Destinations
The New Era Of Tourism
Destination Canada is aiming for a tourism renaissance that builds wealth and wellbeing across the hosting communities while enriching guests. A new report by Destination Canada indicates that Canada’s tourism industry is expected to recover fully as early as 2024 – a full year faster than expected. That good news – and the lessons learned over the past 30 months – are the foundation of Destination Canada’s ambitious plans to propel Canadian tourism to new levels in a fiercely competitive environment. “We can’t outspend them,” explained Destination Canada...
Recovery Accelerates
In its latest World Tourism Barometer, the UNWTO is reporting that international tourism is on track to reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022 as the sector continues to bounce back from the pandemic. The Barometer reveals that an estimated 700 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September, more than double (+133%) the number recorded for the same period in 2021. This equates to 63% of 2019 levels and puts the sector on course to reach 65% of its pre-pandemic levels this year, in line with UNWTO scenarios. Results were boosted by strong...
Rebuilding The Tourism Labour Force
Building a diverse and resilient workforce depends on how we think about – and work with –the people we employ. The tourism labour force has changed, and employers need to adapt to these changes if they want to recruit – and retain – a sustainable workforce, according to a panel of industry leaders from aviation, accommodations and recruitment presenting at the 2022 TIAC Tourism Congress. Philip Mondor, president at Tourism HR Canada reported that tourism employment levels are down to where they were about 15 years ago. The reasons and solutions are complex. A...
Destination Canada Fall Outlook Paints Positive Picture
Destination Canada has released its Fall Tourism Outlook which forecasts that despite ongoing challenges, the recovery trajectory for Canada’s tourism sector is strengthening, bolstered by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and resilience in travel demand. The Outlook indicates that leisure travel is now expected to recover to 2019 levels by 2024, which is a remarkable feat and one year earlier than previously forecasted in Spring 2022. Destination Canada’s Outlook also indicates that domestic tourism will continue to lead the sector’s recovery with strong spending...
Postcards From Saint Lucia
With the lure of the Pitons and unforgettable accommodations like Jade Mountain and Sugar Beach, Saint Lucia has long been a leading honeymoon and romance destination. But top selling agents for Saint Lucia reveal the island’s appeal extends far beyond that. “I sell Saint Lucia because the island is stunning, the people are incredible and there isn’t another island like it,” Alex Maloney, a travel consultant at Glenny Travel in Fort Erie, Ont., tells Travel Courier. “Post pandemic, I am booking more families than ever before. I think the type of resorts that have opened that...
TIAC: “This Is The Time To Reimagine Tourism”
Speaking to over 400 tourism industry leaders at the 2022 TIAC Tourism Congress, TIAC vice president, policy and government affairs Marc Seguin, laid out an ambitious recovery plan, and the path forward for Canadian tourism, reports Debra Sara Ward, who is covering the event for Baxter Media. Kicking off the first day of the Congress with the annual TIAC Leadership report, Seguin reviewed the association’s work of the past year including its government advocacy. But despite progress in many areas, he cautioned that that the sector was still a very long way from a full recovery, even...
Air Transat Flying High In Summer 2023
Air Transat will be flying high in the summer 2023, releasing its new program which features 275 flights a week to over 40 destinations at the height of the season. The carrier will strengthen its position in Europe, increase the number of connections to the South and the United States as well as enhancing its domestic service. Michèle Barre, Vice-President, Network, Revenue Management and Pricing, Air Transat, points out that: “This flight program is perfectly in line with our mission, which is to encourage discovery and foster openness, whatever the destination or the reason...
Yucatan Puts Gastronomy On Its Menu Of Attractions
The State of Yucatan hosted Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants and the first edition of Sabores de Yucatán recently as it put the region’s gastronomy on show for over 12,000 people who attended the event. While the State of Yucatan is well known for cenotes, archeology, farms, colonial cities, beaches, jungle, a living ancestral culture, infrastructure, security, its gastronomy offers a great opportunity to promote tourism. The Ministry of Tourism of the State of Yucatan (Sefotur), headed by Michelle Fridman Hirsch, Minister of Tourism of the State of Yucatan, bet directly on...