A new travel voucher policy from Transat, a big boost for Indigenous tourism in Canada, a new rule requiring masks at Marriott Hotels around the world, COVID-19 trouble for Canadian travel and a posh new Kimpton hotel in Key West. My Future of Travel blog for July 22. Transat Alters Travel Voucher/Travel Credit Policy To offer greater flexibility to customers whose bookings have been cancelled due to COVID-19 or who cancelled their trips as part of Transat’s flexibility policy, Transat is relaxing the terms around the use of the future travel credits issued as a result. Those future travel credits Read more
July 2020
This is a chapter from my new book, called Ontario Escapes: 19 Great Places to Visit Right Now. It’s available from Apple Books for just $4.99. DIVERSE AND DELIGHTFUL GREY COUNTY WHAT: Grey County features lovely BnB’s, cute, quiet towns like Meaford and an abundance of beautiful nature, including Georgian Bay shorelines, rugged Niagara Escarpment hikes and tumbling waterfalls. WHERE: Meaford is roughly from 180 kms northwest of Toronto and about 34 kms northwest of Collingwood. GOOGLE MAP COORDINATES: Millhollow B&B, Meaford: JC32+GQ Meaford, Ontario Old Baldy Conservation Area: 9FRJ+QM Kimberley, Ontario Scandinave Spa: GP25+QW The Blue Mountains, Ontario An Read more
I guess I’m not the only one promoting travel within Canada right now. Just a couple days after I published my book, “Ontario Escapes: 19 Great Places to Visit Right Now,” I got a note saying that Destination Canada, which promotes Canadian tourism around the world, has “called upon a few trusted Canadian ambassadors to remind us of the many exceptional travel experiences we have in our own back yards and across the country.” Rick Mercer’s rant on travelling in Canada CBC personality Rick Mercer, a true Canadian treasure, celebrates Canadians’ love of travel with a rant calling on us Read more
An Expedia Canada study finds Canadians are definitely staying home this summer. I also have a look at a free $50 offer for restaurants, attractions and other places that the Explorers’ Edge tourism area (including Muskoka) is offering to locals and seasonal residents, plus a new celebrity chef for Air Canada and a new, apartment-style hotel in Montreal that sounds perfect for social distancing. My Future of Travel blog for July 20. Canadians Staying Close to Home This Summer This comes as no surprise. But it’s quite telling. An Expedia Canada study released today (July 20) finds that Canadians are Read more
I’m looking around at the Whetung Ojibwa Centre, a small country store on the Curve Lake First Nation reserve outside Peterborough. I admire the colourful artwork, dozens of styles of moccasins and sparkling jewelry, not to mention the walrus skulls and old, black and white photos in the basement. As I’m heading out, I spy a large collection of jams and jellies made with local berries. To me, breakfast isn’t complete without toast and good jam, so I pick up a jar and head to the cash register. The woman handing the register looks at me and smiles. “Would you Read more
