Niagara Falls, Myrtle Beach and Montana’s Glacier National Park are the top domestic destinations that Americans are searching for online, a new study says. Other top places on American travel lists are Universal Studios Orlando, Graceland and the Las Vegas Strip. The research conducted by Places To Travel analyzed Google search data for more than 100 tourist attractions in the US as well as terms related to visiting each attraction to determine which is the most Googled by residents of all 50 states. This isn’t a dreamy, “Where would you like to go” in the U.S. study, but a look Read more

The planned re-opening of West Maui for October 8 appears to be partly in doubt. Hawai’i Governor Josh Green last month declared that the West Maui communities of Kā‘anapali, Nāpili, Honokōwai, and Kapalua will fully reopen on Sunday, October 8, two months after the August 8 wildfires that destroyed Lahaina. But that seems unlikely to happen after Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said this week that the reopening will happen in phases. Bissen said the most northerly part of the West Maui tourism area would open October 8 and would include everything from Kahana Villa to the The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Read more

Nearly two of three Canadians is planning to travel internationally in the next little while. But hotel rates will continue to climb in 2024. Two reports from different divisions of American Express provide valuable insights for consumers. An AmEx Global Business Travel report says inflation could cause hotel prices to increase by double digits in cities such as Paris and Chicago, while slightly more modest hikes are expected in Canada. Another American Express report says 63% of Canadians plan to travel internationally this year, and that almost 80% of Canadian Gen Z’ers turn to social media for travel inspiration. Here’s Read more

Victoria, British Columbia has been named the world’s best city in this year’s Conde Nast Travellers’ Readers Choice Awards, while Canada owned the top three picks for world’s friendliest cities. Victoria was third in the friendly category, while Edmonton came second and Calgary was first. Dublin, Ireland was fourth and Quebec City fifth, giving Canada four of the top five spots. I might push for St. John’s or Saskatoon or Regina as the friendliest city in the country if I had a vote, but I suspect Conde Nast readers aren’t as familiar with them as they are with the winning Read more

  California is about to get easier to reach than ever. Porter Airlines is launching its first two western U.S. destinations in California with daily roundtrip service connecting Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). Both flights will begin service in January, 2024. The new routes will be operated by the Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, featuring a 132-seat, all-economy, two-by-two configuration. There are no middle seats on any Porter flight. All passengers receive celebrity treatment with Porter’s elevated economy experience. Free, fast WiFi let’s passengers stream their favourite movies and shows Read more

A new airline is coming soon that promises low fares from Canada to the Caribbean. Arajet, a discount airline based in the Dominican Republic, says it will launch flights to the D.R. this fall from both Toronto and Montreal. Canadian Press notes that the announcement by the year-old carrier marks the latest entrant to an already crowded field of low-cost airlines, including Lynx and Flair, and comes two weeks after U.S. budget carrier Breeze Airways made a pitch to Quebecers bound for Florida. By the end of next year, Flair Airlines aims to beef up its fleet to 26 planes Read more