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American Express

Canadians are some of the highest spenders in the world for travel, and they’re itching to explore, a new Amex Travel study says. Canadians rank as the second highest global market for anticipated average trip spend and are prioritizing spontaneous, bucket list, and once in a lifetime vacations. American Express Travel released its 2024 Global Travel Trends Report today, highlighting the inspiration and trends driving global travel bookings this year.  “The Global Travel Trends Report highlights the continued desire for Canadians to prioritize unforgettable travel, from spontaneous trips to once in a lifetime experiences,” said Vanessa Crooker, VP of Brand, Partnerships and Read more

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Portugal is seeing a tourism boom, but Hawaii is slow to recover from pre-pandemic numbers. I also have a look at the best travel reward credit cards, the top places for women over 50 to travel this year, and most iconic foods from countries around the world.   PORTUGAL TOURISM SPIRALS UPWARD   Portugal brought in more money than ever before from tourism in 2023, and the country’s tourism boom shows no signs of slowing down.   Tourism revenue increased to more than $36.5 billion CAD in 2023 compared to $30.8 billion the previous year, Secretary of State for Tourism, Read more

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Nearly two of three Canadians is planning to travel internationally in the next little while. But hotel rates will continue to climb in 2024. Two reports from different divisions of American Express provide valuable insights for consumers. An AmEx Global Business Travel report says inflation could cause hotel prices to increase by double digits in cities such as Paris and Chicago, while slightly more modest hikes are expected in Canada. Another American Express report says 63% of Canadians plan to travel internationally this year, and that almost 80% of Canadian Gen Z’ers turn to social media for travel inspiration. Here’s Read more

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So, you’re tired of airline delays? You’re in good company. WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech took to his Twitter account (@AHoensbroech) on Thursday and blasted Navigation Canada for a 2.5-hour delay on his flight to Vancouver. “Frustrating! Delayed by 2.5h on our own @WestJet flight to @yvrairport because @navcanada is understaffed,” he wrote. “We would have been perfectly on time, now many guests will miss their connections. Shows again why we need a proper shared accountability system across the entire sector!”   Daily Hive quoted a Navigation Canada (NavCan) official as saying that staffing matters are just one of many issues Read more

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Air Canada and American Express have announced their newest welcome bonuses and accelerated earn rates on their suite of American Express Aeroplan Cards. Whether for a get-away to Los Angeles, sun-bathing in the tropics of Hawai’i (hey, I’m there today), or tasting sushi in Tokyo, this limited time points offer will enable Canadians to get away sooner and do so in style. Here are the details:     Premium Card Get up to 115,000 Aeroplan points with the American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card. Earn up to 45,000 Aeroplan points after spending $6,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Cardmembership. Plus, Read more

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