Destinations
Meet The New Minister
The Hon. Carlos James is the new Minister of Tourism in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Minister James officially assumed duties on Nov. 12, 2020, following his swearing in as Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture on Nov. 10, 2020. His appointment comes following General Elections on Nov. 5, 2020 where he was elected as the Parliamentary Representative for North Leeward. The Minister said: “I am looking forward to a number of major projects that are coming on stream both on St. Vincent the mainland and also in the Grenadines.” He pointed out...
Saint Lucia Introduces Tourism Levy
After two years of consultation with tourism industry stakeholders, Saint Lucia is introducing a Tourism Levy. Revenue collected from the new tax is earmarked for tourism marketing and development. The implementation of this tax follows the introduction of the Tourism Levy Act and amendments to the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority Act No. 8 of 2017. Beginning Dec. 1, 2020, guests staying at registered accommodation service providers will be required pay a prescribed nightly levy on their stay. In the two-tier system, guests will be charged US$3.00 or US$6.00 per person per...
Beware Of COVID Fatigue: U.S.Travel Warns
On the day that the Centres of Disease Control issued a recommendation against travel during the upcoming U.S. Thanksgiving Holiday, U.S. Travel reinforced the CDC’s message issuing updated guidance on healthy and safe travel for those Americans who do decide to travel during the annual holiday. “Amid this critical phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC is recommending against travel during the Thanksgiving Holiday,” the CDC’s COVID-19 Incident Manager, Dr. Henry Walke said during a Nov. 19 briefing. However, Walke said during that briefing that “for Americans who decide to...
Nine Months Later …
From commission recalls to cancelled bookings to endless hours on hold, the last nine months have certainly taken a toll on travel agents. But despite the setbacks and challenges, many in the travel industry are weathering the storm in anticipation of a brighter tomorrow. Travel Courier chats with three travel professionals to get a sense of how business is going, what’s getting them through this challenging time and why they’re optimistic about the future. As a travel agent, Rosie Darosa of TravelOnly With Rosie Darosa in Thunder Bay, Ont., says the lack of direction from the...
Hawaii Eases Restrictions For Canadians
This country's two largest airlines were quick to welcome Thursday's announcement by Hawaii that Canadians visiting the jurisdiction will no longer have to automatically self-quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in the jurisdiction. State authorities have decided that they will allow Canadians to enter without quarantining if they can demonstrate they have tested negative for coronavirus 72 hours before arriving in the destination, an alternative to the two-week quarantine that the aviation industry says has been hugely damaging to international travel. Both Air Canada and...
Leisure Hotspots Shine For Europe
The latest edition of a jointly published Quarterly Barometer by European Cities Marketing and ForwardKeys, found that Europe’s most resilient destinations in the face of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic are leisure hotspots. As of Oct. 27, total inbound flight bookings for the EU and the UK, for the fourth quarter of 2020, were 85.6% behind where they were at the equivalent moment last year. Symbolically, Paris, which is normally Europe’s second most popular destination, has climbed to top spot, even though its bookings are 82.3% behind 2019 levels. In a ranking of the...
Barbados Makes It Easier To Visit
A new agreement between Barbados and US-based StageZero Life Sciences is going to make travelling to Barbados from North America a lot easier. The agreement will allow travellers coming from the United States and Canada to have their COVID-19 PCR tests expedited via a mobile healthcare professional. The high complexity lab is guaranteeing prospective test results back in 48 hours or less, crucially assisting prospective travellers in meeting the Barbados entry requirement of having a COVID-19 PCR test done three days prior to their arrival. And as Barbados continues to strike the...
WTTC Summit Set For Cancun In 2021
The World Travel & Tourism Council will hold its Global Summit in Cancun, Mexico from March 23 to March 25, 2021. The 2021 Summit will take place in a hybrid format, observing all health and safety protocols. The 20th WTTC Global Summit, delayed from Spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be held in the popular Mexican resort of Cancun, in partnership with the Government of Quintana Roo, from March 23 to March 25. The hybrid format will include invitations to the live event, with restricted numbers and extensive outdoor sessions to ensure physical distancing. Those...