Destinations
Swoop Takes Off To Cuba
Swoop has inaugurated service between Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Juan Gualberto Gomez International Airport in Varadero, Cuba (VRA). Bob Cummings, President of Swoop, said: “As Canada's favourite sun and fun ultra-low-cost carrier, we are thrilled to celebrate our launch into Cuba. Varadero is widely known as a Canadian favourite for affordable beach vacations, and so we're proud to provide Torontonians a new ultra-convenient, ultra-not-expensive option for travel to Playa Azul.” Ontarians looking for a pre-packaged vacation to an all-inclusive...
Agency Commission Must Be Protected, ACTA Says
In a statement issued yesterday (Jan. 11), ACTA has reiterated its position that travel agency commissions must be protected. The association’s statement comes as it said it has received “overwhelming feedback from travel agencies and independent travel agents across Canada who have been impacted by Sunwing’s cancellations." ACTA’s statement reads: “On Dec. 29, 2022, Sunwing issued a mass cancellation notice to travel agencies and independent travel agents, advising of the immediate suspension of all Saskatchewan flights until Feb. 3, 2023. Since then, additional...
VIA Rail Issues Statement On Travel Disruptions
VIA Rail Canada’s (VIA Rail) President and Chief Executive Officer, Martin R. Landry issued the following statement yesterday regarding the travel delays and train cancellations which occurred from Dec. 23 to Dec. 26. In it Landry said: “A severe winter storm along with the derailment of a freight train disrupted VIA Rail's operations from Dec. 23 to 26. Unfortunately, a number of trains, particularly along the Québec City–Windsor corridor and elsewhere in Eastern Canada, were cancelled or delayed for extended periods. We appreciate that passengers were looking forward to...
Manitoba Writes The Next Chapter In Its Story
Travel Manitoba is reminding people that travelling in the province is about more than just a place. Whether it's viewing the northern lights dancing in the sky, participating in an authentic Indigenous experience or visiting a world-class museum, Manitoba's refreshed tourism brand conjures up the emotions that these experiences create. Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said that: “Manitoba is open for business, and there is no better time to showcase Manitoba as a world-class destination of choice for travellers from Manitoba, Canada and around the world.” The Premier...
PLAY Takes Off From Canada This Summer
PLAY, a low-cost airline operating flights between Iceland and Europe, has announced it will be offering service to Canada, with its first flights to Europe taking off in summer 2023. Beginning today, travellers can book tickets from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport to 26 European destinations including London, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin, Brussels, Stockholm, Gothenburg and more. Flight service from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport will begin on June 22, 2023. To celebrate its inaugural flights from Canada, PLAY is offering introductory fares from...
GTFF 2023 Set For In North Bay In April
The Global Tourism Film Festival has announced that GTFF 2023 will be held in Canada in association with the City of North Bay Ontario and Tourism North Bay Ontario. GTFF 2023 film categories screened during April 27 to April 30, 2023 will include Feature Films, Documentaries, Short Films and Tourism Commercials. Consistent with GTFF 2021 held in partnership with the Netherlands Tourism Board, GTFF 2023 will present films extolling a central connection with tourism. Having received entries from almost every continent, GTFF 2023 selections will include films that showcase fascinating...
A Smashing Success
2022 was a good year for St. Kitts’ tourism and on the strength of its performance over the past 12 months, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority is confident that 2023 will bring ongoing growth in arrivals, as strategic programming, product development and positioning aligned with the new Venture Deeper brand campaign will continue to differentiate St. Kitts and drive continued success. Ellison “Tommy” Thompson, CEO of St. Kitts Tourism Authority, observed that: “This year laid a strong foundation for St. Kitts in the tourism industry as we received a multitude of prestigious awards...
Opportunities Abound In 2023
While challenges remain, ACTA president, Wendy Paradis points out that it’s an excellent time to be a travel agent … “the pandemic absolutely showed that the value of planning and booking travel with a knowledgeable and professional travel agent has never been stronger.” In a recent conversation with Canadian Travel Press, Paradis said that: “In speaking with our Travel Agency and Independent Travel Agent Members most are already well on their way to recovery with new leisure bookings coming close or starting to surpass 2019 booking levels. Our members specializing in...