I live less than an hour away, but somehow in all my decades living in Toronto I’d never slowed down enough or taken the time to admire north Durham Region. That’s a mistake I won’t make again. I visited recently over two days and found beautiful art and pottery places, sipped some of the goods at a tasty cider operation, witnessed a truly amazing bit of historic architecture, and enjoyed a nice visit to the Lucy Maud Montgomery Manse, as well as a tremendous play about Montgomery’s time living in the region. I was extremely impressed by the creativity and Read more
Canada
Is ArriveCAN Killing Canadian Tourism? Also, Airport Delays Continue + Porter Expansion Edges Closer
Is the ArriveCAN app killing Canadian tourism? A new CBC story quotes a border city tourism operator and the mayor of Niagara Falls, Ontario as saying the app has done tremendous damage to a region that relies heavily on American visitation to keep people employed. “When you talk to any businesses in town, they’ll tell you there’s a very small amount of American dollars coming in,” said Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati. “It’s been hurtful, especially after two years of COVID.” Anna Pierce, vice president of Niagara Helicopters, told the network that she’s had several calls from potential U.S. visitors Read more
A new study finds that one of Canada’s most attractive destinations still faces a bit of an uphill struggle when it comes to tourism. And, quite frankly, I don’t get it. A survey of Canadian travel habits and desires by Tourism Nova Scotia found that 37% of Canadian travellers who aim to take a holiday in the next 12 months will be heading to Ontario. The next choices were Quebec (24%), British Columbia (23%), the U.S.A. (18), International (17) and Alberta (15, which is a lower percentage than I would’ve expected given the grandeur of the Rockies). Atlantic Canada, which Read more
Travel Notes: Swoop Airlines Adds Varadero, Cuba, Plus A Vegas Tourism Boom + Hawai’i Fall Festivals
Canadians are getting more flight options for Cuba, Florida and Mexico. Swoop, Canada’s leading ultra-low-cost airline, has expanded its winter schedule with new routes, more frequencies and new service to Cuba. Swoop will begin its seasonal, non-stop service between Toronto (YYZ) and Varadero (VRA) on January 11, 2023, and fares are starting as low as $189 one-way. “We’re thrilled to be announcing an expansion in the Caribbean, adding Varadero to our growing list of vacation destinations,” said Tia McGrath, Leader, Distribution and Sales. “Cuba tops the list for Ontarians seeking an affordable beach getaway and we’re proud to reaffirm our Read more
Stunning architecture. Fresh, local food and drinks. And the former home of one of Canada’s best-known writers. Not to mention trendy artists, family-friendly golf, a cool cabin in the woods, friendly alpacas, and a sunflower farm guaranteed to light up your social media accounts. I recently spent two days and a night in surprising North Durham Region. I was blown away by the creativity and cooperative spirit of local business people, as well as by their artistry and passion. Several times I found myself wondering if this region, which is less than an hour from Toronto, could become as popular Read more
