Tour Operators
ACV Is Bringing Vacations Back
Air Canada Vacations has announced exclusive rates for travel agents, allowing them to choose between Agent Flight-Only rates or take advantage of special package Do-It-Yourself FAM rates to select destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. Agents also have the chance to win a spot on an Air Canada Vacations Escorted Fam Trip to Cancún, Mexico. Nino Montagnese, managing director at Air Canada Vacations, said: “Air Canada Vacations is thrilled to be bringing vacations back and there is nothing better than to experience a product first-hand. These special rate opportunities will...
Air Bridges Offer Hope, But Barriers Remain
GlobalData reports that air bridges are providing tour operators in the United Kingdom with new hope of resuming some form of service this summer, but as overnight domestic travel is still not possible it is clear there that the current situation is as bleak as it has ever been for operators. The data and analytics company points to TUI and Jet2holidays as just two of the operators to be first to announce that holidays will resume from July 1, 2020 – this followed an extension of cancellations. GlobalData notes, as well, that it is likely that further cancellations will occur...
#TravelWebcastWeek: Think Local, Sell Canada
For many travel agents, selling Canada to Canadians is challenging. But in a post-COVID-19 tourism industry, where would-be travellers are looking for hyper local vacation ideas, agents have an opportunity to learn about Canadian product and how to sell it. On June 25 at 1PM EST, join Baxter Media for a free webinar, Look Local: a new perspective on packaging and selling Canada, part of the popular #TravelWebcastWeek series exploring the topics, trends, and issues that matter most to Canadian travel agents and industry professionals right now. Charlotte Bell, President & CEO,...
Destination Indigenous
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is launching its new Destination Indigenous marketing campaign in an effort to encourage, highlight and educate travellers about the many Indigenous experiences that will welcome Canadians this summer. The new initiative will be unveiled on National Indigenous People’s Day – which will be celebrated on Sunday, June 21 – and the marketing campaign will include the release of an experience Web booking platform that will link travellers with: Export-ready Indigenous tourism businesses that will be accepting visitors this...
ACV Expands FTC Validity
Air Canada Vacations is expanding the validity of future travel credits (FTCs), announcing that any FTCs issued for cancelled vacations due to COVID-19 will no longer have an expiry date. That change is in addition to the flexible changes that were previously announced in April which included the ability to transfer the credit to another person, and the ability to keep the residual value of the credit resulting from a fare difference. Customers with cancelled Air Canada Vacations bookings scheduled to depart between March 4 and July 31, 2020, inclusively, will automatically receive a...
Baxter Media Launches #TravelWebcastWeek
Canada’s travel industry is inching towards reopening, but there seem to be more questions than answers. When will travel restrictions be loosened? If Canadians are looking to travel close to home, are there opportunities for operators to package and agents to sell Canada? What new protocols are destinations putting in place to keep travellers safe? And so many more… In search for answers to these questions, Baxter Media presents #TravelWebcastWeek, a series of free webcasts from June 23 through 25, exploring the future of travel and tourism in a post-COVID-19 world. An...
ACV Back In Cancun
On June 12, 2020, vacationers departed from Toronto Pearson International Airport and made their way to sunny Cancun for their first trip with Air Canada Vacations since the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Passengers were greeted warmly as they arrived for their transfer to either the Catalonia Playa Maroma or Barcelo Maya Palace. Nino Montagnese, managing director at Air Canada Vacations, observed: “We’ve all been eagerly awaiting the moment when we could resume our operations and make dreams travel once again. We’re pleased to have been able to welcome our first customers back...
Virtual Reality: Key Part Of Booking Process
According to GlobalData, virtual reality may become a key component in the booking process going forward. In its latest consumer survey, the data and analytics company reports that a total 45% of global travellers remain extremely concerned about the outbreak of COVID-19, making it clear that consumer uncertainty remains one of the greatest barriers facing operators. Making virtual reality (VR) a key component in the booking process may act as an additional tool to ease consumer uncertainty, creating an advantage for travel companies that incorporate it. Johanna Bonhill-Smith,...