TRADING VOLUME FOR VALUE: Longer, higher spend trips are driving strong summer
Canadian travellers are prioritizing longer, higher-value trips that are driving strong growth for the summer, according to new data from Virtuoso. Notably, while demand for travel to the U.S. has softened, the travellers who are going are spending significantly more, and Canadian summer travel overall is pacing well ahead of last year.
‘MORE CHILL THAN AMERICA’: Toronto gets high marks from soccer fans
Halfway through Toronto’s World Cup hosting journey, visitors from around the world say the city has offered them much more than soccer.
UNMISSABLE FLORIDA (FROM SOMEONE WHO SHOULD KNOW): State tourism boss offers inside tips
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ There’s no shortage of tips (online and elsewhere) on what to do when visiting Florida – even when it comes to activities beyond the famed beaches, energizing theme parks, colourful cities, and far-out attractions (like the Kennedy Space Center).
WESTJET POSTS TOP ON-TIME PERFORMANCE
Hailing the ranking as a “major milestone in operational excellence,” WestJet reports it has earned a place among the world’s most on-time airlines in the latest Cirium On-Time Performance Report.
QANTAS PLANS WORLD’S LONGEST FLIGHT: 22 hours much better than four days
Qantas Airways plans to launch the world’s longest direct flight next year, a service of up to 22 hours nonstop between London and Sydney.
UNRUSHED IRELAND: Visitors invited to slow down and smell the shamrocks
In a world where travel often feels rushed and driven by checklists, Ireland has embraced the notion of “slow travel,” in which visitors are drawn deeper and beyond the expected toward richer encounters with its landscapes, culture and communities.
Check out our special inFocus Editions...
Just in case you missed yesterday’s stories…
WESTJET HITS NEW HEIGHTS WITH JAYS: Unveils branded plane to mark partnership renewal
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ With nearly 1,000 WestJetters, Toronto Blue Jays representatives – including legendary players Pat Borders and Edwin Encarnacion – and community members in attendance, WestJet celebrated the renewal of its long-standing partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday by unveiling a new co-branded plane that will take the iconic Jays logo to 35,000 feet, and wherever the plane flies.
CUBA ‘EMPOWERS’ TRAVEL SECTOR: Details emerge from unprecedented economic package
As part of an unprecedented emergency economic package designed to open up Cuba’s struggling economy, the Cuban government has announced the rollout of a historic package of 176 free-market reforms designed to completely revitalize the island’s travel sector.
FIRST DOMINO TO FALL? Porter reduces fuel surcharge
With fuel prices dropping in the wake of an apparent agreement between the U.S. and Iran to end the war in the Middle East, Porter Airlines says it is reducing its temporary surcharge for new reward flight bookings to $20.
FRENCH FRY AND EUROPE WITHERS UNDER RECORD HEAT
France recorded its hottest day ever Tuesday as an early heat wave gripped Europe, prompting the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum to restrict visiting hours and disrupting school and transportation schedules in multiple countries.
RETAIL ROUND-UP: Agent news, fams & incentives
This week: ACTA is concerned over cuts, Ensemble ups tech ante, Utah Office of Tourism hosts Canadian travel advisors, Flight Centre Canada gets a gift partner, and Collette collects food donations.
EXPEDIA TAAP MOVES BEYOND BOOKINGS: Introduces new back-office API and tools
Expedia Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP) is redefining its role beyond a booking platform, introducing new capabilities that help travel advisors and agencies streamline back-office operations, reduce manual work and scale their businesses more effectively.