IATA said last week that flight fares are expected to rise. Also in the Round Up, Transat reported rising revenue, but overall losses; WestJet went back to basics, while Air Canada set it sights on inflight snacks; Disney got back on track for future growth in Florida, and Sunwing introduced an incentive in conjunction with partner Melia; plus, our usual categories, including cruise, incentives, tours, and hotels/resorts.
NEWS
Despite record profits for the global airline industry, the cost of flights is likely to go up, IATA warned at its annual meeting in Dubai. The association says that while carriers recover from the groundings worldwide from the pandemic, there are many current costs likely to push ticket prices ever higher, among them worldwide inflation, jet fuel costs, and older planes that burn more fuel flying longer due to downturn in aircraft production.
Transat A.T. Inc. reported a loss of $54.4 million in its latest quarter despite revenue rising nearly 12% compared with a year ago. The parent company of Air Transat says the increase reflected sustained demand, however it also faced intensified competition, inefficiencies resulting from an issue with the Pratt & Whitney GTF2 engine used by its aircraft, consequences of union strike threats and an economic slowdown.
ACTA is urging that its travel industry members take part in a federal Competition Bureau market study on the state of competition within the domestic air passenger services sector. The study aims to identify opportunities for enhancing competition to benefit consumers, employees, and businesses, and the deadline for survey responses must be made by today (June 10). The survey can be found HERE.
BY THE NUMBERS
Some 26.5 million visitors arrived in Toronto in 2023 and spent $8.4 billion – the bulk of it on hotels, restaurants and transportation – according to a report from Tourism Economics. However, tourist numbers fell short of the high-water mark in 2019, when 28 million people descended on the city, according to Destination Toronto. Last year, 88% of visitors were Canadian, while nearly 7% came from the US and 4.5% from overseas.
AIR
Air Canada has renewed its partnership as the Official Airline of Team Canada. The new agreement, which the airline says showcases its “deep passion for sport and commitment to sharing the best of Canada with the world.” Air Canada will #FlyTheFlag as the Official Airline of Team Canada for the next four Olympic and Paralympic Games. The airline also recently concluded agreements to become the Official Airline of Swimming Canada and Athletics Canada ahead of Paris 2024.
WestJet has replaced its basic ticket tier with a new fare category that does away with a free carry-on bag and other perks travellers once took for granted. The new “UltraBasic category,” the lowest priced of seven fare classes, is a no-frills fare and went into effect last week. Travellers flying UltraBasic get pre-assigned seats at the back of the aircraft and will have to pay extra to select a seat, even when checking in. They will also board last and will also not be permitted to stow a carry-on bag in the overhead bins, unless they choose to pay extra. The airline also announced it will acquire a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from aviation leasing company, AerDragon. The aircraft is expected to integrate into the fleet this year.
Air Canada is now introducing complimentary snacks to all customers on all flights. The airline is also expanding its complimentary beer and wine offering to customers on flights within Canada and the US, alongside a selection of $5 spirits, through the end of this year.
On June 1, Azores Airlines inaugurated direct flight service between Toronto and Funchal.
Air Transat and Porter Airlines have launched the first phase of the carriers’ joint venture in which bookings of direct and connecting flights can be made through each other’s distribution channels provided a wider network of destinations for passengers.
DEALS
Silversea has reintroduced its ‘$5,000 Reasons to Sail with Silversea’ offer. The promotion provides a saving of CAD$5,000 per suite on Door-to-Door All-Inclusive fares – $2,500 savings per suite on Port-to-Port All-Inclusive fares – with a 15% reduced deposit. It is applicable to new bookings made through July 31, on a wide variety of global voyages through August 2026.
TOURS
Next year, Globus will unveil nine new independent tours, from Bangkok to Bali and Abu Dhabi to Nepal. The tours provide hand-picked hotel accommodations, hand-selected optional excursions and the services of a Local Host – an expert dedicated to ensuring the trip goes off “without a hitch.” Among the tours are Independent Bali Explorer (5 days); Independent India: The Golden Triangle with Dubai (11 days); and Independent Singapore & Bangkok (7 days). The new tours join nearly two dozen other Globus Independent itineraries across Asia.
Rocky Mountaineer will conduct a first-of-its-kind train journey experience in partnership with the Moab Music Festival to connect travellers with one of the most anticipated musical events in the Southwest. The special ‘Sounds in the Southwest’ journey will take place Sept. 3-11, offering an eight-night musical travel experience that includes a trip on the two-day ‘Rockies to the Red Rocks’ rail route from Denver to Moab, Utah, where guests spend four nights for the festival. Following the event, guests will be welcomed back onboard the train for another two days of touring the American Southwest enroute back to Denver.
HOTELS
Located in a century-old repurposed firehouse, originally known as Engine Company 17, at the heart of the Los Angeles Arts District, kodō’s Japanese-American fusion restaurant and café is the foundation for the accompanying boutique hotel that has recently opened its doors. The hotel name “kodō,” which means “heartbeat” in Japanese, encapsulates the essence of vitality and cultural fusion.
