It’s about to get a lot easier to stay in touch at 35,000 feet. Air Canada says it plans to roll out fast, free streaming-quality Wi-Fi on many of its flights next spring. The service will be available to Aeroplan Members on Wi-Fi equipped aircraft for flights within North American and Sun markets beginning in May, 2025. The airline also plans to expand free Wi-Fi service to long-haul international routes in 2026. “Reliable access to streaming-quality Wi-Fi is becoming essential for both business and leisure travellers. That’s why we’re upgrading our fleet with the latest technologies,” said Mark Nasr, Executive Read more
U.S. Travel Association
Free Wi-Fi For Aeroplan Members Coming to Air Canada; Florida, Hawaii, Carolina Seek Disaster Relief
The U.S. Travel Association is calling on Congressional leaders to pass substantial disaster relief to regions devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton as soon as Congress reconvenes. In the letter, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman writes: “We urge you to swiftly pass a disaster supplemental appropriations bill by Thanksgiving to support communities devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Damage caused by these storms is estimated to total more than $100 billion dollars, with downstream impacts on travel, visitor spending, hotel bookings, tax revenues and employment. “In states hit by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the travel industry accounts Read more
The smiles say it all. Canada’s not all the way back, but U.S. tourism reps at this year’s IPW conference in Los Angeles are pleased with how Canadians are returning to key states south of the border. Visit California statistics show Canada last year eclipsed pre-pandemic visitation levels, rising from 1.732 million visits in 2019 to 1.799 last year. Canadian visits to Florida last year were at 93% of pre-pandemic levels. Orlando says it attracted 1.256 million Canadians last year, a new, single-year record. For New York City, visitors from Canada were achingly close to 2019 numbers (995,000, compared to Read more
The U.S. Travel Association has released a study that found the United States ranks 17th out of 18 top travel markets in terms of global competitiveness. Decades of underinvestment and a lack of focus and coordination from federal policymakers caused the U.S. to fall behind, while other countries actively apply robust strategies to increase travel and grow economic output, the study suggests. The study gave the U.S. a 47% score, placing 17th out of 18 countries. Only China was worse. Canada ranked fifth in the report with 59%. Finishing on top of the list was the UK (72%), followed by France, Read more
SAN ANTONIO – Fort Myers is recovering nicely from Hurricane Ian. California is bursting with visitors. Washington D.C. wants more international travellers. And Philadelphia says like us or get out of town. Nearly a dozen U.S. destinations took to the stage at this year’s U.S. Travel Association/IPW convention in San Antonio to trumpet everything from world class cuisine to mosquito-chomping bats. There was also an actual trumpet player and a wonderfully talented poet laureate from Orlando. Here are some of the highlights from IPW press conferences this week, including some Canadian visitation information. FORT MYERS AND BEACHES Miriam Dotson, communications Read more
