Global Travel News

Last week, CATO continued its crusade for industry reform in Ontario; Porter said it will match Air Canada Aeroplan points; Club Med introduced new Ontario reps; and wildfire repercussions continued in Maui and the Okanogan, while the southwestern US dealt with the opposite problem (too much rain).

NEWS

A “broken system” and “ignored” requests to the province to fix it are behind the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) campaign for a “more effective and fairer traveller protection system for Ontario’s travel industry,” which is set to come to a head at TICO’s upcoming annual general meeting in Sept. 26. CATO (and industry partner ACTA) are continuing to call for significant improvements to the funding framework of the regulatory body and for a legislated consumer contribution protection insurance system (Compensation Fund) and intend to introduce a motion at the meeting call for the improvements.

Unifor Local 114 members at the Victoria-Seattle ferry service have voted 100% in favour of taking legal strike action on Sunday, Sept. 3 if a contract cannot be reached with the company before then.

US President Joe Biden promised that the federal government will help “for as long as it takes” Maui to recover from damage caused by the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century.

The first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years, Hilary brought intensifying rain to the region, with some mountain and desert areas seeing more than half an average year’s worth of rain come down in just one day, including the desert resort city of Palm Springs, which saw nearly three inches of rain in just one day.

AIR

Porter Airlines is giving Air Canada Aeroplan members an opportunity to achieve instant VIPorter loyalty status by matching their current Aeroplan membership level with an equivalent VIPorter Avid Traveller level. Once approved, members will enjoy enhanced travel benefits with their next Porter flight. Every dollar spent gives VIPorter members points redeemable for future flights and 100% credit toward status qualification on any Porter fare. Applications are assessed after submission at flyporter.com, with VIPorter account information and screenshots from Aeroplan accounts provided for review. Registration is open until Sept. 6 with full details available online.

Travellers in Quebec can now combine select Air Transat and Azul Airlines flights to destinations such as Sao Paulo and Manaus, Brazil (connecting through Orlando or Fort Lauderdale). Flights are accessible through the connectair by Air Transat platform, bringing to 12 and the number of additional destinations available in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Canada to over 280.

Air Canada customers will have the freedom and flexibility to change their travel plans when booking on aircanada.com (Canadian edition), thanks to a new partnership with travel app Hopper. For a fee, travellers can now add ‘Cancel for Any Reason’ to eligible non-refundable fare types booked on the Air Canada website.

Flair Airlines says it is launching a unique pilot training program that will see applicants placed in the cockpit of one of the company’s Boeing 737 jets within 18 months. The Edmonton-based budget carrier says its program will radically speed up the length of time it takes in Canada for new pilots to get jobs flying large commercial jets.

BY THE NUMBERS

Aug. 23 was National Cheap Flight Day marking an industry trend that typically sees airfares drop in price following the higher-priced summer travel season.
Through comprehensive travel trend monitoring of historical web site bookings, CheapOair.ca results are showing that the average cost of a domestic airline ticket in the period following Aug. 23 averages a 17% decline from the peak airfares during June and July 2023.Furthermore, the same data shows that international flight fares have decreased on average 21% when comparing travel after Aug. 23 to the summer’s fare high point.

DEALS

Early planners who book their 2023/24 Air Canada Vacations winter vacation package to Mexico and the Caribbean, and Flight & Hotel packages to Hawaii at least four months in advance, will enjoy significant savings with Air Canada Vacations’ Early Booking Bonus. Families can save $400 (for a family of four or $100 p.p.).

Through Sept. 5, Margaritaville at Sea, which offers 3-day, 2-night voyages from Port of Palm Beach, Fla., to Grand Bahama Island is offering a flash sale that allows guest to travel for as low as US$99 for a single guest in an interior stateroom. Valid on travel through April 29, 2024.

TOURS

Railbookers has unveiled a new interactive online map for its brands, Railbookers and Amtrak Vacations. The innovative tool allows users to navigate and learn more about train routes, stations, hotels, and attractions in their desired destinations worldwide. Once an itinerary is selected, the map narrows on each city destination, showing the train station, major attractions, and their proximity to the thousands of hotel options available across both brands. Hotels can then be selected for more information.

