Canada’s federal auditor general is slamming the way Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) handled the controversial quarantine hotel program this year. A report from auditor general Karen Hogan says PHAC had a hard time keeping track of whether travellers staying in quarantine hotels were actually there. Global News reports that Hogan said PHAC “has no idea whether three-quarters of people who arrived by air earlier this year obeyed the requirement to quarantine at government-authorized hotels as part of the enforcement effort to limit the spread” of the corona virus. “Though the Public Health Agency of Canada improved its results, Read more

Margaritaville announces Margaritaville at Sea, an offshore resort experience. The first cruise ship, Margaritaville Paradise, will offer the fun, escapism, and state of mind synonymous with the global lifestyle brand. “To me, the only thing better than being on a beach by the ocean, is to be on the ocean. Now you can follow in our wake,” said singer, songwriter and best-selling author, Jimmy Buffett. Departing on her first passenger sailing on April 30 from the Port of Palm Beach Florida to Grand Bahama Island, Margaritaville Paradise will include 10 passenger decks and 658 cabins in various stateroom categories. Following Read more

Transat A.T., the parent company of Air Transat, is reporting substantially better numbers in its fourth quarter fiscal statement. The company today reported an operating loss of $118.3 for its fiscal fourth quarter, which ended Oct. 31, 2021. That loss is down substantially from last year’s figure of $239.3 million. Fourth quarter Transat revenue was reported at $62.8 million, up 120.9% from the $28.4 million in revenue for the fourth quarter of last year. For the fiscal year, however, Transat A.T. reported revenues of $124.8 million, down 90.4% or $1.2 billion from the previous fiscal year mark. “Since we resumed operations Read more

Air Canada is embracing the magic of the season with a new spot that shares a message of togetherness for the first holiday many Canadians will spend together in two years. Just like so many of us that have been apart, feeling like we have been living in a bubble, the video shows a story of two people who are separated by their glass /snow globe. The video marks a return to storytelling for Air Canada, as it finds ways to emotionally connect its brand to Canadians who haven’t been able to travel in nearly two years. This year’s spot Read more

A new tourism/travel product called Roamies combines the social hostelling experience with small group adventure travel . Hostels have long been a cornerstone of the tourism eco-system, making travel accessible and affordable, and fostering a sense of community and camaraderie amongst young people keen to explore together. It’s this sense of community and joint passion for innovation that has led Hostelworld and G Adventures to join forces on Roamies, which brings a new style of travel to 18 to 35-year-olds. This new collaboration launches with a collection of 38 tours in 15 countries staying across more than 50 hostels, and sees Read more

I knew something was wrong. But I didn’t expect this. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. this week moved France and Portugal to level four, the highest risk category on its travel health notices website page.  As of Tuesday, the CDC travel site lists France and Portugal in level four, which indicates a “very high” level of COVID-19. The other three levels used by the CDC are “high,” “moderate,” and “low.” The Canadian government travel advisory site has four categories, “avoid all travel, ” “avoid non-essential travel,” “exercise a high degree of caution,” and “exercise normal Read more