In an important symbolic step that could help boost international travel, the Canadian government has withdrawn its long-standing advisory against foreign travel by Canadians. The Trudeau government’s travel advisory page has contained a recommendation to avoid all international travel for more than a year, but it has been quietly dropped, perhaps in light of Thursday’s announcement that vaccine passports will be required for most travel by November 30. Instead of a general warning at the top of the advisory page, there is now a statement that says fully vaccinated before travelling. It also states that even though vaccines provide protection Read more
Ottawa
Leave it to a Montrealer to propose a municipal “menage a trois” to promote tourism. Speaking at an Air Canada program at the Montreal airport Marriott Hotel on Thursday, Tourisme Montreal President and CEO Yves Lalumiere noted that a tourism roundtable group hasn’t been able to convince the federal government to loosen intra-provincial regulations and encourage more tourism across Canada. Lalumiere said he’s working with Tourism Ottawa and Destination Toronto on a “cheat on your city” campaign that would encourage a kind of unofficial bubble of tourism between the three cities. Ottawa folks could cheat on their town by visiting Read more
Re-openings in Bermuda and the Bahamas, as well as France, the legendary Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa. I also have news from Toronto, Hawaiian Airlines, Viking Cruises, Booking.Com and PAL Airlines in Eastern Canada. My Future of Travel Blog for July 2. Everybody Sing Along: Bermuda, Bahamas, Come On Pretty Mama…. Great news for lovers of sun and sand: both the Bahamas and Bermuda re-opened for visitors on Canada Day, July 1. The Bahamas today issued a release to say they have a new travel app available. The Bahamas Ministry Of Tourism & Aviation’s new, free mobile app provides Read more
WestJet is doubling down on Toronto and adding more flights from Calgary and Kelowna, too. The moves will give Canadians lots more options for getting around Canada and escaping for some winter sun. WestJet today announced an additional 55 weekly non-stop flights this winter from Toronto Pearson International Airport to key domestic business destinations as well as popular sun spots in the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean. The service is part of the airline’s seasonal schedule for the winter of 2017-18. “This additional service means business travellers will be able to take advantage of increased frequencies and more convenient schedules Read more
Fittingly, my first exposure to the now famous Canadian flag was at a hockey game. Oddly enough, it was in Oakland, California. I grew up in the suburbs of San Francisco and always enjoyed sports. Once, perhaps as part of a school field trip, we went to a game at the Oakland Coliseum Arena to see the California Seals play. I remember, I think, the white skates. I definitely remember trying to figure out what icing meant. The rules confused me and I didn’t really understand what was happening on the ice (something my kids will say has stuck with Read more
