Time for Action

How to make flying safer for Canada’s airline passengers, while supporting Canada’s airlines and the tourism industry

ROGER EMSLEY Director, Emsley Management Consultants to the Travel and Transportation Industries Canada’s Airline Industry is one of the best in the world and it must be saved. Governments around the world are stepping in to provide aid to their flag carriers. The Dutch government is providing financial aid to the tune of 3.4 billion Euros. Clearly their government understands that its...

 

Questions, questions, questions

Crozier and Law offer some answers

Since the beginning of April, legal experts Doug Crozier and Tim Law of Heifetz Crozier Law have been responding to readers’ questions weekly on Baxter Media’s www.travelpress.com website and in its daily newsletter, Press Today. The feature was launched to help agents with legal questions and concerns arising from COVID-19. [caption id="attachment_140408" align="alignright"...

 

How to sell river cruises to ocean cruisers

ALEX PINELO, vice president of sales, AmaWaterways International travel is poised to make a strong comeback — and river cruising will be among the first vacation experiences to rebound. Many ocean cruisers will be seeking more intimate ways to travel with companies they can trust to keep them safe while providing a personalized luxury experience. The following are key selling points to...

 

Certain about the uncertainty

Four agents talk about the path to recovery

IAN STALKER Several veteran Toronto-area travel agents say there’s light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to a rebound in business, but differ somewhat on how brightly that light is shining right now. The agents say there remains a significant number of obstacles during these days of the coronavirus pandemic for a major rebound to happen in the near future, although some are...

 

Making the pivot

A conversation with David Robinson, Interim President and CEO, Vice-President, Strategy and Stakeholder Relations, Destination Canada

BOB MOWAT This week, Canadian Travel Press talks with Destination Canada’s David Robinson about how this country’s tourism marketing organization is working with its partners to sell Canada to Canadians. Can you start by talking about Destination Canada’s mandated role before COVID-19 and how the organization has adapted to the current situation? Destination Canada’s mandate...

 

Familiarity breeds success

Riviera River Cruises finding its support of agents paying off

BOB MOWAT It’s not like Riviera River Cruises simply appeared out of nowhere. The cruise company has been sailing for close to 40 years in the U.K., but it’s only been in the last 3 years that it has begun to chart a course in the North American market. While COVID-19 has hit hard, the cruise company’s executive vice-president, sales & marketing North America, Marilyn Conroy is...

 

Responsible inspiration

A conversation with James Jackson, President and CEO, Tourism Jasper

BOB MOWAT Tourism Jasper’s James Jackson talks to Canadian Travel Press this week about why Jasper, Alberta is uniquely positioned as a safe, calm, and spacious destination that’s perfect for attracting visitors during this time. Jasper has been open for a few weeks now, I am just wondering how things are going? Considering it was a slower start to the season given COVID-19,...

 

We will come out taller from this

A conversation with Keith Henry, President and CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC)

BOB MOWAT While COVID-19 has battered all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry, recent research by the Conference Board of Canada and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) tells a stark tale of the impact of the coronavirus on this country’s Indigenous tourism businesses. ITAC’s boss, Keith Henry tells the story. Maybe you could start by talking about the...

 

Day trips top the itinerary for Canadians this summer

Change of Plans

A new survey reports that 74% of Canadians have changed their summer travel plans due to the coronavirus pandemic and the day trip has emerged as the preferred getaway. Conducted by Ipsos, on behalf of Toyota Canada, the national survey found that only a quarter (24%) of Canadians said they felt comfortable taking a plane at the moment, and that the car will be the go-to mode of transportation...

 

Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home

IAN STALKER Travel agents should give the same kind of consideration to selling towering attractions in this country as they do to promoting lofty draws in other nations, a June 25 Baxter Media TravelWebcast was told. Three panelists – Darcie Guarderas of Anderson Vacations, Tamara Mallin of Rocky Mountaineer and Susan Bowman of Transat Distribution Canada – said the shutdown of...