A couple days after Hurricane Beryl ripped the roof off the home of a Grenada Tourism Authority worker on the island of Carriacou, some of her fellow employees hopped on the first available boat to see if they could help. “She really tried to be strong, but she broke down in tears,” Sekou Stroude, the authority’s Director of Sales for Canada, told me in an interview this week. “It’s gut-wrenching, because she’s such a selfless person; someone who’s always willing to help with whatever’s needed. She’s a real sweetheart, and seeing her go through that kind of pain breaks our Read more
Travel + Leisure released its Readers’ Choice Travel Awards for 2024 today (July 9). California had the top city hotel in the U.S. while Toronto had the top Canadian hotel. I usually find Vancouver wins the most hotel awards in Canada, but this time Toronto stole the show with the number one pick overall and three of the top six. For the U.S., California had two entries in the top 10 but Boston had two in the top four, so they definitely win the grand prize for 2024. Travel + Leisure also had readers name their top hotels in the Read more
Aeroplan, Canada’s leading travel loyalty program, is marking its 40th birthday with a special Aeroplan-niversary celebration and as special guests of honour, Aeroplan’s 8 million+ members are being given a chance to win 1 of 40 prizes of 1 million Aeroplan points each, in addition to enjoying 10 days of exclusive offers to save big and earn more. “Thanks to our members, Aeroplan has become one of the best travel loyalty programs globally. To celebrate this achievement, we’re excited to team up with our premier travel and everyday partners who help our members tap into their full earning and redemption Read more
National Hawaii Day is today, July 5. To mark the occasion, yours truly, a 35-time visitor to the islands, is offering up some thoughts on special hotels and resorts you should consider for your next trip. Remember to visit responsibly and respectfully. Side note: Travel + Leisure came out with their list of the top 20 resorts of Hawaii on Tuesday, July 9. I believe eight of their top picks are on my list below. O’AHU Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina: Resting alongside the Aulani Disney resort outside of Honolulu, this is a chill spot overlooking a pretty Read more
If you’re one of my American friends and are looking for a last-minute option for the Fourth of July, here are some of my fave places in the U.S., including California, New York State, Hawaii, Texas and Florida. VERMONT – Lovely villages with brilliant white church steeples and pretty mountain scenery. Also likely to be cooler than many U.S. destinations in July. Burlington is a great city to check out. DENVER – Not sure being a mile high will keep you cool, but there are always the nearby mountains to explore. Try an electric Tuk Tuk ride of downtown Denver Read more
Leisure travel is booming in Canada. The loyalty program is going strong. And there are new Marriott hotels coming across the country. I recently sat down with Paul Cahill, the Senior Vice-President for Canada Operations for Marriott International Inc., to talk about Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of hotels in Canada. There are currently 275 Marriott properties in Canada, and 90 more are in the pipeline. Cahill said Marriott is especially focused on lifestyle, upper-midscale and extended stay brands. Ninety new hotels is a lot, but Cahill noted that Marriott saw leisure revenue in Canada increase by a remarkable 36% in 2023, Read more
A prominent travel agents’ group says WestJet customers should be fully reimbursed for any losses they suffered as a result of the WestJet mechanics strike. It says travel advisors who had to work to rebook clients should be compensated. The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies today (July 2) issued a press release saying WestJet “should take full responsibility” for the strike. “ACTA is deeply concerned about the impact of the recent WestJet disruptions on travellers, travel agencies, and travel advisors,” the group said. “While we’re relieved the strike has concluded, we recognize the significant challenges it has created. “We’ve heard Read more
