Destinations
Numbers Down, But Confidence Growing: UNWTO
There is “a slow uptick in confidence,” according to the latest UNWTO Confidence Index, although the more sobering news is that international tourist arrivals were down 83% in the first quarter of 2021 as widespread travel restrictions remained in place. The UNWTO reports that between January and March 2021 destinations around the world welcomed 180 million fewer international arrivals compared to the first quarter of last year. Asia and the Pacific continued to suffer the lowest levels of activity with a 94% drop in international arrivals over the three-month period. Europe...
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Takes Gamers To Ireland
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is taking its fans on a virtual trip to Ireland, immersing them in the country’s landscapes included in the game’s first major expansion, Wrath of the Druids. Playing as Eivor, a fierce Viking clan-leader, gamers will have to make their way through haunted forests and dazzling sceneries while gaining influence among Gaelic Kings. And to celebrate Ireland’s starring role in the recently launched expansion, Tourism Ireland has teamed up with Ubisoft to highlight the destination’s otherworldly landscapes, rich culture and fascinating myths and...
Tracking The Bright Spots
There’s good news … and … there’s bad … That pretty much sums up the message in the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s (PATA) mid-year, revised Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts for 2021-2023. The bad news is that PATA’s revised forecast indicates “a hard year ahead in 2021,” but the good news is the recovery will occur thereafter, albeit in a “very uneven fashion.” In releasing the mid-year forecast, PATA notes that with the extreme volatility in the travel and tourism sector brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant containment policies and...
Do It Now
Lay out an implementation plan based on the recommendations by the COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel report and do it now. That’s pretty much the message that the Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable has for the federal government, and pointing out in the process that Canadians are doing their part in getting vaccinated so it’s now time to provide clear, timely, and safe guidance on reopening travel and reuniting families and friends. The Expert Panel recommends eliminating quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers, implementing changes to testing and...
Experience A ‘State Of Happiness’ In Hong Kong
Those who believe that all waking time spent in Hong Kong will be spent hustling and bustling from one site to another in one of the world's high-energy cities have clearly never encountered Karen Lo. The Hong Kong-based Lo appeared on a Tuesday Hong Kong Tourism Board webcast organized by Baxter Media that had her demonstrating a “sound bath,” a traditional Hong Kong experience designed to enable people to relax and ward off the likes of stress and anxiety. Ho invited viewers to close their eyes and focus on their breathing while she periodically struck metal bowls of different...
Saint Lucia Eases Protocols For Fully Vaccinated
Saint Lucia has announced that fully vaccinated travellers can now book rental cars, dine at more local restaurants, and take part in additional activities such as beach hopping, all while observing existing on-island protocols. The changes came into effect on May 31, 2021. Vaccinated visitors now have increased access to all parts of Saint Lucia from day of arrival without restrictions and quarantine has been removed for vaccinated returning nationals. For example, vaccinated travellers can explore shops, markets, restaurants and activities throughout the island in popular...
Transat Takes All Of TraficTours
Transat A.T. Inc. – the 70% shareholder of TraficTours Canada Inc. -- has now acquired the 30% minority interest in the incoming tour operator held by the minority shareholder, following a mutual agreement between the two parties. The purchase price is for an amount lower than the amount booked in Transat's financial statements on account of the option to purchase such minority interest. The minority shareholder had the option to require Transat to purchase the minority interest since 2019. The manager of TraficTours and its subsidiaries remains in place to ensure the operations...
TICO AGM Set For June 29
The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) will hold its Annual General Meeting on Tues., June 29 at 5 pm. The agenda of the meeting will include: receiving the financial statements for the previous financial year, together with the Auditor’s Report receiving and considering the Annual Report appointing the auditors for the Corporation and authorizing the Board of Directors to fix the auditor’s remuneration announcing the successful candidate for the position on the Board of Directors transacting such other business as may properly come before the...