A lot of folks were skeptical when Air Canada said it was taking over Aeroplan and would bring in a whole new loyalty rewards system. But the early reviews are excellent, indeed. Air Canada this morning officially released details of its new Aeroplan program, which begins Nov. 8. Among the changes: Every seat on every Air Canada flight can now be booked with Aeroplan points (they’re using points as the terminology, not miles) There are no longer any annoying fuel surcharges or other surcharges on Aeroplan tickets The credit cards have been given a big boost, with more perks for Read more
Canada
A new listing of the top cities in the U.S. gives a boost to NYC and to several California cities. I also take a look at tourism in Nova Scotia and the re-opening of a fabulous hotel in the Caribbean. My Aug. 5 Future of Travel blog. Top 20 Cities in the U.S. The Big Apple takes top prize. But California has plenty to boast about. A company called Resonance Consultancy has once again published its list of the top cities in the U.S. They used six categories for ranking American cities: place, product, people, prosperity, program and promotion. The Read more
This is an excerpt from my new book, “Ontario Escapes: 19 Great Places to Visit Right Now.” It’s available from Apple Books (and only for Apple devices) for just $4.99 Canadian. What a deal! Here’s the link for the book: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/ontario-escapes/id1523750857 Chapter 11: Gravenhurst and Muskoka WHAT: There’s a reason some folks call Muskoka Toronto’s playground. Located just two hours (maybe less given COVID-19 traffic, or lack of same) north of the city, you’ll find amazing lakes strewn with rocky islets and towering, deep green trees. It’s as pretty as a postcard, and easy to reach. WHERE: Gravenhurst, the Read more
Just how bad was the second quarter for the travel and tourism sector in Canada? Air Canada is reporting an operating loss for the quarter of $1.555 billion. The airline suffered a total revenue decline of 89 per cent over the quarter compared to 2019. Passenger volumes were down a remarkable 96 per cent from 2019’s second quarter. That is truly incredible, and a testament to just how devastating the last few months have been for airlines in Canada and around the world. Not to mention hotels, tour companies, restaurants and others in the hospitality/tourism/travel business. And, yet, there’s been Read more
There are reports of cars with out-of-province cars being vandalized in Canada. I’m also taking a look at a new study on the health of the hotel industry, and I have reports on how COVID-19 is rebounding in Australia and whether the Atlantic Canada travel bubble might soon open. My Future of Travel blog for July 30, 2020. Shame on You, Canada – You’ve Got to Do Better Than This A month or so ago, there were stories going around about how some folks with Alberta license plates had crossed over into British Columbia and found “go home” notes attached Read more
