We might be seeing some of the first data that shows Canadians are, indeed, avoiding travel to the United States. Global News reports that numbers provided by a company called Cascade Gateway, which also provides border wait times, shows that in February this year so far, there have been on average 3,500 cars heading to the U.S. through the Peace Arch border crossing between British Columbia and Washington State. That compares to nearly 5,000 a day last February, and represent a significant 30% drop. Weather could be an issue, but officials in Washington State say the threatened, on again/off again tariff Read more
Colombia
A new look at the world’s safest and most riskiest cities for tourists puts Toronto in the top three. Forbes Advisor looked at a variety of criteria, including U.S. State Department advisories, crime rates, and health infrastructure. Cities were given numerical ratings from zero (most safe) to 100 (least safe) Singapore came out on top with a zero rating, which is pretty remarkable. Forbes said the island state has the lowest natural disaster rating and the second lowest health security risk, reflecting the level and quality of healthcare services and infrastructure. Air Canada recently began direct flights between Vancouver and Read more
A country’s safety and sense of security are often key criteria for international travellers. Using a set of 35 objective indicators, HelloSafe has published for the first time its HelloSafe Index of the safety of countries worldwide, based on 5 categories of criteria: risk of natural disasters, violence in society, involvement in armed conflict, health infrastructure and militarization. The results show that Iceland, Singapore (here’s a story I wrote about Singapore recently) and Denmark are the three safest countries in the world to travel to in 2024. The Philippines, Colombia and Mexico are the three least safe countries in the world in Read more
It’s officially spring as of 11:06 p.m. Eastern Time today, a time for new beginnings and new travel destinations. With that in mind, here are some of my fave places from the last few years that would make for a nice spring visit. QUIET CARIBBEAN Bequia, pronounced Beckway, this is a fabulous, laid-back Caribbean island that’s part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It’s about a one-hour ferry ride from Kingstown, St. Vincent, and a pretty ride at that. The Bequia Beach Hotel is a superb place to rest your head. SINGAPORE SHINES This Asian city is a terrific destination, Read more
Canadians are looking for trips to Asia for March Break, but Florida also is high on the list. According to data from KAYAK, the world’s leading travel search engine, Asia continues to be the top trending spot for Canadians over spring break, with a 14 per cent increase in flight searches since last year. And with overall airfare costing less (down 12% in cost) in 2024 compared to 2023, now may be the time to take that trip. Their study found that Shanghai is the top trending March Break spot, but that the best deals are for Tampa. Read more
