Canada’s largest and busiest airport says it’s ready for the upcoming holiday travel season and is sharing tips to help passengers make their way smoothly through Toronto Pearson. Pearson, as well as Vancouver/YVR and other Canadian airports, ran into plenty of winter issues last year. “The holidays are an exciting time, and Toronto Pearson is proud to play a big part in connecting people with loved ones around the world,” said Deborah Flint, President and CEO, Greater Toronto Airports Authority. “This year, we’ve taken significant steps to enhance our winter operational capabilities to prepare for the holidays. “The GTAA is Read more
holidays
Canadian tourism is bouncing back, a new report says. I also have travel news from WestJet (a new Caribbean destination), Porter Airlines, Air Canada and Accor hotels worldwide. CANADIAN TOURISM REBOUND Destination Canada’s latest report says total tourism revenue across the country is set to exceed 2019 levels. The report states that tourism will generate $109.5 billion by the end of 2023. This represents the recovery of the tourism sector from the COVID-19 pandemic, one year earlier than projected. Tourism generated $105 billion in 2019. The current growth trajectory for Canada is $140 billion in revenues by 2030, the report Read more
Sunwing today issued a formal apology for stranding passengers in Mexico over the Christmas holidays. In a note signed by Sunwing Travel Group CEO Stephen Hunter and Sunwing Airlines President Len Corrado, the company said it’s “incredibly sorry” for days of chaos that saw flights cancelled and left Canadians stranded in Mexico for days. “Sunwing was founded on a promise to help make Canadians’ vacation dreams come true with affordable all inclusive getaways to dozens of highly rated vacation destinations. We are astutely aware that, for too many Canadians, we failed to live up to that promise this holiday season. Read more
The holiday travel season is proving to be a disaster for many. WestJet is cancelling hundreds of flights in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec due to major winter storms that are wreaking havoc with holiday travel. Air Canada today said it pre-cancelled an undetermined number of flights in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal due to the impending storm, while Porter Airlines said “many” Ontario-based flights will likely be cancelled starting this afternoon. Sunwing says it has had to cancel many southbound flights from Western Canada through until Christmas. Airlines say they’re doing their best to cope with what some weather experts Read more
Just as the holiday travel season begins to heat up, Mother Nature is throwing a nasty, frozen curveball at much of the U.S. and Eastern Canada. Vancouver International Airport is beginning to recover from a freak (well, maybe not anymore) snowstorm, but it’s still frigid in Alberta. And now a big storm with rain, flash freezes, high winds and sizable snow accumulations is headed to Ontario and Quebec. The forecast calls for rain in Toronto and Southern Ontario today, but the temperature is set to plummet on Friday and the rain should turn to snow. Road conditions are expected to Read more
