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Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the US, swamping city streets with water and smashing trees along the coast. The hurricane’s center struck Wednesday afternoon near Cayo Costa, a protected barrier island just west of heavily populated Fort Myers.

The massive storm was expected to trigger flooding across a wide area of Florida as it crawls northeastward across the peninsula.

Mark Pritchett stepped outside his home in Venice around the time the hurricane came ashore about 35 miles (56 kilometers) to the south. He called it “terrifying.”

“I literally couldn’t stand against the wind,” Pritchett wrote in a text message shortly after landfall. “Rain shooting like needles. My street is a river. Limbs and trees down. And the worst is yet to come.”

The Category 4 storm slammed the coast with 150 mph (241 kph) winds and pushed a wall of storm surge accumulated during its slow march over the Gulf of Mexico.

About 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate southwest Florida before the storm hit. Though expected to weaken as it marched inland at about 9 mph (14 kph), Ian’s hurricane force winds were likely to be felt well into central Florida.

“This is going to be a nasty nasty day, two days,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said, stressing that people in Ian’s path along the coast should rush to the safest possible shelter and stay there.

Off the coast on Sanibel Island, just south of where Ian made landfall, traffic cameras hours earlier showed swirling water that flooded streets and was halfway up mailbox posts. Seawater rushed out of Tampa Bay as the storm approached, leaving parts of the muddy bottom exposed, and waves crashed over the end of a wooden pier at Naples.

Ian had strengthened rapidly overnight, prompting Fort Myers handyman Tom Hawver to abandon his plan to weather the hurricane at home and head across the state to Fort Lauderdale.

“We were going to stay and then just decided when we got up, and they said 155 mph winds,” Hawver said. “We don’t have a generator. I just don’t see the advantage of sitting there in the dark, in a hot house, watching water come in your house.”

The governor said the state has 30,000 linemen, urban search and rescue teams, and 7,000 National Guard troops from Florida and elsewhere ready to help once the weather clears.

Florida residents rushed ahead of the impact to board up their homes, stash precious belongings on upper floors and join long lines of cars leaving the shore.

Some decided to try and ride out the storm. Jared Lewis, a Tampa delivery driver, said his home has withstood hurricanes in the past, though not as powerful as Ian.

“It is kind of scary, makes you a bit anxious,” Lewis said. “After the last year of not having any, now you go to a Category 4 or 5. We are more used to the 2s and 3s.”

Ian made landfall more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Tampa and St. Petersburg, sparing the densely populated Tampa Bay area from its first direct hit by a major hurricane since 1921. Officials warned residents that Tampa could still experience powerful winds and up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain.

“Please, please, please be aware that we are not out of danger yet,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said in a video on Twitter. “Flooding is still going to occur.”

Ash Dugney warily watched ocean water being sucked out below a Tampa Bay pier Wednesday morning. He said he didn’t trust Tampa’s storm drainage system to keep his corner tuxedo rental business safe from flooding that he said has happened even during mild storms.

“I don’t care about the wind and the rain and the stuff like that, I just care about the flooding,” Dugney said, adding that he moved essentials out of the shop and moved other items up to above waist-high level.

Flash floods were possible across all of Florida. Hazards include the polluted leftovers of Florida’s phosphate fertilizer mining industry, more than 1 billion tons of slightly radioactive waste contained in enormous ponds that could overflow in heavy rains.

Isolated tornadoes spun off the storm well ahead of landfall. One tornado damaged small planes and a hangar at the North Perry Airport, west of Hollywood along the Atlantic coast.

More than 1 million homes and businesses were without electricity, and Florida Power and Light warned those in Ian’s path to brace for days without power.

The federal government sent 300 ambulances with medical teams and was ready to truck in 3.7 million meals and 3.5 million liters of water once the storm passes.

“We’ll be there to help you clean up and rebuild, to help Florida get moving again,” President Joe Biden said Wednesday. “And we’ll be there every step of the way. That’s my absolute commitment to the people of the state of Florida.”

Parts of Georgia and South Carolina also could see flooding rains and some coastal surge into Saturday. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp preemptively declared an emergency, ordering 500 National Guard troops onto standby.

