Destinations
Holland America Continues To Pause Operations
With continued port closures, including Canada’s cruise ship suspension until July 1, along with other travel restrictions due to global health concerns, Holland America Line is extending its pause of global cruise operations and cancelling all sailings scheduled to depart through June 30, 2020. This includes Alaska, Canada/New England and Europe cruises. In Alaska, the cruise line is cancelling all of its Alaska sailings for summer 2020 on Maasdam, Noordam, Oosterdam, Volendam and Westerdam. In addition, all Land+Sea Journeys are cancelled. A Land+Sea Journey combines a Holland...
Princess Cancels All Voyages Through June 30
Princess Cruises is canceling all voyages through June 30, 2020 in response to the continuing impact of the COVID-19 global outbreak and the recent order from the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/index.html) Previously, the cruise line had announced a voluntary pause for two months (60 days), impacting voyages departing March 12 to May 10, 2020. As well, Princess Cruises is confirming modifications to its Alaska season, which includes the cancellation of all Princess Alaska Gulf cruise...
I Do … But When?
Destination wedding experts weigh in on the biggest challenges they’re facing right now, like the uncertainty of not knowing how far ahead to plan, and how they’re handling bookings during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Many of us agents are living in fear right now — that’s the honest truth,” Stephanie Griffiths of Mangata Escapes tells Travel Courier. “We have brides lined up for the rest of the 2020 year and we have no idea what is going to happen with these. Not only due to the virus itself but also with guest affordability to attend these weddings.” Even now, for...
Caribbean Youth Have Message Of Hope
In a new video -- https://vimeo.com/402698633 -- young leaders of the Caribbean tourism sector are throwing their support behind calls to heed the advice of public health officials to stay at home so that the region's leading economic sector can rebound quickly once the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic subsides. The recently established COVID-19 Caribbean Tourism Task Force is enlisting the dynamism and innovativeness of young hospitality professionals to encourage protective practices by Caribbean nationals, especially younger ones, many of whom have been slow to respond...
Israel: Start Planning Now
There’s no better time than now to start planning a trip to Israel with its golden sandy beaches, the great outdoors, ancient history, and modern metropolises. Discover the richness of this breathtaking country through an exclusive Mandarin-only webinar on April 23, 2020 at 1PM. Whether you want to relax on the year round sunny beaches of Tel Aviv and Eilat, find inspiration at the magnificent and sacred city of Jerusalem, bathe in the therapeutic waters of the dead sea, or bask in the magic of the desert, Israel, the land of creation, as it all. IMPORTANT NOTE: This webinar...
Hong Kong: The Right Recovery Strategy
GlobalData says that Hong Kong’s tourism recovery strategy could be successful following the destination’s tourism chief, Dane Cheng saying that tourism will be returning back to normality in July and the destination will be focusing on attracting mainland visitors and new markets. Amber Barnes, travel and tourism analyst at GlobalData, observed that: “China is a dominant source market for Hong Kong, accounting for 77% of arrivals in 2019. Focusing marketing efforts on this source market will also boost tourism numbers and allow Hong Kong decrease its recovery...
Destination Canada Says: Help Save our Summer
In a message to the Canadian tourism industry, Destination Canada’s chair of the board, Ben Cowan-Dewar writes that: “In the past weeks, we have heard from you with many of our veteran industry peers describing the hardest weeks of their careers — budget and resource cuts, sudden and drastic loss of business and uncertainty about the future. Collectively, we have never faced anything like this.” And he continues: “While there are many unknowns, a few things remain clear. We know that the actions of Canadians over the next few weeks are critical to determining how and...
360-Degree Tours of the Czech Republic Available
Getting a little tired of self-isolation and ready to get out without leaving the comfort of home? How about a tour of the Czech Republic? From Czech Tourism: Dear Friends of the Czech Republic, “Our hearts are with the world right now. We understand the importance of staying home and staying safe. The one thing we hope to add to your inbox right now is a little bit of light and a chance to virtually “visit” some of the Czech Republic. We hope you enjoy some of these sights and stories through your screens, and look forward to welcoming you back in person when the time...