Pedestrians are getting a permanent break in Banff. Hawaii Tourism Boasts Strong Holiday Numbers. And indigenous tourism is poised for a Canadian boom. A few travel tidbits for today. BANFF PED ZONE NOW PERMANENT Banff’s popular downtown pedestrian zone is now a permanent feature in the wildly popular Alberta destination. Town officials have decided to keep the zone in place from the May long weekend to Thanksgiving weekend every year. Canadian Press reports the town decided to permanently fund the project, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of its annual operating budget. “It is, however, still unclear whether Read more
U.S.A.
The U.S. Travel Association has released a study that found the United States ranks 17th out of 18 top travel markets in terms of global competitiveness. Decades of underinvestment and a lack of focus and coordination from federal policymakers caused the U.S. to fall behind, while other countries actively apply robust strategies to increase travel and grow economic output, the study suggests. The study gave the U.S. a 47% score, placing 17th out of 18 countries. Only China was worse. Canada ranked fifth in the report with 59%. Finishing on top of the list was the UK (72%), followed by France, Read more
With hot new openings and under-the-radar surprises to cultural icons and globally held accolades, the reasons to jet off to Los Angeles in 2024 are endless. Beckoning travelers to discover a place where magic happens and dreams come true, the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is spotlighting the most significant milestones and must-visit spots from the Eastside to the Westside in the year ahead. “The city of Los Angeles is undergoing transformational change that visitors and Angelenos will experience across every touchpoint in 2024, especially travelers who haven’t visited in recent years, from world-renowned dining to major developments in sports, Read more
Folks in Southern Ontario have some great new options for sun vacations, and a new way to reach a cool part of Canada. Toronto Pearson Airport put out a note on social media the other day to point out several new routes to great destinations. Here’s a short list, along with the airlines that are flying there. Fort Myers, Florida — Lynx Air Montego Bay, Jamaica — Canada Jetlines Bonaire, Netherlands — WestJet Miami, Florida — Porter Airlines Fort-de-France, Martinique — Air Canada Kingston, Jamaica — Flair Airlines Lima, Peru — Air Transat Yellowknife, Northwest Territories — Air Canada Read more
Portugal is seeing a tourism boom, but Hawaii is slow to recover from pre-pandemic numbers. I also have a look at the best travel reward credit cards, the top places for women over 50 to travel this year, and most iconic foods from countries around the world. PORTUGAL TOURISM SPIRALS UPWARD Portugal brought in more money than ever before from tourism in 2023, and the country’s tourism boom shows no signs of slowing down. Tourism revenue increased to more than $36.5 billion CAD in 2023 compared to $30.8 billion the previous year, Secretary of State for Tourism, Read more