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Bruce Poon Tip is not “the last tourist,” but he’d like to be considered one of the first – a least by his definition of the term. Because the founder of G Adventures (also entrepreneur, author, and now filmmaker) would like to change the meaning of the word ‘tourist.’

More precisely, he’d like to change not just the word, but the world, by the very nature of people going on holiday – a timely sentiment today (Sept. 27) as the global travel industry celebrates World Tourism Day with the theme “rethinking travel.”

Addressing delegates at the recent ACTA eastern regional summit in Toronto, Poon Tip, pegged as a keynote speaker for the event, presented a passionate argument that travel should not simply aim to return to a pre-pandemic normal and encouraged travellers to change their mindset and remember the true purpose of travel – experiencing new destinations and cultures.

Showing a slide of a cruise ship in the middle of a spectacular fjord to demonstrate his point, he mused, “This is probably the greatest example: A ship, in Alaska, that announced a go-kart track as part of its (offering). And none of us thought that was odd.”

“You know,” he joked, “I’m going to go on vacation and maintain my go-cart hobby!”

But he wasn’t joking when added, “This can be anywhere. It’s no longer relevant where the ship is going because all you care about the go-kart track… with fjords and whales jumping around in the background… I for one find that ridiculous!”

With that the Toronto-based travel exec challenged travel agents to help change the mindset of travellers and not simply be part of the commoditization of the travel experience, which he maintains should instead be used as a “force for change” that is meaningful to travellers and the communities in which they travel alike.

“We should be fighting back to be better because I don’t think (pre-pandemic) normal was great,” he said.

Poon Tip’s sentiment is further amplified in “The Last Tourist,” a 140-minute documentary, executive produced by the G Adventures founder and directed by Tyson Sadler, which was just released for streaming on Crave in Canada after a run on-demand and in theatres in April.

The project, whose more minimal nature at the outset, Poon Tip explained, gradually developed into a full-length feature worthy of the seriousness of the subject, examines the history of modern tourism, shining a light on a side of the industry that many travellers might be unaware of and exploring important issues including animals suffering for entertainment, orphaned children exploited for profit, and developing economies strained under the massive weight of foreign-owned hotel chains.

Viewers meet local activists and entrepreneurs who see opportunity for positive change, and are leveraging tourism to preserve cultural heritage, sustain wildlife, and support the social and economic wellbeing of communities.

Filmed in over 16 countries, the film reveals and examines “the real conditions and consequences of one of the largest industries worldwide through the forgotten voices of those working in its shadow. The role of the modern tourist – who are unintentionally destroying the very things they have come to see – is on trial.”

Commentators include some of the world’s leading travel and tourism visionaries including Dr. Jane Goodall (Jane Goodall Institute, United Nations Messenger of Peace), Lek Chailert (Save Elephant Foundation), Gary Knell (National Geographic), Meenu Vadera (Sakha Cabs For Women) and Jonathan Tourtellot (Destination Stewardship Center), as well as Poon Tip himself, with the mission to empower audiences with knowledge and inspiration to make a positive impact and fundamentally change the way we travel.

“Travel,” the film declares, “is at a tipping point” with over-tourism in particular magnifying its impact on the environment, wildlife, and vulnerable communities around the globe.

The good news, especially as the world emerges from the pandemic when people were “forced to go into hibernation and re-evaluate,” says Poon Tip, is that travellers “are being much more intentional and purposeful with their holiday decisions – they are asking more questions about where their money is going, and whether it is helping to support local communities, which is exactly what we need.”

Travel, Poon Tip believes, is a privilege, not a right, and an experience that should push people out of their comfort zones.

“In order to have a truly transformational experience, you should leave your comfort zone when you travel,” he says. “We want people to be comfortable when they travel, whether it’s a hostel or the Four Seasons, but don’t mix that up with ‘comfort zone.’

“One of the main messages of The Last Tourist is that we’re born explorers. But society makes us tourists… If we could get to a place where the money you spent on holiday stayed in that local economy, and where we could create wealth distribution with a $10-trillion industry, we can really make travel a force for change…”

And that might mean engaging with local businesses, like eating in a restaurant that employs at-risk youth; meeting or staying with a local family; visiting (and buying something) at a women’s craft collective; volunteering; or simply joining a cooking class.

