and a show on the Norwegian Cruise Line ship.
The last Chicago performance will be Jan. 5. Blue Man Group is currently part of the global circus giant Cirque du Soleil.
FAMS & INCENTIVES
During the December travel advisors can take advantage of special hotel rates and exclusive offers from New Orleans’ hospitality community through New Orleans & Company’s Holiday Travel Advisors independent familiarization trip. Agents can also request a VIP Pass to use during their stay. To register for the 2024 holiday travel advisors FAM trip, click HERE.
In St. Lucia, five-star Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences is offering up to 60% off on all luxury room categories and villas for bookings made by Dec. 18. And guests who book five nights or more will receive a $200 USD resort credit to use towards spa treatments, dining, or watersport activities.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
ACTA president Wendy Paradis has been named chair of the executive committee of World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA), a global organization that focuses and advocates on issues impacting the global travel agency community. Incorporated in 2008 as an international non-profit trade association, WTAAA engages with like-minded organizations across the globe to foster more in-depth and meaningful working relationships within the travel and tourism industry. Members represent 57 countries on six continents.
Allianz Global Assistance (Allianz) has named Kyle Sparkman as Managing Director (MD) and Head of Allianz in Canada, effective Dec. 1. With more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, including the past five years at Allianz, Sparkman succeeds Chris Van Kooten who departed the company in October 2024. Since joining Allianz in 2019, Sparkman has served as chief operating officer and chief sales officer.
DESTINATIONS
Five years after a catastrophic fire reduced Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to a smoldering shell, the Gothic masterpiece re-opened Sunday. The transformation is nothing short of breathtaking: light dances across brilliant stone, gilded accents gleam anew, and the iconic monument’s majesty is reborn.
Two new Montréal shuttle services have debut to help make outdoor attractions in the surrounding regions more accessible for visitors travelling without a car. The Orléans Express shuttle now connects Montréal-Trudeau International Airport to Mont-Tremblant, offering access to the mountain with two round-trip shuttles in operation per day during the winter season. Additionally, Bonjour Nature Shuttle provides day trips from Montréal to the Lanaudière region, providing access to hiking, skiing, snowshoeing
LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY
In 1960, Edmonton International Airport was officially opened.
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