Destinations
Holland America Adds New Cruises
Holland America Line has opened bookings for a season of new itineraries aboard Westerdam starting in fall 2022 in anticipation of the ports in Australia and New Zealand fully welcoming cruise ships back to their shores. The new voyages, offered from Sept. 25, 2022, through March 13, 2023, explore Australia’s rich culture, the lush landscapes of New Zealand and the enchanting history and culture of Southeast Asia. Two new cruises conclude the Alaska season and reposition the ship Down Under from North America. Itineraries in Australia and New Zealand sail roundtrip from Sydney,...
IMPACT Reaches For Regenerative Tourism
Regeneration, reconciliation and decarbonization were all key watchwords during Day Two of the IMPACT Sustainability Travel and Tourism Conference, reports western editor Ted Davis, in attendance at the event. Those concepts were all attended by an impressive roster of experts, executives and stake holders at the conference, which was convened in Victoria, BC. It ran until May 11 at the Victoria Convention Centre. Regenerative tourism is quickly gaining momentum in lock step with the changing parameters of global travel. It is the natural next step for an industry that is evolving...
FCM Celebrates Success Of TH!NK Event
FCM’s inaugural Th!nk event concluded this week and industry leaders emerged in bullish mood, optimistic about the future of corporate travel. At a time when TMCs such as FCM are returning to profit and closing in on pre-covid trading levels, collective attention has turned to maintaining this positive trajectory while responding to an ever-evolving travel landscape to deliver strong client support and satisfaction. Speaking live to the audience from Athens, FCM Global Managing Director Marcus Eklund reiterated the need to encourage open conversation and positive action...
Get Ready For Growth
With the tourism sector rebound strongly from the global pandemic, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is calling on the region’s “bread and butter” industry to ramp up efforts to be adequately staffed to meet the impending surge of arrivals and continued growth. Pointing to a recent statement from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) that predicts “a massive increase in global international inbound travel,” CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig noted that the Caribbean’s tourism sector must do more to source and train its own people to meet the...
Europe Tourism Remains Resilient
The European Travel Commission (ETC) is predicting that European tourism will demonstrate resilience despite risks on multiple fronts. In the ETC’s latest ‘European Tourism Trends & Prospects’ quarterly – which monitors the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as current economic and geopolitical headwinds -- anticipates that European tourism will continue recovering in 2022, albeit at a slower pace than previously hoped. In 2022, international tourist arrivals to Europe are forecast to be 30% below 2019 volumes, supported by domestic and short-haul travel....
Future Outlook Encouraging For Tourism Innovators
Day One of the IMPACT Sustainability Travel & Tourism Conference was characterized by an urgency to tackle tourism agendas in a new world economic order, reports Press Today’s Ted Davis, who’s attending the event. Post-pandemic hindsight is allowing tourism stakeholders and thought leaders to reassess the effects of Covid-19 on the industry, said western Canada editor Ted Davis, who is attending the conference. They brought their methods and theories to the conference, which is being held in Victoria until May 11. There were some positive effects of the pandemic, said Marion...
Spotlight On Ireland
Tourism Ireland is back to in-person sales missions, kicking off its efforts in Toronto and then heading to western Canada to showcase the island of Ireland to travel agents in Alberta and British Columbia. A delegation of 15 tourism enterprises from Ireland and 3 Canadian partners are taking part in the targeted sales mission focusing on the cities of Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and Victoria, highlighting the direct gateways from Canada to Ireland. The events are designed to help advisors sell Ireland by targeting key consumer passion points of adventure and experiences,...
ACTA Says Airport, Passport Delays Need To Be Addressed
With Canadian travellers experiencing significant delays at airport security and customs & immigration check points and long wait times for Canadians renewing passports in-person, ACTA is calling on the government to urgently address the situation. The association notes in a statement that these delays are caused by several factors, including labour shortages and increased administrative burdens due to legacy COVID-19 policies, as well as absenteeism. Wendy Paradis, president of ACTA, said: “Canada’s travel industry, including travel agencies and independent travel agents,...