Italy placed all of its major cities under the highest heat alert Thursday as a blistering heat wave gripped Europe, setting a national temperature record in Austria, fueling wildfires in France and disrupting energy and transport systems across the continent.
Walking off the job for a day helped earn flight attendants at WestJet a more than 18% wage hike over three years and new compensation for duties the company hasn’t typically covered.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ I hate the Red Sox. Beantown bums! Foes of the beloved Blue Jays. But, on a sunny summer afternoon, there’s no place I’d rather be than historic Fenway Park, home of the red stockings since April 20, 1912.
Every year on Sept. 1, fans around the world mark the day students return to Hogwarts. This year’s celebrations are especially meaningful as fans commemorate 25 years since Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone first brought the wizarding world to the big screen, and excitement builds for the forthcoming HBO Original series.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ A four-month voyage planned on Atlas Ocean Cruises’ newest ship promises to explore the cultures and tastes of places even the most seasoned travellers haven’t visited.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ If you’ve ever been to Fenway Park in Boston, home of the Red Sox baseball team (see previous story, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”), you’d know that the crowd sings “Sweet Caroline” each game after the 8th inning. That’s close to 38,000 people rendering the Neil Diamond classic into one of the world’s largest karaoke singalongs.
Most Canadian travellers don’t understand that Ottawa’s travel alerts can void their travel insurance and don’t know how embassies can help them while abroad, says a new survey commissioned by the foreign service.
WestJet says it has returned to normal operations as it continues to re-book travellers whose flights were cancelled due to a work stoppage this past weekend. The airline says it was operating all of its scheduled flights on Wednesday, while thanking customers for their patience during its ramp-up this week.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Grenada has long appealed to Canadians seeking an authentic Caribbean escape, but the island is nevertheless still emerging from the shadow of some of its better-known neighbours. With expanding air service from Canada, growing recognition in the luxury market, and an impressive culinary scene, the Spice Island is increasingly demonstrating that it is one of the Caribbean’s most compelling destinations.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is not ruling out ever allowing jets to land at Toronto’s island airport, but he is focused for now on a broader transportation picture. Ontario Premier Doug Ford had pitched a plan to expand Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to allow jets to land, framing it as a way to boost the economy.
Explora Journeys officially named EXPLORA III in Barcelona, welcoming the brand’s first LNG-powered ship to the fleet and marking the halfway point in its vision of six ships dedicated to ultra-elegant ocean travel.
TTC Tour Brands is today unveiling a reimagined Groups Program, delivering the most significant set of enhancements to date across Scheduled Groups, Custom Groups, Small Groups and Trafalgar River Cruises, designed to make group travel easier to book, more flexible to manage and more rewarding for travel advisors and their clients across Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Costsaver and Brendan Vacations.
Flight disruptions continued at WestJet on Tuesday as the airline ramped up following a brief work stoppage over the long weekend. Data from aviation analytics company Cirium showed 16 WestJet flights scheduled for Tuesday had been cancelled, as of around 11 a.m. ET.
As wildfires rage in France and Spain and a heat wave is withering Western Europe, a prolonged drought half a continent away is setting record low water levels on one of Europe’s largest rivers, disrupting tourism and industry and confronting residents with the realities of climate change.
In an effort to fend off a mounting humanitarian crisis, Cuba last week eased up on longtime restrictions on private vendors and imports, opening up a sector firmly controlled by the Communist-led government.
This week: ACTA reveals Summit trade show details; Envoyage Canada signed a strategic partnership with Travel Leaders Network; TRAVELSAVERS Canada is staying close to home this summer; Air Canada Vacations introduces a recognition program for advisors; and Visit Florida Keys & Key West relaunch the Key Lime Academy for agents …
Transat has announced the appointment of Dima Fahed as Manager of Sales, Ontario and Atlantic Canada, effective Aug. 3. A Transat team member for the past 19 years, Fahed will lead Transat’s sales efforts across Ontario and Atlantic Canada in her new role, working closely with travel agency partners and internal teams to support the company’s commercial objectives and enhance the advisor experience.
New York City Tourism + Conventions has announced a summer travel incentive inviting Canadians to enjoy 30% off at participating tourism and hospitality businesses from Aug. 18 through Sept. 7, helping offset the currency exchange rate.
WestJet and the union representing some 4,400 flight attendants reached a tentative deal Monday to resume work after a brief work stoppage, but neither side is sharing specifics yet.
Swaths of seaweed are blanketing the beaches and coastlines of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, suffocating shorelines and snuffing out marine life while spooking visitors in areas that depend heavily on tourism.
Porter Airlines is elevating its economy travel experience with a comprehensive cabin refresh across its De Havilland Dash 8-400 fleet. All 29 aircraft are being upgraded with the latest generation of Expliseat’s TiSeat 2V, the world’s lightest aircraft seat in its category, alongside a series of cabin enhancements designed to improve passenger comfort and modernize the onboard environment.
Travellers at a popular border crossing between Croatia and Serbia on Saturday faced hour-long waits in scorching temperatures as peak summer holiday traffic clogged one of the major crossings between the two Balkan nations. It was not clear whether new EES rules were in part to blame.
Flair Vacations has made several key leadership appointments ahead of its plan to enter the Canadian vacation market this fall. Joining the company are Lindsay Watkinson as Director of Commercial Operations, Nadia Granata as Director of Marketing and Rares Dumitru as Director of Business Development & Partnerships.
A round-up of news nuggets, airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news you may have missed.
With a threatened work stoppage looming for 4,400 flight attendants at Canada’s second-largest air carrier after their union issued a 72-hour strike notice early Thursday morning, WestJet responded to the union’s move by issuing a 72-hour lockout notice. Here’s what that means:
Nearly two-thirds of Canadians support WestJet flight attendants in their job dispute with WestJet, according to a new Abacus Data survey commissioned as flight attendants represented by CUPE 8125 prepare for potential strike action.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Holidays and social media tend to go hand-in-hand, with travellers eager to share not only their exciting experiences, but their whereabouts. And while that might please (or annoy!) friends and family, doing so is nothing short of a leaving a “gone fishin’” sign on the front door for thieves, says Allstate Canada.
Rather than producing a traditional tourism commercial, the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) has released “Croatia – I Hear It’s Beautiful,” a six-minute cinematic film starring Academy Award-nominated actor John Malkovich, who recently became a Croatian citizen.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities has launched a new Digital Visa-on-Arrival System to simplify entry procedures for international travellers. The pilot phase of the new system has begun at Cairo International Airport, and will be rolled out nationwide.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Styx was always particularly popular in Canada in the 1970s and ‘80s, and still is decades later, as evidenced by the Chicago-based band touring the country this summer with a gig in Toronto this week (a double bill with that other great Chicago band, Chicago) and continuing in the fall in St. John’s, Halifax, Moncton and Quebec City.