The U.S. Transportation Safety Administration says its preparing for a record Labor Day travel period. And the American Automobile Association says Labor Day bookings for this year are up 9% from 2023, while prices are down about 2%. That makes this a great time to plan your Labor Day weekend getaway in great destinations around the U.S. Here are some of my favourites. FORT MYERS, FLORIDA Fort Myers has a walkable downtown with fine outdoor dining, art galleries and boutique shops. Captiva and Sanibel islands are famous for collecting seashells. Don’t miss a boat ride to Cabbage Key, where the Read more
Caribbean
The Caribbean tourism industry has shown extraordinary resilience in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, with data revealing a rapid rebound in travel bookings. Despite the initial impact of the storm, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in the Grenadines on July 1, the region has experienced a remarkable turnaround, driven particularly by visits from the U.S., the region’s largest market. Comprehensive air travel data from ForwardKeys, analyzed in collaboration with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), reveals a short-term decline in Caribbean bookings immediately following the storm, followed by a solid recovery. Analysis of air tickets issued Read more
A couple days after Hurricane Beryl ripped the roof off the home of a Grenada Tourism Authority worker on the island of Carriacou, some of her fellow employees hopped on the first available boat to see if they could help. “She really tried to be strong, but she broke down in tears,” Sekou Stroude, the authority’s Director of Sales for Canada, told me in an interview this week. “It’s gut-wrenching, because she’s such a selfless person; someone who’s always willing to help with whatever’s needed. She’s a real sweetheart, and seeing her go through that kind of pain breaks our Read more
If you’re one of my American friends and are looking for a last-minute option for the Fourth of July, here are some of my fave places in the U.S., including California, New York State, Hawaii, Texas and Florida. VERMONT – Lovely villages with brilliant white church steeples and pretty mountain scenery. Also likely to be cooler than many U.S. destinations in July. Burlington is a great city to check out. DENVER – Not sure being a mile high will keep you cool, but there are always the nearby mountains to explore. Try an electric Tuk Tuk ride of downtown Denver Read more
Canadians have more ways than ever to get to great sun destinations, including Tulum, Sarasota, Saint Martin, Phoenix, Los Cabos and Punta Cana. Air Canada today (June 26) announced it is boosting its 2024-25 winter sun network, with increased frequencies and featuring new routes from Ottawa and Quebec City to Tulum and from Montreal to Saint Maarten. In addition, more flights are scheduled from Halifax, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver to popular vacation destinations in Florida and the Caribbean. This winter, Air Canada plans to operate up to 50 flights departing Canada every day, serving a total of 55 Caribbean Read more