Tour Operators
More Self-Service Options From ACV
Air Canada Vacations is giving travel agents more self-service tools to allow them to manage their client’s bookings through its website. To help agents save time, ACV has enhanced its self-serve tools through TripBook for bookings made online. The enhancements include the ability to view and print bookings, access location maps, travel guides and e-documents, add payments and seat selections, cancel bookings and edit passenger information. In addition, the tour company has implemented online submission forms for some requests previously only available through its call centre,...
Putting Giving On Your Wish List With Planeterra
With the holidays fast approaching, Planeterra has launched its year-end giving campaign, The Wish List. The aim of this year’s fundraiser is to support five of Planeterra’s community tourism enterprises, which will begin receiving travellers in 2022 but still require sponsorship for training, equipment and even tuk tuks before they can open their doors to international groups. The Wish List allows supporters of Planeterra and community tourism, to be part of making “wishes” come true this holiday season after a difficult two years with limited income from international...
Join The Exodus Agent Collective
Exodus Travels has launched a new loyalty initiative, The Exodus Agent Collective, complete with a ‘welcome back bonus’ for its travel agent partners. With more than 600 Small Group and Self-Guided Cultural, Walking + Trekking, Responsible Wildlife, and Cycling Tours in over 100 countries, Exodus Travels has an itinerary for any client. Membership in The Exodus Agent Collective provides advisors with access to a range of benefits. The more trips an agent books, the more benefits they’ll have access to. After the first client booking, agents will join the Exodus Agent...
CATO Takes Aim At Key Issues
Three major initiatives were the focus of discussions at CATO’s annual general meeting last week. Those issues included CATO’s advocacy efforts, the rebranding and development of a new website and a community hub for members. On the issue of advocacy, discussions focused on the fact that as well as working diligently on its own advocacy efforts, CATO has served on the Hardest Hit Coalition as well as the steering committee of the Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable. The culmination of all these efforts was the tabling this week of Bill C-2, An Act to provide further...
Israel Seeing Positive Signs For 2022
Israel has reopened and is putting the global pandemic behind it. But it is doing it carefully and safely. That was the message that Israel’s Minister of Tourism, Yoel Razvozov delivered in a video address to a small, masked and socially-distanced group of travel trade types and friends of Israel gathered in Toronto yesterday (Nov. 24) afternoon. Razvozov told his audience that since Israel had reopened its borders this month to fully vaccinated travellers it had welcomed 30,000, raising his optimism about what’s ahead in 2022. In fact, Israel’s Minister of Tourism noted...
New Experiences From Akwesasne Travel
Akwesasne Travel, the official Destination Marketing and Management Organization (DMMO) for the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne, has now launched in-person cultural tours to promote the region and its heritage. Akwesasne is an indigenous community which straddles the US/Canada international border along the St. Lawrence River, trisected by New York State and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. It is the only destination in South Eastern Ontario and one of the few in Northern New York for visitors to educate themselves about the area’s Indigenous heritage and cultural...
African Travel Requires Vaccinations On Safaris
African Travel, Inc. will require all travellers to be fully vaccinated on its small group safaris in 2022. Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, guests travelling in non-family groups of 10+ and on African Travel’s set group departures will need to provide proof of an approved COVID-19 vaccination (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or one dose of Johnson & Johnson), before joining their safari and upon arrival to their destination. Guests will also need to comply with specific PCR testing requirements imposed by airlines and/or governments, which may differ from country to country. Sherwin...
Trio Of Partners Launch Rail + Roam Campaign
South Eastern Ontario is teaming up with VIA Rail and Landsby to heat up the winter season by offering exclusive new Rail + Roam packages that encourage travellers to ride the rails and safely explore well-known gems, best-kept secrets and off-the-beaten-path adventures across the region. From now until March 15, 2022, Rail + Roam allows locals and visitors alike to indulge in a wide array of culinary, adventure and wellness-themed experiences that can be booked through www.landsby.ca/rail-and-roam/. These experiences offer unique ways to get out and soak in the small-city...