North Americans should be prepared for a very busy weekend. The U.S. Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and, with travel restrictions pretty much lifted around the world, it’s big. Very big. Scary big. The American Automobile Association expected 37.1 million Americans to hop in their cars this weekend, up 6% from last year. I’m surprised it’s not a little higher given that the association says car rental prices are down 17% and gas prices down 10% from a year ago. “We’re seeing strong demand for MDW with nearly 17 million passengers scheduled to depart from U.S airports this coming Read more
Europe
Air Canada today announced the strategic expansion of its winter sun network, including four new routes from Toronto and Montreal to Monterrey and Los Cabos in Mexico and, La Romana and Fort-de-France in the Caribbean. The airline is also deploying a substantial increase in capacity from its Vancouver hub to sought after sun destinations such as Mexico, Miami, Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Diego, and additional flights from coast to coast to popular winter vacation destinations in Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean. Seats are available for purchase now at aircanada.com, via the Air Canada App, Air Canada’s Contact Centres, and Read more
We’re crazy about New York and L.A., but also booking trips to the Philippines, Europe and Toronto. Online travel agency CheapOair.ca is sharing insights into the top Canadian, U.S. and international destinations booked by Canadians for the upcoming summer season. Through its comprehensive travel trend monitoring of web site bookings between June 1 and August 31, 2023, CheapOair.ca has highlighted key insights that show Canadians are ready to make the most out of their summer vacation time. Key Insights – Backyard travel to domestic destinations continue to lead the charge, possibly driven by the high international currency conversion and more cost-effective Read more
Luxury travel is booming like never before, including high-end cruise trips, and hotel prices are jumping. Virtuoso, the leading global network specializing in luxury and experiential travel, is hosting its 2023 Symposium this week in Montréal. During the event’s General Session, Virtuoso Executive Vice President David Kolner presented proprietary data and industry insights before an audience of the industry’s top professionals from 35 countries. As a sign of travel’s continued rebound, Kolner shared that Virtuoso bookings for 2023 are 91 percent higher than they were in 2019 leading into 2020, and 62 percent higher than 2022. That’s truly remarkable. “With Read more
Flight bookings are taking off in Canada and around the world. A study from the Mastercard Economics Institute found that flight bookings around the world show an impressive 33% year-over-year growth. It also found that leisure flight bookings in Canada were up 45.1% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year. New insights from Mastercard reveal that consumers are prioritizing leisure travel and pioneering new corridors around the world. Released today, Travel Industry Trends 2023 delivers key insights about the global state of travel, punctuated by shifting economic landscapes, persistent consumer demands, and a reopening of mainland Read more