Or as Poon Tip puts it, “embracing that two-way experience and imbuing tourism where everyone benefits” – rather than riding go-karts.

At the same time, he adds, “If you want the comforts of home, maybe you should stay at home.”

In addition to Crave, The Last Tourist is available on video-on-demand via Apple, iTunes and on HULU. See the trailer below:

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

At the recent D23 Disney Fan Expo, Peter Pan was on hand to help reveal details of the fleet’s sixth ship – Disney Treasure – which will join the Disney Cruise Line fleet in 2024. Attendees at the Anaheim, Ca., event were introduced to the vessel in a clever concept video premiered on stage in which the beloved character flies over the vessel to uncover the ship’s name and other first-time insights.

Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro revealed that the Disney Treasure will be designed with a brand-new motif unlike anything Disney Cruise Line has done before and added that the theme of adventure, inspired by Walt Disney’s love of exploration, is designed to provide a platform for “epic experiences that immerse guests in some of the company’s most legendary stories.”

“At the heart of every adventure, there’s a treasure, and we can’t wait for you to create memories aboard this spectacular ship,” D’Amaro said.

The Grand Hall, he said, will radiate the allure of adventure, inviting guests to seek all the treasures on board from the moment they embark and will draw on real-world influences from Asia and Africa and pay homage to the far-off land of Agrabah from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ classic tale, “Aladdin.”

The signature atrium character statue – a Disney Cruise Line tradition – will be “a shining, shimmering, splendid” representation of Aladdin, Jasmine and Magic Carpet soaring together toward “a whole new world of adventure.”

The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2024, following the Disney Wish, which set sail in July. It’s the second of three new ships planned through 2025 and will feature 1,254 guest staterooms.

In other Disney cruise news:

Lighthouse Point: Work has begun on Disney’s second island destination in the Bahamas, located on the island of Eleuthera at a place called Lighthouse Point. Renderings show a vibrant beach retreat infused with the colour and energy of Bahamian artistry. In addition to the pristine beaches, the destination will include a recreation centre, dining, shopping, a water playground, a cultural pavilion and more.

Disney has committed to develop less than 20% of the property; supply 90% of the site’s power from solar energy; employ sustainable building practices; and donate more than 77 hectares of privately owned land to the government. Environmental management programs have already been established and will continue throughout construction and into operation.

Disney Wonder Down Under: For the first time, Disney Cruise Line is bringing Disney vacations to guests in Australia and New Zealand during brand-new “Disney Magic at Sea” cruises beginning late October 2023. The ship is the destination on the limited-time voyages, which have been specially created to immerse local guests in their favourite Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars stories through entertainment and enhanced experiences throughout each cruise.

The Disney Wonder will embark on these “Disney Magic at Sea” cruises through February 2024, ranging from two to six nights and departing from four home ports: Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia; and Auckland, New Zealand.

During the repositioning voyages between Honolulu and Sydney in October 2023 and February 2024, the Disney Wonder will offer the fleet’s first-ever South Pacific itineraries. The brand-new cruises will give guests from around the world the chance to visit exotic destinations like Fiji and Samoa. Bookings open to the public on Oct. 6, 2022.

Check out the Pan video below:

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Hurricanes and Canada’s COVID measures at the border (the easing of), dominated last week’s news, as Canada Jetlines took flight, Sunwing implemented airline service fee changes, and travel companies (ACV, TDC) continued an impressive slate of in-person fall launches.

NEWS

Monster Hurricane Fiona left a trail of destruction from the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic/Haiti, Turks and Caicos) to Bermuda and Atlantic Canada. Florida declared a state of emergency ahead of the expected arrival of Tropical Storm Ian later this week.

World Tourism Day will take place Tuesday (Sept. 27). Held each year since 1980, the date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Statutes of the Organization in 1970, paving the way for the establishment of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) five years later.

BORDERS

Reports suggest that Canada will likely drop the vaccine requirement for people who enter Canada by the end of then month. Also gone will be the need to fill out the unpopular ArriveCan app. An announcement could be made as early as today (Monday).

