Destinations
Zoom In On Israel
Israel, the land of inspiration, is hosting its first-ever Zoom in on Israel virtual roundtable for Canadian travel industry professionals. Set for Tues., Sept. 22 from 1 pm to 3 pm, travel advisors will have a chance to join some of Israel’s top travel industry professionals, who will share with advisors what’s new in Israel tourism and the diverse journeys that they can arrange for their clients – no matter what their tastes or budgets are. Israel’s tourism commissioner for North America, Eyal Carlin and its director and consul for Canada, Gal Hana will deliver opening...
Escape To The Canadian Rockies With Globus
From Calgary, Globus is inviting travellers to escape to the pristine wilds of Banff National Park and the ethereal glacier-fed lakes (the “Water of the Spirits”) nearby. Marking Globus’ first, official tour since March, this 5-day Canadian Rockies Escape will depart on Oct. 17, 2020 and is reserved exclusively for Canadian travellers. Stéphanie Bishop, managing director for the Globus family of brands, observes that: “After months of hitting the pause button on travel, we’re thrilled to push “play” and make our return to travel with fellow, Canadian wayfarers and...
Leave A Smaller Footprint
For Malia Asfour, it’s important that travellers have a local mindset when travelling. The Director of the Jordan Tourism Board, North America, suggests visitors find out more about where they will be staying and consider factors like: is the food sourced locally? Is the electricity solar? Do they give back to the local community — what and how? “What percentage of the employees are locally hired? Know about their environmental policies before you book,” she says. “By working with local tour guides, you are helping fuel the economy while learning about the...
U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Calls For Preflight Testing
The governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Albert Bryan Jr. believes that pre-departure testing at mainland U.S. airports as well as increased adherence to public health protocols would bolster the efficacy of efforts to contain the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) both locally and throughout the Caribbean. During a Caribbean Tourism Fireworks session held recently, Governor Bryan said that mandatory preflight testing would make travel to the Caribbean healthier and easier. Reporting on meetings held recently with St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, the Governor...
Canada Extends International Travel Ban To Sept. 30
The Canadian government is extending the ban on international travel to Canada by another month. The announcement came this afternoon from Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and MP for Scarborough Southwest. Blair made the announcement of the extension on Twitter, stating: “Our government is extending the existing restrictions on international travel to Canada by one month - until September 30, 2020 - to limit the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in our communities.” And in a second tweet, Blair said that “Canadian citizens and permanent...
Dominican Republic Unveils Tourism Recovery Plan
The Dominican Republic’s president, Luis Abinader Corona unveiled details of a set of initiatives to address the tourism industry’s challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure that the country is a safe travel destination. The Plan for the Responsible Recovery of Tourism in response to COVID-19, led by President Abinader, will protect the health, welfare and safety of tourists as well as promote a sustainable recovery of the tourism sector. Said Abinader: “Our goal is to minimize the effects of the pandemic and facilitate a responsible recovery that prioritizes...
Hawaii Delays Start Of Pre-Testing Program
Hawai‘i governor David Ige has issued a new statewide order delaying the start of the pre travel testing program to October 1st due to the spike in cases. Beginning October 1, individuals looking to avoid the 14-day quarantine are required to get a valid COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their trip and provide proof of a negative result as part of Hawai’i’s Pre-Travel Testing Program. If visitors fail to meet the requirements of the Pre-Travel Testing Program, they will be placed in a mandatory 14- day quarantine until a negative test is received. The FDA-approved...
Proceed With Caution
COVID-19 continues to challenge the travel industry, as countries seek to find the balance between welcoming visitors back in a safe way and keeping instances of the virus low in their respective destinations. While economies rely heavily on tourism, many countries have shown that reopening too quickly can be detrimental to the health of a nation. In a follow-up to last week’s cover story, Travel Courier addresses the issue of responsible travel and tourism from the perspective of destinations. Hear from tourism representatives for Jordan, The Bahamas, Belize, Saint Lucia,...