The Canadian travel boom continues. Toronto-based Porter Airlines has placed a firm order for 20 Embraer E195-E2 passenger jets, adding to their existing 30 firm orders. Porter has said intends to fly the E195-E2s to popular business and leisure destinations throughout Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean, from Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and Toronto Pearson International Airport. The deal, with a list price value of US$1.56 billion, brings Porter’s orders with Embraer to a total of up to 100 E195-E2 aircraft, with 50 firm commitments and 50 purchase rights. In 2021, Porter ordered 30 Embraer E195-E2 jets, with purchase Read more
Caribbean
This story originally appeared in the Vancouver Sun. I’ve been lucky enough to play golf at courses around the world. Here are some of my fave memories. Not necessarily the best courses, but some of the most memorable moments. WATERTON LAKES, ALBERTA Jasper and Banff, not to mention Canmore, get a fair bit of ink in Alberta golf stories. But I loved Waterton Lakes when I played there a few summers ago. It wasn’t in the best condition when I played it, but a Canadian golf group called Lobb + Partners has been hired to make renovations. You can’t beat Read more
The government of The Bahamas announced today that fully vaccinated travellers will no longer be required to submit to pre-travel COVID-19 testing to enter the country. All unvaccinated travellers ages 2 and older will be required to obtain a negative COVID-19 test — either a negative RT-PCR test or a Rapid Antigen test — taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to travel and present the negative test results at check-in before travel to The Bahamas. Changes go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, June 19, 2022. The government on Wednesday said it was eliminating the mandatory Read more
Air Transat is adding Las Vegas to its roster of destinations available from Montreal this winter. They’re also bringing in flights to Havana, Tampa and New Orleans. Starting November 3, Air Transat will fly nonstop to more than 50 destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, the United States and Europe this winter. “Many Canadians are finally ready to take the trip they have been dreaming of over the past two years,” says Michèle Barre, Air Transat’s Vice President of Network, Revenue Management and Pricing. “On one hand, Las Vegas represents the creation of new opportunities for both Read more
I was chatting yesterday with Petra Roach, chief executive officer of the Grenada Tourism Authority, and mentioned how the island seems to be on the cusp of joining some of the region’s bigger tourism draws. I wouldn’t say she recoiled in horror, but she did look at me a little funny. “We really don’t want to be mainstream,” she said with a smile. “We’re what we like to call a boutique product, where you can get up close and personal with the community. “Grenada is a place where you can actually stop and take stock,” she continued. “You can almost Read more
