Winter could still throw a COVID-19 curveball as we move indoors, but there are some positive signs in the tourism and travel industry. Executives at IHG Hotels & Resorts say they’re encouraged by the business environment and the third quarter performance of their hotels, especially in the U.S. The website Hotel News Now quotes Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson, chief financial officer and head of group strategy, as saying occupancy and average daily rate in some markets this summer were back to 2019 levels. According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travellers, the drop in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths Read more
Anguilla
New York City has unveiled a new campaign and recovery plan. I also have news on a Newfoundland hotel that’s been named best in Canada and number three in the world. I also have interesting polls on the thinking of Canadian and American consumers, and a report on Anguilla. My Future of Travel blog for July 8. NYC Recovery Plan The Coalition for NYC Hospitality & Tourism Recovery, an initiative of NYC & Company, the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of New York City, today unveiled its roadmap for tourism reimagining and recovery, Read more
This is a re-post of a story I wrote for Postmedia in 2016. Anguilla has a new social media campaign, using the hashtags #AnguillafromAfar and #DreamingofAnguilla. ANGUILLA – Justin Bieber was spotted here over Christmas one year, and there are some very chi-chi resorts. But Anguilla also offers low-key, fantastic activities that are easy on the wallet. Here’s a mix of things to do that can fit a variety of budgets. FOR MUSIC LOVERS I’d only been on the island for an hour when I stumbled onto Elodia’s Beach Bar, on long, sweeping Shoal Bay East. A band called Took Read more
Volunteer tourism has become a big thing in the world. And now Hurricane Irma has given the average person a chance to take part. You don’t have to go and build a house in St. Martin or Barbuda or Cuba, although that would be awesome. No, all you really need to do to help folks in Irma-stricken parts of the Caribbean (and Florida, by the looks of it) is do what many of us have done for years; visit. I wrote that a week or so ago. And now we’ve had more damage from Hurricane Maria, which has devasted the Read more
Maybe I’ve had it wrong all these years. Like many folks, I’ve gazed over the years at those advertisements for shimmering villas on the shore of an equally shimmering Caribbean Sea and thought, “Yeah, renting one of those would be great. But it’s way out of my league.” I’ve always been more of a hotel guy in my travels. But villas are arguably more popular than ever, as folks tuned into renting private homes discover a wonderful alternative to the same-old hotels in the same-old destinations. Not only are they often cheaper than a hotel of similar quality (sometimes FAR Read more
