Tourism in Canada isn’t expected to rebound until late 2025 or early 2026, says the head of Destination Canada. Speaking at the marketing agency’s annual general meeting, held virtually on Thursday, Destination Canada President and CEO Marsha Walden said it will take that long for tourism expenditures to reach 2019 levels. Walden said Destination Canada anticipates total tourism revenues in Canada will reach $78 billion next year. That’s a 51% increase over 2021 but well below the $105 billion Canada raked in for 2019. “At the depth of the crisis almost every segment of our industry came to a complete Read more
December 2021
Jamaica celebrated the launch of Swoop’s new non-stop service from Toronto to Kingston with a special welcome reception at Norman Manley International Airport on Wednesday, December 8. Passengers and crew on the airline’s inaugural Kingston flight were greeted by senior government officials and representatives from Jamaica’s tourism sector, including Peter Mullings, Acting Deputy Director of Tourism, Marketing; Joy Roberts, Executive Director, Jamaica Vacations Limited (JAMVAC); Her Excellency Emina Tudakovic, Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica; Camille Needham, Executive Director, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association; and Dale Davis, Director of Operations and Maintenance, PAC Kingston Airport (PACKAL). “Now more than ever before, Read more
Canada’s federal auditor general is slamming the way Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) handled the controversial quarantine hotel program this year. A report from auditor general Karen Hogan says PHAC had a hard time keeping track of whether travellers staying in quarantine hotels were actually there. Global News reports that Hogan said PHAC “has no idea whether three-quarters of people who arrived by air earlier this year obeyed the requirement to quarantine at government-authorized hotels as part of the enforcement effort to limit the spread” of the corona virus. “Though the Public Health Agency of Canada improved its results, Read more
Margaritaville announces Margaritaville at Sea, an offshore resort experience. The first cruise ship, Margaritaville Paradise, will offer the fun, escapism, and state of mind synonymous with the global lifestyle brand. “To me, the only thing better than being on a beach by the ocean, is to be on the ocean. Now you can follow in our wake,” said singer, songwriter and best-selling author, Jimmy Buffett. Departing on her first passenger sailing on April 30 from the Port of Palm Beach Florida to Grand Bahama Island, Margaritaville Paradise will include 10 passenger decks and 658 cabins in various stateroom categories. Following Read more
Transat A.T., the parent company of Air Transat, is reporting substantially better numbers in its fourth quarter fiscal statement. The company today reported an operating loss of $118.3 for its fiscal fourth quarter, which ended Oct. 31, 2021. That loss is down substantially from last year’s figure of $239.3 million. Fourth quarter Transat revenue was reported at $62.8 million, up 120.9% from the $28.4 million in revenue for the fourth quarter of last year. For the fiscal year, however, Transat A.T. reported revenues of $124.8 million, down 90.4% or $1.2 billion from the previous fiscal year mark. “Since we resumed operations Read more