From Atlin, BC, to Wingham, Ont., the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has resumed services at 55 airports across the country that were still affected by temporary measures put in place as a result of COVID-19.

As of Sept. 22, Barbados discontinued all COVID-19 related travel protocols. As such there is no testing requirements for entering Barbados whether vaccinated or unvaccinated. In addition, the wearing of masks generally is now optional.

AIR

Canada Jetlines, which took flight on Sept. 22 with an inaugural flight between Toronto and Calgary, has announced a worldwide distribution agreement with Sabre.

Starting Oct. 24, Sunwing is implementing airline service changes that will include the addition of preferred seating, and à la carte baggage fees. The airline says the move will upfront costs while provide options for customers to purchase extras or add-ons to suit their specific needs.

Air Transat has unveiled a brand-new phone menu it says is part of ongoing efforts to simplify the work of travel agents and improve the accessibility of its call centre. The system now reflects the best practices and most recent technology in telephony, says the company. Features include a streamlined navigation menu and geolocation service based on the caller’s area code to automatically serve travel agents in their preferred language. Hold music can also be customised between five different styles of music.

BY THE NUMBERS

Not surprisingly, Amsterdam Schiphol reported soaring passenger numbers in the first half of the year as the aviation industry worldwide rebounded strongly from the pandemic. The Dutch airport had 23.8 million passengers in Q1 and 2, up from 5.6 million in the same period last year. Schiphol Group, which also includes smaller airports in Rotterdam and Eindhoven, handled 27.3 million passengers in the year’s first six months.

TOURS

British sightseeing company Evan Evans Tours announced its first fully electric zero-emission motor coach (photo) on select itineraries, an industry first by a major sightseeing tour operator in London on fully guided day tours. The electric coach can travel 320 km. on a full charge and Evan Evans will be offering select day tour departures including: Buckingham Palace and Royal Windsor Tour, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, and select London Day Tours.

H.I.S.-Red Label Vacations Inc., which includes redtag.ca, itravel2000.com, Sunquest, The Travel Experts, Flights.ca and Cruises.ca amongst its many brands, has partnered with luxury spaceflight experience company Space Perspective to offer six-hour “space balloon” flights to consumer starting in 2025. Ticket price is $125,000 p.p., and all ticket sales require payment of an initial refundable deposit of a minimum of $1,000 to hold the reservation.

HOTELS

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has announced plans for an extensive portfolio expansion in Egypt with the addition of new hotels, residential offerings, and significant property enhancements. Opening in 2025 will be Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences New Cairo Capital at Madinaty and Four Seasons Hotel Luxor, while Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Sharm El Sheikh, has doubled the offerings of the existing property with new accommodations, dining outlets, leisure activities, and more.

Marriott International, Inc. expects to open 14 additional luxury properties in Asia Pacific by the end of 2023. The planned additions, emerging destinations such as Jeju and Jiuzhaigou, highlights the strategic growth of Marriott International’s luxury hotel portfolio in the region, where it currently operates 156 luxury properties. Marriott luxury brands include Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W Hotels, The Luxury Collection, EDITION, JW Marriott, and Bulgari.

RESORTS

The popular ski destination of Hokkaido, Japan is home to Club Med’s newest four-season mountain resort in Asia. Set to open in December, the 400-room Club Med Kiroro will provide guests access to some of the best powder snow in the world, with long ski seasons and fresh ski tracks. The elevated Club Med mountain vacation experience will offer guests unlimited ski-in/ski-out access to an untouched ski domain with 23 courses, and activities like snowboarding lessons, group ski, and snowshoe hikes. Indoors, guests can enjoy nature centres, a dedicated kid’s zone with highly customized Children’s Clubs, a gallery showcasing works from local artists, and culinary delights from local breweries, wineries, and bakeries.

Following recent earthquakes in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, the AMR Collection reports its six resorts in the area suffered minimal damage and all operating normally.

