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
Canada
Canadians will soon have a new way to reach one of the world’s greatest cities. WestJet today announced it will add non-stop service from Calgary to London’s Heathrow Airport, starting in early spring 2022. As WestJet continues to increase global connectivity from Western Canada, the addition of non-stop service between Calgary and London-Heathrow signals confidence in the recovery of business and leisure travel between both destinations, officials said. “As the airline with the most flights from Alberta, this is an important recovery milestone as we forge new connections between Canada and one of the world’s most sought after global hubs,” Read more
The Kitchener-Waterloo area is only a short drive from Toronto, and there’s so much to see. On top of that, they’re now providing a great incentive: a program called ExploreMore!, which provides anyone who books a minimum two-night stay at participating hotels with a $100 VISA gift card to use at restaurants, attractions and retail locations in Waterloo Region. “Our local tourism industry is still in the early phases of recovery following the pandemic,” says Minto Schneider, CEO at Explore Waterloo Region. “ExploreMore! is designed to inject much-needed revenue back to our accommodation members through overnight stays, while also encouraging guests to visit Read more
Fully vaccinated Canadians taking short trips out of the country will no longer be required to take COVID-19 tests before returning home, multiple sources report. Both the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail report that the government will introduce a rule waiving the need for tests for anyone who’s outside of Canada less than 72 hours. PCR tests, also known as molecular tests, would still be required for trips longer than 72 hours. Those tests can cost $200 or more in the U.S. The CBC said the change likely will be made near the end of the month, just Read more
Cross border travel between Canada and the U.S. is growing, and experts see a strong recovery on the horizon. BrandUSA, which seeks to boost travel to the United States, sponsored a virtual tourism/travel session earlier today with border, tourism and airline officials. Tim Liu, Managing Director, Sales Planning & Effectiveness at Air Canada, said things are looking much better these days. “We are definitely seeing strong signs of growth and we expect to return to a more normal Canada-USA air travel market,” he said. “We definitely see that recovery under way.” “We expect it to be fast-paced recovery and expect Read more
