Either the world is changing, or Gen-Z is getting older. A new study finds Gen-Z travellers are more interested in food or, gasp, sightseeing than they are in hitting the nightclubs. Maybe they’re becoming their parents. A new global report from StudentUniverse, a Flight Centre Travel Group company and the world’s largest student and youth travel marketplace, today’s Gen-Z travelers are more culturally aware, open to new experiences and willing to dig deeper into the places they visit. Compared to past generations, the biggest appeals now for young travelers are sightseeing (70%) and experiencing new culture (68%), followed by trying Read more

Porter Airlines  has launched three new routes between Ottawa International Airport and Boston, New York-Newark and Thunder Bay today, providing convenient travel links for the region.  The new routes are part of Porter’s broader expansion plan in Ottawa and its commitment to the region, including new maintenance hangars that are currently under construction at YOW. These will serve as a primary maintenance facility for the airline’s new E195-E2 fleet. Porter is the only airline providing year-round daily direct flights to Boston and Thunder Bay from Ottawa.  “This builds on our already extensive network in Eastern Canada and substantially increases the Read more

Brits are devouring a television show that features people racing across Canada, and Canadian tourism officials hope it will boost British visits to the country. An Amazing Race-style show called “Race Across the World” has contestants dashing from Haida Gwaii, the remote set of islands north of Vancouver Island, to St. John’s. But entirely by land or water; no air planes. The show is getting lots of attention, and a story in The Guardian says Canadian tourism officials are keeping a close eye. Great Britain is Canada’s number one overseas (not international, that’s the U.S.) market for visitors, but numbers Read more

Here are some new travel bits from today’s news, as well as a recap of some items from earlier this week that you might have missed. Canada’s Travel Guy, at your service. PORTER AIRLINES TRIMS SCHEDULE   The Globe and Mail today reports that Toronto-based Porter Airlines has made “extensive” cuts to its flight schedule. The airline in the last couple months has with great fanfare announced a series of new routes on its new Embraer jets, including Toronto-Calgary and Toronto-Vancouver. I spotted airline founder Bob Deluce at Toronto Pearson a few weeks ago and he said more big announcements Read more

If you’re looking for a great weekend getaway in Toronto, The Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto is your kind of place. As a 32-year employee of the Toronto Star, which had its offices across the street for half a century, I’d been in the hotel dozens of times. But I’d never spent the night until a recent weekend in March. We had a great room, with nice, clean lines, plenty of space and a fine view of Lake Ontario. There was a comfy chair in the corner, a coffee maker and a big-screen television. As someone who bring his laptop everywhere Read more

Flair Airlines today announced that Julia Haywood has been elected as chair of the company’s board of directors. The airline said that makes her the first female airline board chair in Canadian history. Haywood succeeds Bill Hardy, Flair Airlines’ long-time chair of the board of directors and former Chief Operating Officer, who passed away in early 2023. Haywood joined Flair’s board in July 2021. Her 20-year career includes roles of increasing responsibility, including serving as Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer of United Airlines, as Partner at The Boston Consulting Group, and in various capacities at other startup travel companies. Haywood Read more