Destinations
COVID-19 Remains A Holiday Travel Concern
While Canadians are eager to see their extended family and friends this holiday season, it’s not without concerns of COVID-19 exposure. That’s one of the top line findings in the PayPal Canada 2021 Holiday Giving Study. In that study, PayPal Canada found that only one in 10 Canadians who responded feel like the holidays will be back to normal this year while majority believe the pandemic will affect their celebrations. It also found four in 10 (39%), plan to celebrate the holidays this year by visiting family or friends at their homes, and a third (30%) will host extended family...
Quick Passage Of Bill C-2 Essential, ACTA Says
ACTA is urging the quick passage of Bill C-2 which was announced last week by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and which will provide further support to the industry in response to COVID-19. If passed, this bill will provide up to 75% wage and rent subsidies to travel agencies who suffered a revenue decline of 40% or greater – but there are some conditions. However, ACTA points out, at this time there is no indication that independent travel agents will benefit from either program. The association is continuing to meet with politicians and key government officials,...
Club Med Inaugurates Quebec Charlevoix
As it prepares to open on Dec. 3, dignitaries, partners and industry professionals from around the world gathered to inaugurate Canada’s first Club Med resort, Club Med Québec Charlevoix. The President and CEO of Club Med North America, Carolyne Doyon and President of Groupe Le Massif, Claude Choquette celebrated the official opening, welcoming the Premier of Québec, François Legault; Chairman of the Board of Directors of Groupe Le Massif, Daniel Gauthier; President of Club Med, Henri Giscard d'Estaing; and Mayor of Petite Rivière St François, Jean-Yves...
K2 Group Acquires Travelodge Lundy’s Lane
Toronto-based K2 Group has acquired the Travelodge by Wyndham Niagara Falls Lundy's Lane. The property will be fully-renovated with enhancements to the indoor and outdoor pools, restaurant, fitness center, meeting spaces, banquet halls and 118 guest rooms. A Starbucks Express is also slated to open on-site by the end of the year, and negotiations for a new franchise food and beverage offering are already underway to occupy the existing restaurant and will be announced soon. "We are happy to welcome K2 Group as the newest owners of a Travelodge by Wyndham property within...
TravelOnly Goes Live With Workshops
After close to a year of virtual training, webinars and events, TravelOnly celebrated the return of its very successful live training workshops on Nov. 27 in Toronto. More than 50 TravelOnly advisors, partners and executives were in attendance and the energy and excitement in the room was palpable. CFO Ann Luciani kicked off the event with a heartfelt message to the audience (which included a live broadcast to over 50 advisors across Canada). Luciani reflected on the challenges of the past year and recognized that many in the room had suffered both professional and personal...
Canada Ramps Up Border, Testing Measures Again
The federal government is again ramping up border measures following the World Health Organization announcement that it had classified B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern called Omicron. Since the WHO's announcement, Omicron has been found in a number of countries and regions, including a number of travel-related cases confirmed in Canada. As a result, the Canadian government is expanding the list of countries with entry prohibitions – which it announced on Nov. 26 – to include Egypt, Nigeria and Malawi. The other countries on that list are Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique,...
Bermuda Makes Testing Protocol Changes
The Bermuda Tourism Authority is welcoming the loosening of COVID-19 border protocols. The Bermuda Government announced changes to the pre-arrival test requirement to accept certified antigen tests effective Nov. 29, 2021. The rapid test result turn-around time, accuracy, and widespread availability of antigen tests will make the pre-arrival process significantly less burdensome for prospective travellers. As well, the government announced that follow-up testing for visitors staying seven days or less would only be what is required to return to their destination. Charles H....
All About Helping Kids For Air Canada Foundation
It’s Giving Tuesday and your donations will go a long way in helping Jessica and her son Israfil, a two-year old boy who suffers from a rare type of cancer, and many other kids across Canada, to fly for medical appointments. That’s the goal of the Air Canada Foundation Aeroplan Points Matching Week is all about: helping children reach medical care. Valérie Durand, spokesperson for the Air Canada Foundation, said that: “Your generosity, year after year, truly makes a difference in the lives of children and their families. With your precious contribution we've been able, over...