Destinations
Saint Lucia Dedicated To Savings
The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority has created a dedicated webpage detailing all of the destination’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, making it easy to find the best options for future vacations. The site lists 17 hotel specials and discounts up to 60% off, with many valid for travel throughout 2021. Perks include room upgrades, complimentary wine, resort credits and more. On the page, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority gives a nod of gratitude to travellers and expresses thanks to its visitors, providing inspiration for future guests. With COVID-19 safety protocols firmly in...
Hong Kong Webinar Postponed (For Now)
Due to the circumstances of the current lockdown in Toronto and Peel Region, this week's webinar Have a Date with MasterChef Eric Chong has been postponed for the time being. The planned webinar features Canadian MasterChef Eric Chong hosting a live cooking demo, where agents will get to learn how to make Char Siu, a popular Hong Kong barbecue pork dish. Attendees will also get the latest updates on the Great Outdoors. Stay tuned for updates on when the new webinar date will be set for. We hope to see you all there when the time...
Six Reasons For Hope From Globus
Hope springs eternal, as the saying goes. Certainly, for the travel industry in this country, the past week has brought some good news – two vaccines in late stage trials and interim results from the pilot testing study at Pearson airport. And clearly, beyond the reasons already noted, the gang at Globus family of brands (GFOB) has their own reasons for hope … six of them actually. In a briefing last week, GFOB’s managing director, Stéphanie Bishop observed that hope is a “timely” theme and the “industry is well-positioned to be feeling that way. Globus is feeling...
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...