Today’s announcement that Canadians who take trips to the U.S. for less than 72 hours no longer need a COVID test to return home doesn’t help Canada’s battered tourism sector, critics say. The Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable said it acknowledges today’s announcement by the Canadian government removing the pre-departure PCR testing requirement (indeed, all testing requirements) for Canadians returning from the United States for trips less than 72 hours. The PCR test policy, however, remains in effect for Canadians who leave the country for more than 72 hours. Critics have noted that the tests are prohibitively expensive, sometimes more Read more
Canada
A never-before-seen archaeological find in Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan unlocks fascinating information about the Northern Plains Indigenous Peoples who gathered on the land for more than 6,400 years. The find was announced today by Dr Ernie Walker, chief archaeologist and park co-founder. Bison activity has also been credited for uncovering four petroglyphs and the tool used to carve them. “The discovery of these petroglyphs is a testament to just how sacred and important this land is,” says Darlene Brander, CEO Wanuskewin Heritage Park. “The individual who made these petroglyphs was actually carving their legacy into the rock many Read more
The Conference Board of Canada and Expedia Group say travel and tourism are definitely on the upswing. In their latest report, the Conference Board found that 86% of Canadians say they miss travelling. Better yet, the numbers who report that COVID-19 is slowing their travel plans is down sharply. Speaking during a zoom session put on by the Discover America Canada Committee, Jennifer Hendry, the conference board’s Senior Research Associate, said that in October of 2020, 62% of Canadians had no travel plans. In their October, 2021 report, that number was down to 47%. Hendry says that shows that “the Read more
In late March, Air Transat was still in line for a takeover from Air Canada. Now, they’re getting into bed with WestJet. Two of Canada’s leading airlines have agreed to cooperate on a codeshare that will soon allow customers to book transatlantic travel involving both carriers on a single ticket with through-checked bags. The cooperation will bring more choice to consumers by enabling transatlantic codeshare connections above and beyond what the carriers offer with their own flights. “We are very excited to join forces with WestJet in what I am sure will be a successful collaboration,” said Annick Guérard, President Read more
The food is terrific. The renovated rooms are clean and bright. And the new design gives the feel of a boutique, downtown hotel. The 30-year-old Sheraton Gateway Hotel at Toronto Pearson Airport is undergoing a $30 million renovation, and it’s quite special. There was nothing wrong with the old hotel, which is a mere 40 or 50 steps from Terminal 3. But it was time for a change from sturdy, wooden headboards and black leather chairs and clunky wooden desks, and they’ve pretty much gutted the entire property. What’s here now is a sparkling, beautifully designed hotel that feels to Read more