DEALS

Lifestyle hotel brand B Hotels & Resorts is offering up to 20% on stays at its Florida properties with its new Fall Escapes promotion. Available for booking through Dec. 20, visitors will receive special discounts on stays of two or more nights through Dec. 22. Use the promo code, BFALL.

CRUISE

Royal Caribbean International has released its line-up of holidays on Spectrum of the Seas for 2023-24, and longer cruises are making a comeback. A mix of new five- to 12-night cruises will whisk adventurers to far-flung destinations in Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam, joining the cruise line’s popular short getaways to Malaysia and Thailand.

Windstar Cruises’ small ships are known for sailing to luxurious and off-the-beaten-path ports around the world. The full breadth of sailings is highlighted best in the cruise line’s, available to order or access online today, including the line’s newest offering: cruises to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf – a first for the luxury cruise line. Cruises begin November 2023 on the all-suite, 312-guest Star Legend.

ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS

MSC Cruises is raising the bar when it comes to ground-breaking onboard entertainment options with MSC Seascape. ROBOTRON is a state-of-the-art robotic arm with an attached gondola that seats three guests – flying them nearly 53 m. above the sea. The adrenaline-pumping experience gives riders an unobstructed 360° view of the horizon as they hang over the edge of the deck, flip upside down and move in all directions.

FAMS & INCENTIVES

To celebrate the release of its new 2023 ‘inspiration guide’ brochure, luxury outfitter African Travel is offering qualified travel advisors that have joined its educational program the opportunity to travel with up to three guests and receive 30% saving on brochure safaris of seven nights plus. Additionally, advisors receive $200 after their first booking of seven nights or more.

EVENTS

Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) welcome close to 150 travel professionals from its network to its first face-to-face Regional Conference in three years in Toronto Sept. 17-18. Under the theme “Rebound,” the TDC community and its preferred partners gathered to energize themselves collectively and, above all, to get informed and take stock of the situation to make the most of the long-awaited recovery in travel demand.

Also last week, Air Canada Vacations returned to in-person events with a gala event in Montreal.

With this year’s ACTA regional summits having wrapped up, the association announced that an inaugural River Cruise Summit will be held in October 2023. Hosted by Avalon Waterways, the event will welcome 100 travel advisors on the cruise line’s seven-day “Romantic Rhine” itinerary in Europe. Registration is expected to open in mid-November on a first-come-first-serve basis, once all registration criteria are met.

PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in Canada has added Daniel Stubbs to the team as Business Development Officer. Stubbs will be based in Montréal and responsible for overseeing business development in Québec and Eastern Canada. He can be reached at 514-231-1968 or dstubbs@visitjamaica.com.

Air France-KLM has announced the appointment of Jean-Eudes de La Bretèche as General Director of its Canadian operations. He began his 13-year career with Air France-KLM in Paris as part of the Revenue Management team before joining the CEO’s office as Project Coordinator.

Trevello (TPI) has been named “Top Agent Partner – Q3” by Uplift, a buy-now-pay-later payment program that allows travel advisors to offer flexible payment options to consumers. Trevello advisors Josephine Cruz and Jonathan Miguel ranked first and fourth individually.

DESTINATIONS

Los Angeles Tourism is inviting visitors – including Canadians – to discover what’s “Now Playing” in the City of Angels with the kickoff of a creative new advertising campaign spotlighting the wide breadth of attractions, experiences, entertainment, and accommodations found only in LA. Shot on location at several iconic LA. sites, the spot combines live-action film, music, animation, and voiceover designed to create a dazzling mix of campaign content. The campaign will run in both traditional and digital media.

Staring next summer, a new high-speed hovercraft service across Lake Ontario – the first of its kind in North America – could cut travel time between Toronto and the Niagara Region down to 30 minutes. Operated by Hoverlink Ontario Inc., which says it has entered the final stage of approval, the service will operate between Ontario Place in downtown Toronto and Port Weller in St. Catharines, Ont., a trip that can take about two hours by car or train.

LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY

In 1908, Thomas E. Selfridge, a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, became the first person to die in the crash of a powered aircraft, the “Wright Flyer.” The accident, which also seriously injured pilot Orville Wright, occurred at Fort Myer, Va., just outside Washington, D.C.

Send info to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News