RESORTS
IHG Hotels & Resorts (including Intercontinental, Six Senses, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, and Vignette Collection), is growing in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean (MLAC). Already one of the largest luxury and lifestyle portfolios in the world, this expansion includes five openings to date in 2024 and 32 properties currently in the regional pipeline, IHG is expected to more than double its MLAC luxury and lifestyle presence in the coming years.
“Utter seclusion” is the promise at Pelorus, the latest Great Barrier Reef island in Australia to transform into an exclusive reef-and-relaxation retreat. The beachfront resort accommodates just eight guests across four suites on the 400-hectare private island, a 30- minute helicopter flight from Townsville, or accessible by yacht. Private chefs are on hand to tailor cuisine to guest’s tastes, and the underwater kaleidoscope of fringing reefs are footsteps away.
CRUISE
Oceania Cruises has relaunched its Cruise Vacation Guide, a personalized portfolio inclusive of pre-cruise information for guests before setting sail. Available 60 to 70 days prior to embarkation, the guide includes general cruise information and a deck-by-deck guide per vessel, four reusable luggage tags, and personalized luggage tag inserts that are customized with the guest’s name, sail date, ship and stateroom and colour coordinated based on booking category. While previously guests received a shore excursion booklet in their pre-cruise documents mailed directly to them, they will now be able to access the booklet on the Oceania Cruises website and through their booking portal, in addition to receiving a digital PDF of shore excursion offerings specific to their voyage.
Viking will introduce two new itineraries in the Great Lakes in 2026. The 10-day Great Lakes Treasures voyage will sail roundtrip from Milwaukee and will allow guests to explore new ports of call for Viking, including Chicago, as well as Canada’s Fathom Five National Marine Park and Benjamin Islands. The longer, 17-day Niagara & Great Lakes Treasures voyage sails between Toronto and Milwaukee and also includes Niagara Falls, Point Pelee National Park, and a transit of the Welland Canal. The cruises are now open for booking.
ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS
Months after Disney and Gov. Ron DeSantis’s appointees agreed to end a protracted legal fight, the two sides are set to approve an agreement that could result in the company investing up to US$17 billion into its Florida resort. Under the deal’s terms, during the next decade or two, Disney would be approved to build a fifth major theme park at Walt Disney World and two more minor parks, such as water parks. The company could raise the number of hotel rooms on its property from almost 40,000 rooms to more than 53,000 rooms and increase the amount of retail and restaurant space by more than 20%.
EVENTS
The tourist boards of Japan and Korea, along with sponsor Air Canada, joined forces at an event in Toronto last week to talk about luxury in the Asian destinations. Agents learned about options in the neighbouring countries and were presented will with a two-country itinerary to suggest to clients. On hand for the event at the Gardiner Museum were JNTO’s Canadian director Athena Ho (l), and her KTO counterpart Jane Kim (photo above).
INCENTIVES
When advisors book their clients an all-inclusive vacation package at Meliá properties by June 30, for travel by April 30, 2025, they will receive 3X, 4X or 5X STAR Points on every booking. Plus, bookings made at Meliá properties with Sunwing will automatically enter advisors for the chance to win one of five seven-night hotel stays at Meliá Puerto Vallarta, Paradisus Grand Cana All Suites, Paradisus Cancun, Meliá Las Antillas, or Meliá Jardines del Rey.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
Flair Airlines chief executive Stephen Jones will be stepping down this summer after nearly four years at the helm of the discount carrier. The CEO’s tenure spanned a turbulent period for the seven-year-old company as the airline expanded its fleet but also hit financial headwinds amid stiff competition. Flair says a recruitment process for a replacement is underway and that chief operating officer Maciej Wilk has been named interim CEO until the board selects a successor. Jones is set to retire June 28, he said.
DESTINATIONS
Montréal has retained its status as the country’s culinary capital with the launch of the latest Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list. Montréal earned 28 entries on the prestigious industry list. Little Italy gem Mon Lapin earned the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row. Also placing in the top 20 were Beba (#8), Monarque (#11), Montréal Plaza (#13) and Toqué! (#19). Montréal is now tied with Toronto for the number of times the city has earned the top spot on the list (at four each). Montréal also snagged three accolades on the Top 10 Best New Restaurants list, with Sabayon (#5), Casavant (#6) and Parapluie (#9) all recognized for their break-out performances in their inaugural year.
The Louisiana Office of Tourism has a new Louisiana birding website. The new ADA-compliant, interactive website, BirdingLouisiana.com, organizes the state into six regions for birders to explore and each site is listed with what species of birds can be found, and where they might be seen. It also includes what other outdoor recreation is available in the area – such as paddling or fishing – and incorporates bird sounds for each species listed.
LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY
In 1936, the liner Queen Mary reached New York on her maiden voyage from Britain.
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