An update on the power of cruising worldwide, news from Holland America. Scenic, Avalon and AmaWaterways, plus updates on Air Canada bag fees, cancelled vacation programs for Cuba and a California World Cup guide. All in today’s blog post. CRUISE NEWS AND VIEWS THE POWER OF CRUISING In a new report, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) highlights the positive impact that cruise tourism delivers for communities and destinations around the world. “Cruising for Impact” demonstrates how cruise tourism acts as a powerful driver of opportunity, supporting local livelihoods, strengthening communities, and creating long-term value in coastal and port Read more
Avalon Waterways
Canadians have a fever, and the only cure is more travel. A new Flight Centre Canada report finds that 82% of Canadians feel vacations are not a luxury, but are instead essential to their health and wellbeing. Nearly seven in ten (69%) says doctors should be able to prescribe vacations to give them a needed break from work and everyday stress. (I like this. Instead of “take two Tylenol and call me in the morning,” it would be “take two weeks at the beach and don’t call a soul.”) The report also finds that 87% of Canadians would rather take Read more
The World’s Most Instagrammable Sunset Cities; The World’s Cheapest Countries + Golf and Cruise News
Here’s a fun chart: A look at the world’s best cities for Instagram sunset posts. New research by Heepsy analyzed 54 cities worldwide to identify the ones that have the most Instagrammable sunsets. The study considered several key factors, including the number of Instagram hashtags, average annual sunshine hours, air quality index (AQI), tourist arrivals, and popular sunset spots, to determine the cities that offer the most stunning and popular sunset experiences. Here’s their top nine, including total score based on the above factors and key places to watch the sun go down. As a California native who grew up Read more
It was a pretty good year for travel outside Canada, with numerous trips to California, a couple to Hawaii, one to Florida, a river cruise in Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, and two weeks in Western Australia and New South Wales. From Santa Monica to Sydney and Maui to Vienna, here are some of my top experiences, fave foods and hotels of 2022. BEST ISLAND PHOTO: The Abrolhos Islands of Western Australia, as seen from my scenic flight with Geraldton Air Charter. We spotted pods of dolphins from the air. You also can take a trip that includes a nice swim Read more
Vienna is rightfully famous for its polished palaces and prancing Lipizzaner stallions, not to mention the rich, pure voices of the Vienna Boy’s Choir. There are historic churches from the Middle Ages and homes lived in by the likes of Ludwig van Beethoven and Johann Strauss. But there’s also a rich, vibrant modern side to this city, with rooftop bars that blast pulsating dance tunes, wildly inventive architecture, and funky shops based on Monty Python sketches. Tour guide Alexa Brauner, an engaging and enthusiastic art lover, recently took me on a three-hour walking tour that included both the old and Read more
