Tour Operators
Meet Your New Competition
In conversation with Canadian Travel Press, Forrester’s chief business technology officer & head of FeedbackNow, Steve Peltzman makes it clear that “the pandemic will have a long-term effect, and the customer balance between convenience and safety will shift forever as a result.” Peltzman pointed out that real competition is no longer just other forms of travel and hospitality but rather the desire to not travel at all. He explained that Forrester’s research shows about four in 10 US adults feel comfortable stepping into an aircraft, hotel lobby, or restaurant only after...
Buy Now, Explore Later With explora
Chile-based explora, which has resorts in different South American countries, has a "buy now, explore later" offer that runs through August and gives those who buy US$1,000 vouchers an extra US$500. The offer is valid for all explora resorts, with a checkout of Oct. 31, 2022, and explora says those making a booking will be able to change that booking twice up to seven days before departure. “We want to give you the full flexibility so you can decide when and how to travel,”says, explora, adding vouchers can be used for future bookings at any of its resorts. Those wanting...
Wildlife Protection Is Critical
The TreadRight Foundation has released a short film featuring its Wildlife Ambassador and award-winning National Geographic photographer, Ami Vitale to highlight the power of sustainable travel in protecting wildlife around the world. In 2009, Ami Vitale’s journey as a photographer shifted to focus on the world’s most compelling wildlife and environmental issues, after shooting a powerful story on one of the world’s last living northern white rhinos. Travel has empowered Vitale to share stories about the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world. The short film...
Demand Recovery Dashboard Launched By WTTC
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched a new in-depth data dashboard that highlights the recovery of travel demand across flights and hotels, as well as revealing the shifting intentions of travellers through online travel searches. Developed by the WTTC, with support from McKinsey & Company, the new tool provides users with easy access to qualitative and quantitative travel data at the global and regional level as well as for 33 major countries around the world, by revealing travel demand since the beginning of the year and is updated on a fortnightly...
Intrepid Launches Animal Welfare Policy Toolkit
Intrepid Travel and global animal welfare organization World Animal Protection have teamed up to provide tour operators with a complimentary Animal Welfare Policy Toolkit that is customizable and free for download from Intrepid Travel’s website. The intention behind this initiative is to create an easily accessible way for tourism companies to implement more ethical wildlife practices into their businesses. The toolkit includes steps that can be taken to become wildlife-friendly, including information on how to draft animal welfare policy for travel companies, and a full editable...
A Little Small Group Luxury From Globus
Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways are inviting travellers to discover awe-inspiring places and behind-the-scenes adventures in Asia and the South Pacific in 2021. Stéphanie Bishop, managing director for the Globus family of brands, said: “Small Group Discoveries await travellers across the Pacific Ocean. With the Globus family of brands, they can look forward to sipping sake in Takayama or traditional tea in Tokyo; casting a wide net in Vietnam with the local fishermen or cueing up barbeque in the Outback; they can even enjoy taking a rickshaw through Delhi’s...
The Right Way Forward
Should you travel right now? It’s an ethical question that has come up recently — especially as COVID-19 cases spike across multiple destinations that have reopened to international travellers and others yet are still grappling with controlling the spread of the virus at home. In order to move forward, tourism needs to restart, but can it be done more responsibly for both visitors and locals alike when the time is right? As the world slowly starts to reopen, what can tour operators and travellers do to ensure they aren’t negatively impacting destinations? What should travel...
Sunwing Taking Care Of Frontline Heroes
Sunwing has awarded 100 frontline heroes with free, all-inclusive vacations as part of the recent Sunwing Celebrates Heroes contest. The company notes that these Canadians have worked tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic and their response efforts went above and beyond the expectations of their peers, families and communities. To celebrate these individuals and all their hard work, Sunwing will be awarding them with all-inclusive vacations to select Royalton Luxury Resorts. The Sunwing Celebrates Heroes contest asked Canadians to nominate deserving frontline workers for this...