Travel + Leisure has come out with its annual “It List” of the top 100 new hotels in the world. The only Canadian property to make the list was The Ace in Toronto. “Canada’s first Ace property ticks many of the brand’s familiar boxes: a bustling lobby with people on laptops working by day and drinking by night; in-room acoustic guitars and curated vinyl; and walls hung with works by Toronto artists. It’s also one of the city’s boldest buildings,” the magazine said.   The Ace in Sydney, Australia also made the list. New York City had seven hotels in Read more

CNN has a chart out today that lists the world’s busiest airports for 2022, and the U.S. is extremely dominant. The top four on the list are American airports, and U.S. facilities make up five of the top ten (indeed, five of the top six). China usually has an entry or two in these sort of lists, but the country has been slow to open up since the pandemic and failed to land an airport in the top 10 this time. The only Asian airport on the list is Delhi. Here’s the top 10. 1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Georgia (ATL): 93.7 Read more

Lynx Air took to the skies one year ago, and the Calgary-based airline is celebrating with daily deals and a contest for Canadians to win free flights for a year.   Two grand prize winners will each win one roundtrip per month for 12 months to fly anywhere on Lynx’s North American network. Five additional winners will each receive one return flight to anywhere on Lynx’s network. The contest runs from Tuesday, April 4, 2023, until 8:00 pm MDT on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Winners will be drawn on April 12, 2023, and contacted via email.   After launching one year Read more

With the Toronto Blue Jays set to play their first home game next week at the Rogers Centre, the Toronto Marriott City Centre is proud to unveil this season’s unique and amazing amenities from its enviable location; the only hotel in North America located inside a major league stadium.  With unparalleled views of the ballpark, the Toronto Marriott City Centre offers an unmatched experience for baseball fans and those looking to enjoy Toronto’s best attractions. The hotel’s unique offerings include in-stadium open-air Skyboxes that can accommodate 25-30 guests, including 18 seated; exceptional “in action” field-view rooms and suites so guests Read more

The tourism folks in The Big Apple have a new idenitity, and a new campaign. At its annual meeting today (April 4), President and CEO Fred Dixon debuted the new name and brand identity of the city’s official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of New York City: New York City Tourism + Conventions. The destination’s new brand system aimed at travelers from around the world includes a new brand strategy and comprehensive visual identity system comprising a new logo, color standards, typography, art direction and graphic elements. The debut of the new name Read more

My travel notebook today touches on a major anniversary for a big-time Hollywood studio, a potential WestJet pilots strike vote and a call for more tourism workers in Canada. I also have some thoughts about whether popular places such as Niagara Falls should be called “tourist traps.” THAT’S NOT ALL FOLKS: WARNER BROS. CELEBRATES A HUNDRED YEARS  The studio that brought us Bugs Bunny, Casablanca, Batman, Friends, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz and Big Bang Theory is celebrating a special anniversary TODAY. It was on April 4, 1923 that a group of four brothers, Harry, Albert, Read more