Intrepid Travel has launched an emergency appeal and committed US$50,000 through their not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation, to support immediate relief efforts in Hawaii following the devastating wildfires that devastated Maui earlier this month. The Intrepid Foundation will dollar match donations to the Hawaii Wildlife Appeal, doubling the donors’ impact.

To donate, click HERE.

HOTELS

Historic Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland has been named the winner of the Art of Hospitality Award, the first category announced in advance of the inaugural The World’s 50 Best Hotels awards 2023. The award was voted for by 580 voters in The World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy, who were asked to name the property where they have received the single-best hospitality experience within the two-year voting period.

Relais & Chateaux’ Stonehaven Le Manor in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Que., will extend Le Pavillon with 17 new additional rooms, located closer to the mountain and offering a magnificent view of the Lac des Sables.

RESORTS

In partnership with Autism Double-Checked, Karisma Hotels & Resorts has introduced what it says is the world’s first-ever Autism Concierge, providing a dedicated contact for all autism-related questions and serving as an extension of an existing three-part training program. The program encourages guests travelling with a child with autism or adult guests with autism to ask about specific needs through a concierge contact found within the resort’s visitor guide. Guests looking for support as they plan their vacation can contact the Autism Concierge via email.

Club Med will debut Club Med Kirora Grand, its newest Japan ski resort, in December, adding to the chain’s roster of 20 mountain resorts throughout the Alps, Canada, and Asia. Located in Hokkaido, Japan’s internationally renowned ski destination, the untouched mountain features white powder snow and unique ski trails that features skiing until May (with 160 days of winter), along with night and off-piste skiing. The resort is a three-minute gondola ride from its sister resort Club Med Kiroro Peak and will be the brand’s sole mountain destination in Asia.

CRUISE

Viking recently named its newest river ship, the Viking Aton, with a special celebration in Aswan, Egypt. Sister ship of the Viking Osiris, Aton is a state-of-the-art vessel specifically built to navigate the Nile and will sail Viking’s popular Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.

The 2025 World Cruise from MSC features an entirely new itinerary aboard MSC Magnifica. The epic 116-night journey departs from European ports – Civitavecchia/Rome, Genoa, Marseille, and Barcelona – on Jan. 4, 5, 6 and 7 2025 respectively, on its way to 50 destinations (22 of them new to the MSC World Cruise) in 21 countries. The three-month journey, will include five continents and cross three of the world’s largest oceans, sailing over 30,000 nautical miles. A highlight will be 19 days spent sailing around the Southern and Western coast of Australia.

FAMS & INCENTIVES

Through Sept. 30, 2023, travel agents who sign up and complete Rocky Mountaineer’s TRACKS Agent Training will be eligible for a chance to win monthly prizes or a grand prize of a complimentary rail journey for two on select Rocky Mountaineer routes in Canada and the US. The free training program is open to certified retail travel agents and wholesale agents/partners globally and takes most people less than an hour to complete!

EVENTS

Skal’s Toronto chapters (and a few friends) turned out for their annual golf outing last week at Royal Ontario near Milton. Good golf (mostly), good friends and good cheer were the order of the day as close to 70 industry members joined to play and/or for the barbecue lunch. Naturally, prizes were aplenty.

PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS

Club Med has announced the appointments of Tyler Mattioli and Debbie Miller as Business Development Managers for Ontario. Mattioli joins forces with Samantha Gillingham on the territory of Ontario, with Mattioli over 10 years of tourism industry experience, as both a front-line agent with Flight Centre, Air Canada Vacations and, most recently Air New Zealand. Miller, formerly with Destination Toronto, joins Club Med Meetings & Events with over 20 years of experience in destination sales. She replaces Maria Chung, who retired on July 31.

DESTINATIONS

The road to the iconic Nova Scotia tourist destination Peggy’s Cove reopened after devastating floods last month. It’s welcome news for both visitors and a community hit hard by environmental disasters. The road closure has been hard on the area’s tourism business. The flooding was triggered by torrential thunderstorms that began July 21, and dumped months worth of rain on parts of central Nova Scotia.

The central Okanagan is facing weeks without tourism during its peak season after British Columbia’s premier imposed bans on travel to wildfire zones. The ban will be in place until Sept. 4 for hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, hostels, RV parks and campgrounds in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Kamloops, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton and Vernon.

LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY

In 1809, the first Canadian-built steamboat, “The Accommodation,” was launched on the St. Lawrence River at Montreal. Owned by the brewer and banker John Molson, it carried 10 passengers to Quebec City from Montreal on its maiden voyage, which took place at the end of October.

Send info to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com

First published at Travel Industry Today

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Dust off your eclipse glasses: It’s a little over half a year until a total solar eclipse sweeps across North America. On April 8, 2024, the moon will cast its shadow across a stretch of the US, Mexico, and Canada, plunging millions of people into midday darkness.

It’s been less than six years since a total solar eclipse cut across North America from coast to coast. That was on Aug. 21, 2017.

If you miss next year’s spectacle, you’ll have to wait 20 years until the next one hits the continent.

Here’s what to know to get ready for the 2024 show:

Where can I see it?

Next year’s eclipse will slice a diagonal line across North America on April 8, which falls on a Monday.

It will start in the Pacific and first reach land over Mexico around 11:07 a.m. local time, NASA predicts. Then, it’ll cross over into Texas and move across parts of the Midwest and Northeast in the afternoon.

All in all, it will hit parts of 13 US states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Cities in its path include Dallas; Little Rock, Arkansas; Indianapolis; Cleveland and Buffalo, New York.

Parts of Canada – starting at about 3:15 in Windsor, Ont. and tracking across Southern Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces by about 4:30 – will also get a glimpse before the eclipse heads out to sea in the early evening.

A total eclipse will be visible within a 240-km wide swath – the path of totality. The event will last about four minutes in some places along the path.

Outside that path, you can still see a partial solar eclipse, where the moon takes a bite out of the sun and turns it into a crescent shape.

Total eclipses happen about every 18 months, but a lot of times they cross over remote areas where few people see them.

What happens during an eclipse?

Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes in between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun’s light from reaching us.

Even though the moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, it’s also about 400 times closer to Earth, explained University of Colorado astronomer Doug Duncan. So, when the orbits line up just right, the little moon can block out the whole sun. Those who are standing in the right spots will experience totality: when the moon casts its shadow over the landscape.

“In just seconds, you go from bright, bright daylight to like the middle of the night,” said Dr. Debby Brown, who saw her first total eclipse in 2017 with Duncan in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

“The stars are out. All of a sudden, all the animals are quiet,” recalled Brown, of Arlington, Virginia.

During the 2024 eclipse, totality will stretch to around four and a half minutes – almost twice as long as in 2017.

Where’ the best spot?

To catch the full eclipse experience, planning ahead is key, Duncan said. Weather could be a big factor since the eclipse is coming in the spring, when conditions are unpredictable. That’s why Duncan selected Texas for his eclipse tour next year, where there are better odds of clear skies.

Your choice also depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for, said Bob Baer, who’s coordinating eclipse plans at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Carbondale – in the crossroads of both the 2017 and 2024 eclipse paths – will hold a viewing event at the school’s stadium again. It’s a big group experience, Baer said: “The last 20 minutes before totality, the stadium gets as loud as a football game.”

But you can find eclipse events of all different flavours planned along the eclipse path: luxury cruises in Mexico, music festivals in Texas, farm camping in Arkansas, planetarium visits in upstate New York.

Wherever you are, you’ll want to grab eclipse glasses to see the partial phases before and after totality. Looking at the partially covered sun without protection can cause serious eye damage.

What other eclipses are coming up?

The US will get some eclipse action ahead of the big event in 2024. There will be an annular eclipse – when the sun isn’t completely covered, but appears like a ring of fire in the sky – later this year, on Oct. 14.

The path of that eclipse will cross from Oregon down through California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

With a 20-year gap until the next total solar eclipse in North America, Duncan says it will be worth it to be in the path of totality next year. He’s witnessed 12 total eclipses so far.

Seeing a partial eclipse – even if it’s 90% covered – means “you missed all the good stuff,” he said.

First published at Travel Industry Today

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Red Stripe, Jamaica’s famed beer, is synonymous the island. Its smooth yet zesty taste, served chilled in iconic stubby bottles, reminds drinkers of the genuinely vibrant yet calming spirit of the island and its inhabitants. Moreover, the logo adorns all manner of souvenirs that are carried by tourists to destinations around the world.

