The Canadian government says it should be able to announce changes to COVID-19 travel restrictions next week. Speaking at a press event today in Ottawa, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said that “the worst of Omicron is behind us” and that “we should be able to communicate changes next week.” Canada has been requiring all travellers, including Canadians with two vaccinations or even two vaccinations and a booster, to take a PCR-style COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their scheduled departure. That rule has come under increasing fire, with two well-known Canadian doctors on Thursday calling the testing “futile” and “obsolete.” Read more

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Air Transat workers are calling for the Justin Trudeau government to ease travel restrictions. “The airline sector is without a doubt one of the most restricted by federal public health regulations. Our members and passengers must be vaccinated, PCR tests are required before boarding a flight and a test is required upon arrival in Canada,” said Dominic Levasseur, president of the Air Transat Flight Attendant Union. “These measures are extremely costly for travellers as well as for the government. If these measures are not eased out soon, hundreds of jobs are at risk in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. The government’s Read more

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As an entertainment capital of the world, it’s no surprise that Los Angeles is home to many iconic filming locations from beloved romance movies. From Pretty Woman to La La Land, Los Angeles invites you to create your own love story in the City of Angels with our romantic film spots as the backdrop. King Richard A story of familial love, Academy Award hopeful King Richard tells the true story of Venus and Serena Williams’ father Richard and his role in their iconic tennis careers beginning in South Los Angeles. Many of the film’s scenes were filmed in the Williams’ Read more

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Two prominent Canadian doctors are calling for an end to Canada’s “futile” and “obsolete” PCR testing rules. Speaking at a Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable press event at Toronto Pearson Airport, Dr. Zain Chagla, Infectious Diseases Physician and Associate Professor at McMaster University, said COVID-19 testing at the border doesn’t make any sense. “Travel is no more risky than other activities and there is no scientific reason to single it out,” Chagla said.  “When first put in place, Canada’s travel rules were designed to keep COVID-19 out of the country. Now that the virus is here and community spread is Read more

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  Swoop Airlines is adding significantly more capacity in Atlantic Canada and Ontario as it adds a half-dozen new planes. The Calgary-based company “will significantly expand its domestic network, adding non-stop flights to Newfoundland and increasing service in Atlantic Canada,” officials said today. “The ULCC will also add six new routes and capacity in Ontario and the Prairies in preparation for Canada’s busy summer travel season. The airline’s announced expansion comes as Swoop reports significantly increased passenger numbers and record bookings domestically.” Swoop, Canada’s leading ultra-low fare airline, also announced it will grow its fleet from 10 to 16 aircraft Read more

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Two great countries for foodies and travelers on a budget are moving to open for visitors. Vietnam this week announced plans to fully reopen its borders to foreign visitors “ideally at the end of March and no later than the end of April.” “We may be facing a further rise of omicron and possibly other new variants,” Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said recently. “However, with higher rates of vaccination along with other measures, we will be able to reopen the country safely, for the sake of economic recovery and development.” The Points Guy website says visitors will need to Read more

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There’s more encouraging news today about a travel rebound. According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, the rapid decline in new COVID-19 cases nationally has travelers gearing up planning for both domestic and international travel. The percentage of travelers who say that coronavirus will greatly their decision to travel in the next six months dropped from 32 percent in early January to 24 percent in early February. And the number of travelers who reported they are changing their travel plans because of COVID-19 fell from 58 percent to 49 percent in the same time period.  “Barring Read more

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