A new report on travel preferences for residents of Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa names Perth as the world’s top city, and Portugal as the most attractive country. Meanwhile, a new American Express business travel study names New Jersey, western Michigan, North Carolina, Honolulu and Sacramento, California as top emerging markets for biz travellers. This year’s Amex Trendex report reveals a surprising shift towards less traditional destinations that are becoming increasingly attractive to corporate travelers. For the first time, Amex identified five trending U.S. destinations based on commercial customer spending: Princeton, New Jersey; Durham, North Carolina; Southwest Read more
Brisbane
A record Memorial Day for travel in the United States, Bluey’s World is coming to Brisbane Australia, and how to save on great trips to Europe. I also have news about more WestJet flights to Mexico, the Caribbean and Florida, new Air Transat Club Class discounts and firework cruises coming up at Niagara Falls. A busy today for the old travel blog. RECORD MEMORIAL DAY EXPECTED IN THE U.S.A. By car, plane, rail and sea, nearly 44 million Americans plan to travel over the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, which could beat a record for the late May holiday that Read more
For all those who have always had Australia on their bucket list, 2024 is the year to start vacation planning to your dream travel destination. Tourism Australia has created a great list of top things to do in Australia in 2024, recommended by local Aussies. Given the increasing enthusiasm among Canadians to explore Australia, evident in a remarkable 94% recovery rate compared to 2019, it’s clear why this destination is swiftly becoming a top choice for travelers. I just returned from a fabulous visit to Sydney, Tasmania and Western Australia. On previous trips I’ve been to Queensland, Victoria Read more
Airlift between Canada and Australia is back to 97% of pre-pandemic levels, Tourism Australia officials say. Speaking to the website OpenJaw.com at an Australia tourism event in Los Angeles recently, Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, said Canada “has been a surprising and delightful market for us. It’s quietly growing.” Harrison said Canadians like to explore. “They disperse into the region, which is important for us as a tourism economy. They have the same propensity as Australians to travel.” Tourism Australia data shows that lift between the two countries has been almost fully restored – at 97 per cent of Read more
Australia is open again for business, and Air Canada is an ideal way to get there. Australia has long been a top destination for Canadians dreaming of fantastic scenery, sunny skies, indigenous travel experiences, and amazing culture. The borders were pretty much closed for two years, but international visitors began to be welcomed again in late February. Air Canada has daily flights from Vancouver to Sydney on posh, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. They’ll add direct flights from YVR to Brisbane starting July 1. (Air Canada also will resume flights from Vancouver to Auckland, New Zealand in November of this year.) Vic Read more