But the beer, of course, is made for drinking, not just T-shirts, so, where in the name of Bob Marley are the best places on the island to get one (or perhaps two)?

Here, courtesy of island insiders Jamaica Experience, is a list of 13 of the best places in Jamaica to enjoy Red Stripe:

Red Bones Blues Café, Kingston: In addition to enjoying a cold Red Stripe, visit this bar on Argyle road for an evening of fine Jazz music, dub poetry readings, and even film screenings. If your appetite permits, have dinner with your Red Stripe by the bar, in the dining rooms, under the gazebo, or by the courtyard.

Usain Bolt’s Tracks & Record, Kingston: While sipping on your Red Stripe at Tracks & Record, you can catch your favourite games on one of the flat-screen TVs positioned at various sections of this sports bar. On some nights, special events are held here such as comedy shows, music release shows, and watch parties.

Triple Century Sports Bar: Another great watch party location in Jamaica’s capital city is Triple Century. Owned by famous West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle, you can enjoy both local and international bites at this sports lounge while you nurse a couple of bottles of Red Stripe.

Pelican Bar, St. Elizabeth: You will have to journey by boat to enjoy your Red Stripe because this bar is located in the middle of the ocean. It’s one of the most popular day bars on Jamaica’s south coast. You get to enjoy sweeping views of the ocean, freshly prepared seafood dishes, and your favourite Jamaica beer.

Pier 1, Montego Bay: When you’re feeling for Red Stripe in Montego Bay, all roads lead to the lively seaside restaurant and bar, Pier 1. It’s a family-friendly dining location so while you are having your bottles of Red Stripe at the bar, the rest of your family can satisfy their tastebuds with the inviting seafood menu. There is also a menu for vegetarians and a kids menu.

Distil Bar, Kingston: If you want to season your palate with international cuisine while drinking your beer, Distil Bar is the place to go. It is strategically located in Marketplace surrounding a number of restaurants serving Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Mediterranean dishes.

Rick’s Café, Negril: A trip to Negril without a stop at this cliffside hangout (photo) is a huge blunder that you will never make. While you sip on your Red Stripe, watch as brave patrons cliff dive.

The Brewery, Montego Bay: One of the distinct features of this restaurant is the amazing view of the sunset that patrons who dine in the evening enjoy. The location of The Brewery makes it an ideal spot to reflect on your day and converse with locals.

JoJos Jerk Pit, Kingston: The coolest jerk-pan hangout on Waterloo Road is JoJos Jerk Pit. Not only will you enjoy a bottle of Red Stripe, but you can also choose from a variety of jerk dishes such as jerk pork, chicken, sausage, and even jerk seafood. Maybe you want to balance your alcohol consumption, try a cup of soup at intervals.

Regency, Kingston: Maybe you’re seeking a quieter ambiance indoors. The Regency located inside Terra Nova All-Suites Hotel is perfect for you to enjoy a chilled bottle of Red Stripe. You can also order from their menu which includes local and international dishes.

Mary’s Bay Boat Bar & Grill, Negril: After a few hours of cliff diving, sunbathing, and splashes in the mini-pools on Negril’s Westend, visit this bar and grill to have a bottle of Red Stripe. It’s a relaxed setting that boasts a nightly, live Reggae music show.

Blue Beat, Montego Bay: This cozy lounge on the Hip Strip serves up the best of Montego Bay’s Jazz and Blues scene on most nights and attracts a mature crowd of music lovers. In addition to Red Stripe, try out their selection of fine wines and spirits at the bar.

Flavours Beach Bar, Runaway Bay: After a swim in the warm waters at Flavours, spend a few hours at the bar with a cool Red Stripe, a plate of jerk chicken and fries, and good company. That’s all you need to feel right at home.

Not close to any of these bars? There are more than enough spots in Jamaica to enjoy Red Stripe and other beverages. Ask the front desk at your hotel or villa to give you recommendations.

With glass purposefully in hand, we at Travel Industry Today continue our series on some of the planet’s best bars, patios and rooftop venues. For more articles in the series, click here:

PREVIOUS ARTICLES: https://travelindustrytoday.com/pub-patio/

First published at Travel Industry Today

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News