Destinations
Agents Can Win In Cuba Photo Contest
The Cuba Tourist Board is celebrating Travel Agent’s Day and honoring the hard work and dedication of the Canadian travel advisors with a photo contest. Lessner Gomez, director of the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto, is inviting all Canadian travel advisors to share their favorite memories of Cuba and enter a photography contest for a chance to win a trip to Cuba and other amazing prizes courtesy of Iberostar Hotels and the Gaviota Group. “To pay tribute to our travel partners for their continued support we are organizing this exciting competition. There is no better time to go...
Anguilla Updates Visitors On Protocols
Anguilla has updated its COVID-19 Exit Strategy with changes including a series of revised entry protocols, some of which will become effective immediately, while others will be introduced in phases over the coming months. The island’s Minister of Tourism, Haydn Hughes explained: “We recognize that the widespread distribution and administration of vaccine programs in our major source markets as well as here in Anguilla have profound implications for our tourism industry.” The Minister continued: “As more people become vaccinated, and new infections begin to plateau, we...
Tauck Restarting U.S. Tours By July 1
In an email to guests and travel advisors, Tauck CEO Dan Mahar revealed that Tauck plans to fully restart its U.S. tours by July 1. Mahar advised that Tauck’s “Southern Charms: Savannah, Hilton Head and Charleston” itinerary have already begun operating, to be followed this month by “New Orleans & Mississippi River Country,” with other popular tours across the country relaunching in the coming months. Guests and travel advisors can access information on specific tour departures at a new Open for Travel page on Tauck’s website. Along with providing several...
Our Survival Is At Stake
Frightening. A newly released ACTA survey reveals that a ‘staggering’ 75% of the industry will not survive if financial aid programs are not continued until the end of 2021 or until 90 days after travel restrictions are lifted. The survey of travel agents, ITAs and travel agencies was conducted by ACTA in April. ACTA president, Wendy Paradis said: “With the federal budget being tabled on April 19, 2021, we need to let the government know how critical the situation is for travel agencies, travel agents and independent travel agents, citing specific data from our...
Israel Set To Welcome International Travellers In May
Mark May 23 in your calendar. That’s when Israel will begin welcoming vaccinated groups of international travellers back into the country through a phased approach after more than a year without tourism due to COVID-19 restrictions. Eyal Carlin, Tourism Commissioner for North America, said: “I am happy to share the news that Israel is taking great strides in reopening to international travel this May.” Carlin continued: “We have been working to develop a plan that allows not only for the country to reopen to visitors, but also to ensure that everyone stays safe....
Get Ready For Take Off
Finally, some good news. And it comes with the expectation that there will be more ahead. The conclusion of the long-awaited deal between the Canadian government and Air Canada has this country’s travel industry celebrating – virtually, of course – as the industry now looks ahead for announcements on further agreements with WestJet, Transat and Sunwing. Hopefully, those announcements will come soon. In announcing that it had reached an agreement with Air Canada, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, and the Minister of...
WestJet, Government Continue Discussions
All eyes on WestJet. With yesterday's deal between Air Canada and the federal government done, the industry is now turning its attention to where things stand with WestJet's talks with the government. In a statement released last night (April 12), the company said: "The WestJet Group of Companies continues discussions with the Government of Canada on a safe travel-restart framework. We remain focused on a long-term solution that will serve the best interests of Canadians.” And it indicated that: “We will provide updates on our discussions with the Government of Canada at the...
Roach Leaving BTMI
Petra Roach is leaving her role as Global Head of Markets and Interim CEO at Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), and will join the Grenada Tourist Board later this year. Thanking Roach for her contributions, BTMI Chairman Roseanne Myers said: “She has been a tremendous asset to Barbados for two decades and her contribution to the growth and development of tourism sector has been outstanding.” Roach joined the Barbados tourism board in 2002 working with the United Kingdom team as Vice-President. Following a brief stint as interim CEO in 2014 during the Barbados Tourism...