Destinations
One Of The Bright Spots
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) says there has been a silver lining for this country's tourist trade during a long-lasting coronavirus pandemic cloud. TIAC president Beth Potter told a Feb. 10 webinar that the pandemic has prompted many in this country who normally holiday abroad to consider Canada vacations, with pandemic-related restrictions often making international travel tricky at best. "One of the bright spots" is that more of us are discovering "Canada has amazing things to offer," she said. Canada consistently runs up a travel deficit but...
Finding New Opportunities In A Challenging Environment
Richard Smart admits that: “While there will certainly be challenges ahead, I believe there is also reason to be optimistic.” In the latest issue of Canadian Travel Press, the president & CEO of the Travel Industry Council of Ontario’s (TICO) observed that: “We’ve seen that consumers are eager to travel and that consumer protection can be a competitive advantage to leverage.” Smart told CTP that: “It’s hard to believe that we are coming up to the two-year anniversary of the pandemic. This past fall, there were glimmers of hope that the beginning of the recovery...
Swoop Growing Fleet, Expanding Network
Swoop is growing its fleet from 10 to 16 aircraft with the acquisition of six new Boeing MAX-8 aircraft, confirming that it will begin receiving all six aircraft this summer as the airline rapidly expands to meet peak season travel demand. Along with growing its fleet, Swoop will significantly expand its domestic network, adding non-stop flights to Newfoundland and increasing service in Atlantic Canada. It will also add six new routes and capacity in Ontario and the Prairies in preparation for Canada's busy summer travel season. The airline's announced expansion comes as it reports...
Neville Joins Uniglobe Carefree
Dean Neville has joined Uniglobe Carefree Travel Group as its Business Development Manager. Neville has over 30 years’ experience in the industry with Fun Sun Vacations, The Huntington Group and most recently with Transat as its Sales Manager for Western Canada. Commenting on his appointment, Neville said: “I am very excited about what the Uniglobe Carefree Travel Group has to offer, especially our Carefree Connections program where we can provide a superior experience to independent consultants and host agencies by offering: custom solutions for technology, training, marketing,...
Goway Is Ready For Australia’s Reopening
Goway is ready to help travellers explore the wide expanses of Australia as that country prepares to reopen its borders to international travellers on Feb. 21,1 2022. Since 1970, Goway has been North America’s leader in travel Downunder. The privately-owned, family-run travel company continues to pioneer travel experiences in Australia and has reimagined its product line in anticipation of the country’s reopening. Goway has a division of Destination Specialists dedicated to all things Australia and the South Pacific, who can help travellers customize any kind of dream vacations...
Fiji Making It Easier To Visit
It’s now simpler and cheaper to travel to quarantine-free Fiji following a significant announcement by the Fijian government recently that involves easing COVID-19 restrictions. Effective Feb. 9, visitors from Travel Partner Countries over 12 years of age now have the option to use a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) taken within 24 hours of the flight's scheduled departure as opposed to the more expensive PCR test to enter Fiji. The announcement has been made possible due to Fiji’s high rate of vaccination - 93%+ of Fiji’s population over the age of 15 have been fully vaccinated --...
New COVID-19 Protocols In Bermuda
Bermuda is updating its COVID-19 protocols, offering new travel guidelines that will streamline the process for vaccinated travellers visiting the island, by land or sea. Effective March 7, 2022, the revised guidelines will continue to ensure the safety of all residents and visitors, while making it even more convenient for visitors. Charles H. Jeffers II, Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) CEO, said: “We welcome visitors from around the world with travel guidelines that ensure their safety as well as their convenience, and our updated protocols will make visiting Bermuda even...
ACITA Petition Wants In-Destination Testing Dropped
The Association of Canadian Independent Travel Advisors (ACITA) has launched a new e-Petition that’s now open for signatures. ACITA recently conducted a survey of its members which found that over 65% of travel advisors believe that PCR testing in-destination is the single greatest deterrent for consumers to book new travel as clients are most worried about testing positive in destination and having to quarantine in a foreign country. The industry association points out that there is an expanding list of countries which have eliminated the requirement of a negative pre-departure...