Destinations
Mexico Outbound Travel Takes A Big Hit
Mexican outbound travel certainly felt the impact of the global pandemic, with the number of trips dropping by 73% -- that’s the second highest drop in the Americas, after Peru at 76%. And even though commercial flights operated throughout the year at a limited capacity, many countries were reluctant to open their borders amid Mexico’s high COVID-19 infection and death rate. As a result, GlobalData states that this has led to a devastating drop in outbound travel which will not recover until 2024. Craig Bradley, associate travel and tourism analyst at GlobalData, said:...
Sunwing Offering More Options From Hamilton
For those living in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Sunwing has announced that it is returning to John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport for the 2021-2022 winter season. Flights begin at the start of December 2021 and will operate until mid-April 2022, serving Cancun, Punta Cana, Montego Bay, Varadero, Cayo Coco and Cayo Santa Maria. Andrew Dawson, president of tour operations for Sunwing, said: “We are excited to be resuming operations from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. The airport offers residents of Hamilton and the surrounding GTHA with...
Air Canada Supporting India Relief Efforts
Air Canada – collaborating with the Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) and the Ontario government -- is supporting India relief efforts, operating a cargo-only flight to Delhi, providing urgent medical supplies to the Indian population which has been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jason Berry, vice-president, cargo at Air Canada, said: “We are all deeply saddened by the devastating situation in India, and no one can remain indifferent to what is happening now in that part of the world.” Berry continued: “When flights to India were suspended on April 22, the...
Ready To Go
“We know that competition for tourism will be ferocious coming out of this pandemic,” Destination Canada’s Maureen Riley observes, but she makes it clear that “the foundation we are currently setting means we will be ready once restrictions are lifted. Tourism businesses have made huge investments in new health and hygiene protocols and they are ready to welcome back visitors.” This week, Rendez-vous Canada + is underway virtually, welcoming buyers from around the world to meet with representatives from destinations and suppliers of Canadian tourism product and...
Don’t Miss The Hong Kong Tourism Board Webinar
Baxter Media invites all travel agents and other travel professionals to attend a webinar with the Hong Kong Tourism Board on Tuesday, June 1 at 2 p.m. (EST). Attendees will get to see a presentation by Linda Ho on Arts in Hong Kong, and then a Tea Appreciation Demo by Leo Lukidi. Next up is a presentation by Yuen Kan Wong on Wellness and the Great Outdoors, followed by a Sound Bath Demo by Karen Lo and a fun Kahoot quiz game to wrap things up. Don't miss this exciting webinar! Attend for your chance to win 1 of 5 gift card prizes: 1st prize of $100 e-gift card 4 runners-up...
Be a Pro In Cuba With Meliá
Meliá Hotels International Cuba, in partnership with the Cuba Tourist Board, has a new edition of its Meliá Pro Travel Lab that it will be unveiling to Canadian travel advisors on May 26. The event will be an interactive meeting with advisors to show them the main features of Melia resorts' accommodation and the service adaptations the chain has made to the new health environment. Representatives of the Cuba Tourist Board will participate in the call that will provide Canadian travel professionals to receive up-to-date information on key developments in the destination. It will...
New Mobile App Launched By Flair
Flair Airlines has launched a new mobile application to improve the passenger experience. The new app handles everything from trip planning to in-flight entertainment, and is available on both Android and iOS platforms. The launch of the app marks the beginning of a multi-year plan to bring new features and capabilities to Flair’s customers and can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. Sarah Riches, vice president, marketing and customer experience, said: “As non-essential travel begins to return this summer, Flair has been preparing to meet the needs of our...
Finn Returns To TTI As VP Leisure Travel
Barb Finn has returned to TTI Travel (Canada), taking on the role of VP Leisure, New Talent Development. She has co-owned and operated a host agency, where she honed her expertise in the host agency environment as well as having great depth of knowledge and contacts in the luxury travel sector. Most recently, Finn was Director Canada for Travel Edge for close to 3 years, and prior to that, Operations Manager/GM at New Wave Travel. Her career has also provided experience on the travel partner and supplier side, having worked in destination Management where she acted as the...