It’s been a tough year for tourism on Maui, but positive signs are emerging. Virtuoso, a luxury travel agent network that books exclusive vacations around the world, said its sales for Maui resorts are up 4% for the first six months of the year. For the winter holiday or “festive” season, sales are up a whopping 66%. A network spokesperson on Monday, Aug. 12 said that West Maui/Lahaina bookings are about 7% lower than Wailea, which makes sense given the incredible fire damage to Lahaina in August of last year. “Even with the noticeable impacts on tourism to Maui, we Read more

ON THE TRENT-SEVERN WATERWAY IN ONTARIO – We were pulling into a lock north of Peterborough after a few days navigating the Trent-Severn waterway in southern Ontario. We’d passed through the same lock maybe 72 hours earlier on our way north in our 42-foot Le Boat craft, and one of the Parks Canada lock workers recognized us on our return journey. “Hey, guys! It’s Jim and Barbara, right? How’d it go?” There are many things I’ll remember about our five-day, 20-lock trip on the Trent-Severn: my wife admitting she was scared to death at the idea of me piloting a Read more

In a spectacular closing ceremony for the 2024 Olympic Games, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass received the official Olympic flag from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, marking the countdown to the LA28 Games. Adam Burke, President & CEO, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, was also in Paris to gain insights into the tourism impact and further understand the preparations ahead of 2028.     I love this for several reasons. I went to college at UCLA and worked as a journalist at City News Service for the past year or two of school. One of my first assignments was covering one Read more

The kids may be going back to school in three weeks (sorry kids), but there are still roughly 40 days of summer left in Ontario. Late August and early September are great times to visit the province, with cooler weather and fewer crowds than July or early August. Here are some top spots from my travels around the province. DURHAM REGION  I had a great trip to this area two summers ago. Less than 90 minutes from Toronto, Beaverton has a wonderful spot called the Underground Bake Shop with outstanding croisstants, quiche and other treats. The Sunflower Farm is great Read more

They have an exciting few months ahead at the Muskoka Discovery Centre and onboard their ships. If you haven’t visited yet, be sure to check out the new exhibit, The Muskoka Story, and treat yourself to an afternoon cruise on Wenonah II.  The Muskoka Story includes Misko-Aki, a Confluence of Cultures. The exhibit won an award for Outstanding Achievement in Exhibitions from the Canadian Museums Association (CMA). There were more than 25 organizations under consideration in a multi-juried process with criteria including potential impact and connection with community. The Muskoka Steamships and Discovery Centre in Gravenhurst, Ontario (I’m a member Read more

I’m paid to have a way with words. But as the anniversary of a truly terrible day edges closer and closer, syllables and vowels and nouns and verbs aren’t coming easily. It’s a lovely, sunny day in Toronto. I am surrounded by my little green garden, which is spiked with deep pink impatiens, hanging ivy and colourful coleus. I should be sitting in my big, blue, wooden chair with my feet up after finishing a couple of travel writing assignments. But I keep thinking about Hawaii. About Maui. About Lahaina. It was a year ago tomorrow that the world came Read more