Destinations
Asia Now Collective Draws Agents To Destinations
Reps from four countries in Asia recently assembled as part of the Asia Now collective to highlight unique tourism qualities and attractions, at a special dinner event in Vancouver. Asia Now invited travel retailers and tour operators to meet at the Shangri-la Hotel in downtown Vancouver to meet with tourism reps from Taiwan, Philippines, Singapore and Korea. All expressed relief and gratitude that the pandemic was a decreasing health threat, and that borders were now opening for tourism. And they touted the attractions that are now coming back to life. For instance, one aspect...
CHTA President Calls For Flexible Airline Tax Approach
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) president is recommending a tiered ‘dynamic taxation system’ as a novel and potential solution to address ongoing concerns about the high cost of air travel within and to and from the region. CHTA’s President Nicola Madden-Greig is calling for a flexible approach to levying airline taxes, pointing out that one of the major constraints facing Caribbean travel is the heavy burden of taxation, and governments could well consider successful revenue management tactics employed within the tourism and aviation...
TICO Board Approves 34 Claims
The Travel Industry Council of Ontario’s (TICO’s) Board of Directors approved 34 claims against the Ontario Travel Compensation Fund on Sept. 27, 2022. The claims were for $170,721 to assist 66 consumers who did not receive the travel services for which they had paid. Approved Ontario Travel Compensation Fund claims were for: Fly Jamaica Airways -- 1 claim to assist 6 consumers, totalling $5,544 Rejoice Holidays Inc. -- 3 claims to assist 6 consumers, totalling $5,993 Sunmed Holidays Inc. -- 1 claim to assist 2 consumers, totalling $1,000 Crystal Cruises -- 29...
Bumps In The Road To Recovery
Restaurants Canada has released its 2022 edition of Foodservice Facts, presenting the latest foodservice statistics, trends, forecasts, detailed analysis and invaluable insights for industry leaders. The theme, “Reset. Revive. Redefine” tells a story of a bumpy road to recovery due to rising expenses, low customer counts, high debt, and low profitability. Christian Buhagiar, President and CEO of Restaurants Canada, said that: “While nominal sales are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels before the end of the year, traffic still remains below what it was before....
On The Right Tracks
A ritual quickly developed in the dining cart onboard the Costa Verde Express, which is decked out with wooden accents and olive green velvet chairs reminiscent of the golden days of train travel era aboard the Orient Express. After a three-course meal, the luxury train’s trip director appeared nightly to hand out the next day’s itinerary over post-supper drinks like port or schnapps. This overview gets the group of passengers from as far as Brazil, the US, across Europe and myself as the sole Canadian, excited to take in some of the top sights in the region, which is known as...
Cuba Tourist Board Offers Post-Ian Update
The Cuba Tourist Board reports that Hurricane Ian went through the most western part of Cuba, over the province of Pinar del Rio, during the night of Sept. 26 with category 3 force winds, exiting the country in the morning of Sept. 27, 2022, causing some damages in local areas of Pinar del Rio. It advises that there are no resorts in the neighboring areas impacted by the hurricane; none of the popular hotel zones were affected, all the airports in the island are open and the country is fully operational. While there have been some reports that the island had no power, Lessner Gomez,...
Caribbean Travel Marketplace Ready To Go
The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s (CHTA) 40th Caribbean Travel Marketplace, to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico October 3-5, 2022, is on, and according to organizers, it promises to be a “magical” event. In delivering her pre-arrival welcome, CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig stated that amid the uncertainty and challenges that resulted from COVID-19, “it is especially comforting to be back to this great event where we can see friendly faces, engage with current and new partners, and generate fond memories.” She continued: “We are extremely proud of...
Agents Reconnect With Fareconnect
After three years of waiting, 70 agents and over 20 suppliers gathered for Reconnect with Fareconnect 2022. The Western Canada-based host agency, with independent agents from coast to coast, held its annual conference at the Sandman Signature Edmonton South Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta from Sept. 22 to Sept. 24. Fareconnect.com’s conference feature two-days of training from the host agency’s top suppliers. However, with Fareconnect it is not all about business, there was plenty of lunch & coffee chats and even a trade show to keep the conversations flowing between everyone...