Canadians and other visitors continue to rate Hawaii as a top destination The Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism recently released the results of its Third Quarter Visitor Satisfaction and Activity Survey for 2023, which found that at least 95% of visitors from each geographic region surveyed rated the Hawaiian Islands as “excellent” or “above average” when it comes to offering a variety of experiences. Meanwhile, the majority of those surveyed ranked Hawai‘i as either “excellent” or “above average” in the number of different or unique experiences offered. Overall satisfaction levels among visitors from all markets surveyed remained Read more
Europe
Canadian tourism is bouncing back, a new report says. I also have travel news from WestJet (a new Caribbean destination), Porter Airlines, Air Canada and Accor hotels worldwide. CANADIAN TOURISM REBOUND Destination Canada’s latest report says total tourism revenue across the country is set to exceed 2019 levels. The report states that tourism will generate $109.5 billion by the end of 2023. This represents the recovery of the tourism sector from the COVID-19 pandemic, one year earlier than projected. Tourism generated $105 billion in 2019. The current growth trajectory for Canada is $140 billion in revenues by 2030, the report Read more
A couple weeks ago I published my list of top 10 places to go in 2024. It seems the people at AFAR magazine and I think a lot alike. I put Toronto, Paris and Detroit in my top 10, and both cities are in the AFAR top 24. I also am high on, and have written in the past about, several other destinations on the AFAR list, including Sydney, Los Angeles, Texas Hill Country, Valencia, Manchester (England) and St. Kitts. Here is the top 24 from AFAR: Fiji Sydney, Australia Tangier, Morocco Texas Hill Country Rome Macchu Picchu Martha’s Vineyard, Read more
It’s the time of year when travel publications like to list their top destinations for the following year. I quite enjoy these things, so I’ve compiled a list of some suggestions from top travel websites and magazines. I’ve also added my own Top 10 list, so here we go! JIM’S TOP TEN France Paris will host the Summer Olympics next year. They run July 23 to Aug. 10. This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the Impressionism movement and the 80th anniversary of D-Day. San Francisco The city has been hit hard by poor publicity and the work-at-home trend, Read more
It was startling to hear. I was having a look at the array of rums for sale at Depaz Distillery in northern Martinique when someone reached over my shoulder to grab a bottle. “Sorry,” he said. I was taken aback for a minute. Other than talking to members of our small travel writers’ group and our tour guides, it was the first word of English I had heard in more than 24 hours on the island. Many people in the hospitality industry in Martinique speak English, but you know you’re in a different part of the Caribbean when you visit Read more
