Canada this year saw travel volumes rebound in step with the removal of COVID-19 border restrictions with 50 million travellers seeking entry to Canada, an increase of 267% from 2021. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) today said it also prevented 1,009 firearms (compared to 908 in 2021 – an increase of 11%), and 37,749 kilograms of illicit drugs (compared to 21,968 in 2021 – an increase 72%) and other dangerous goods from entering Canadian communities. The CBSA says it has worked hard “to facilitate the free flow of people and goods, support the immigration system, and stop firearms and Read more
Canada
As Canada’s busiest airport, Toronto Pearson is preparing for the upcoming holiday travel period while sharing tips and information for passengers. The holiday season is traditionally one of the busiest times of year at Pearson and this year is expected to be particularly busy, as passenger traffic has steadily increased since the summer. To help make the experience easier, Pearson and its airport partners have introduced a number of tools aimed at making flying easier. This includes: * YYZ Express, an online reservation program that allows travellers to book a spot in the security line ahead of their flight, up Read more
It could take another three years for Ontario’s tourism industry to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, a major new study says. A report from The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, released today, calls for sweeping changes, including keeping the Ontario staycation tax credit, boosting cannabis tourism, providing better train and rapid transit service, giving indigenous tourism a push, and boosting affordable housing for workers. The study says tourism businesses in Canada’s most populous province are generating less than two-thirds (64%) of the revenues they saw in 2019, and that 70% have taken on debt Read more
Swoop, Canada’s leading ultra-low-cost airline, is setting its sights south with newly added flights to Mexico and the Caribbean from Hamilton, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Abbotsford, B.C. “As Canada’s leading ultra-low fare airline, we are thrilled to be expanding sun-flying this winter,” said Bob Cummings, President of Swoop. “With winter weather upon us, demand for leisure travel down south is reaching new heights and we’re proud to meet that demand with this added capacity.” The “ultra-not-expensive airline” recently completed a significant fleet expansion, inducting six new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to meet demand for ultra-low-cost leisure travel. Beginning in Read more
The Toronto-Vancouver air route is getting more crowded. Canada Jetlines, Canada’s new leisure airline, today confirmed the inaugural flight for its new, nonstop service out of its travel hub at Toronto Pearson to Vancouver International Airport. Porter Airlines on Thursday revealed that it will begin flying between Toronto and Vancouver on Feb. 7, 2023. Porter said it plans to have three flights a day by March 21 of next year. Canada Jetlines will commence direct roundtrip Airbus A320 service from Toronto to Vancouver, with the inaugural flight event taking place both at the Toronto departure and Vancouver arrival gates today, Read more
