Air Canada has teamed up with Bell to bring its customers new benefits that make it even easier to stay in touch both on the ground and in the skies. And live TV is coming soon to Air Canada flights to the U.S. Air Canada Aeroplan members now receive free in‑flight texting so they can message friends, family and colleagues over Wi‑Fi, while they fly. To use this service, make sure your Aeroplan number is associated with your booking before you complete check-in. Travelling with friends or family? If they are on your booking, they can enjoy free texting too. Read more
television
Tourism Ireland’s new global campaign – ‘Fill your heart with Ireland’ – is going live in Canada this week. The campaign is all about celebrating the different ways in which the island of Ireland fills the hearts of our visitors and of locals – and inviting potential holidaymakers to experience those for themselves. It’s an advocacy-led campaign, starring a selection of famous Irish personalities sharing the things about Ireland which fill their hearts and dialling up what differentiates Ireland from other destinations. The new ads will shine a light on Ireland’s characters and culture, through engaging personal anecdotes told by Read more
My travel notebook today touches on a major anniversary for a big-time Hollywood studio, a potential WestJet pilots strike vote and a call for more tourism workers in Canada. I also have some thoughts about whether popular places such as Niagara Falls should be called “tourist traps.” THAT’S NOT ALL FOLKS: WARNER BROS. CELEBRATES A HUNDRED YEARS The studio that brought us Bugs Bunny, Casablanca, Batman, Friends, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz and Big Bang Theory is celebrating a special anniversary TODAY. It was on April 4, 1923 that a group of four brothers, Harry, Albert, Read more
Brits are devouring a television show that features people racing across Canada, and Canadian tourism officials hope it will boost British visits to the country. An Amazing Race-style show called “Race Across the World” has contestants dashing from Haida Gwaii, the remote set of islands north of Vancouver Island, to St. John’s. But entirely by land or water; no air planes. The show is getting lots of attention, and a story in The Guardian says Canadian tourism officials are keeping a close eye. Great Britain is Canada’s number one overseas (not international, that’s the U.S.) market for visitors, but numbers Read more
Here are some new travel bits from today’s news, as well as a recap of some items from earlier this week that you might have missed. Canada’s Travel Guy, at your service. PORTER AIRLINES TRIMS SCHEDULE The Globe and Mail today reports that Toronto-based Porter Airlines has made “extensive” cuts to its flight schedule. The airline in the last couple months has with great fanfare announced a series of new routes on its new Embraer jets, including Toronto-Calgary and Toronto-Vancouver. I spotted airline founder Bob Deluce at Toronto Pearson a few weeks ago and he said more big announcements Read more
