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Network growth for WestJet in summer 2025
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New Zealand tour packages new with ACV Air Canada expands intermodal strategy
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BY KATHRYN FOLLIOTT
TORONTO Have rail, will travel. Especially within destinations like Europe and Asia, more and more Canadian travellers looking to hop from one city to another are getting reacquainted with the joys of train travel.
Hasn’t that always been the case? Not since low-cost carriers took off. With their bargain-basement fares, LCCs changed short-haul travel in short order.
For travel advisors who have been in the industry for a few decades then, the return to rail is a bit of a throwback.
After all, it wasn’t that long ago that the train was pretty much the only budget-friendly way to get from city A to B to C, in top travel destinations around the world.
Then along came the budget airlines. Discount carriers and LCCs are credited with opening up not just new destinations and new markets, but also making quick-hop getaways –especially within Europe – extremely easy, fast and absurdly affordable.
Since the debut of carriers like Ryanair in the mid-1980s (now Europe’s largest airline group, with a fleet of 594 aircraft), and surging ahead in the 1990s and 2000s, budget airlines soared so high, so
quickly, that rail options in travel itineraries edged closer and closer to niche product.
Was it climate activist Greta Thunberg’s decision to sail across the Atlantic, rather than fly, for climate conferences in 2019, that really opened the world’s eyes to sustainable tourism? It was a watershed moment for the travel industry and, together with the pandemic in the years to come, inspiration for many to rediscover slower and more intentional travel.
And that included rail travel. The move to make slower and sustainable travel a reality was also buoyed by France’s decision to ban short-haul flights of less than 2.5 hours where rail alternatives exist. That new policy had its first anniversary this year.
Air Canada is intent on making air travel and rail travel coexist beautifully with its intermodal strategy.
Earlier this month the airline announced it was broadening its intermodal travel program, extending its reach to new European destinations and launching its first air-to-rail connections in Asia.
The new options now available allow Air Canada passengers to easily
combine flights with rail (and bus) connections across Italy, Spain, Britain, and South Korea.
With this year’s new expansion, Air Canada passengers will also be able to connect on Trenitalia to to up to 30 destinations in Italy, including Florence, Naples, and Reggio di Calabria, and on Spain’s Renfe rail network to 24 destinations in Spain (including popular cities such as Cadiz, Granada, Pamplona, and Zaragoza).
From London Heathrow, Air Canada customers can now access rail services with four operators: LNER, Avanti West Coast, Great Western Rail, and the TransPennine Express. Additionally, National Express, the UK’s leading scheduled coach operator, offers onward travel options from Heathrow.
And in South Korea, Air Canada flights to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport will connect travellers to KORAIL’s high-speed KTX trains via the AREX Express and Seoul Station. Connections are available to destinations including Busan, Gwangju, and Ulsan.
All of these 2024 additions are on top of Air Canada’s existing intermodal options in France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, announced last year.
Travelweek connected with Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s Executive Vice President of Revenue and Network Planning, to find out more.
“The expanded offer will make it easy for our customers flying to and from our international hubs to add convenient rail or bus connections on a single itinerary. Our intermodal connections not only provide more choice, but also make available sustainable options for short-haul segments of their journey,” he said.
Travelweek asked about early successes.
“It’s exciting to see growth in our intermodal portfolio,” said Galardo. “We continue to diversify beyond the traditional airline ecosystem to include more bus and rail connections.While we are still in the initial stages of the product, we are pleased by the results we are seeing to date and have gotten positive feedback from our customers. We have worked closely with all stakeholders to ensure we provided a seamless connection experience.”
He added: “It’s important that we have the right arrangements and infrastructure in place to enable connections for our customers with the different rail systems to meet the growing demand. It is also about providing an expanded customer proposition.
“For instance, with five flights a day going to Frankfurt in the summer, and Germany being a massive market from Canada with over 1,300 passengers a day each way, providing the possibility to connect with Deutsche Bahn, our Star Alliance partner & Germany’s national railway system, is definitely an added benefit.”
Galardo said Air Canada has a comprehensive landing page on its website covering all aspects of the travel for each country Air Canada has launched with the intermodal program.
“There’s a lot of untapped opportunity in Asia as well as in Europe, but also across the globe,” Galardo told Travelweek. “We are looking at all possibilities that fit well with our network so we can offer a consistent year-round intermodal product. We have opened the door into Asia by offering connections onwards to Korail in South Korea to eight destinations. By providing a link with Korail, our customers have more options to explore South Korea by train if they choose. And we definitely have more to come in this space.”
Travelweek also asked Galardo for his suggested sales tips for travel advisors who aren’t sure if they have clients for the intermodal program, and maybe aren’t sure how to sell it.
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“It’s a simple and convenient transfer process overall from a one stop shop booking to boarding the train,” he said.
“For instance, in CDG, we arrive in the same terminal where SNCF Voyageurs departs, making it very accessible and quick for customers to connect onwards.
“In Germany, we sell the rail connection onto Deutsch Bahn through our joint venture partner Lufthansa’s Express Rail product. The transfer process is very efficient, and Lufthansa facilitates the full reprotection of our common passengers should there be a disruption on the rail portion of the itinerary.
“Having peace of mind throughout the intermodal travel is a pivotal factor and we have also ensured our customers are taken care of throughout their journey, whether on the plane or on the train. We have put in place a complete customer handling process in case of disruption.”
We also wanted to know, is it easy for travel advisors to book these connections for their clients?
“Very easy,” said Galardo. “It’s the same process as booking a flight and its available to be booked on aircanada.com and through travel agencies, all in one itinerary. You book with Air Canada, pay one fare from origin to destination.”
BY KATHRYN FOLLIOTT
TORONTO — The Travel Agent Next Door is putting a bow on 2024 – and what a year it’s been.
The host agency celebrated its 10th anniversary in style with a successful conference in Jordan in June, numerous roadshow events in the fall, and the recent VIP Supplier event.
TTAND’s top supplier partners always come out in droves for the annual get-together, once again held at the Fairmont Royal York. It’s a fun night with plenty of laughs and camaraderie, plus of course an update from TTAND’s founder and CEO, Flemming Friisdahl, and the rest of the TTAND team.
Travelweek connected with Friisdahl for an interview. Half a billion dollars in annual sales? New technologies? All this and more are in our Q&A …
Travelweek: Now that the confetti has settled, what is TTAND turning its attention to and prioritizing for 2025?
Friisdahl: “The main focus for the coming year 2025 is technology. We have built some amazing tools that we will be launching that will make The Travel Agent Next Door just that much different than our competitors. Not that our service doesn’t make us stand out. But the new itinerary program, that’s our own system, integrates with our accounting system, making it very easy to create an itinerary for your customer. Also new are our authorization and
insurance waiver forms, all integrated into our accounting system. So a lot of exciting programs are coming out and that’s really what will keep us busy.”
Travelweek: At last year’s VIP Supplier event, TTAND mentioned projected sales of $400 million for 2023. Did TTAND hit that mark in 2023 and what other exciting stats can you share?
Friisdahl: “Our results for 2023 were just $400 million in sales and our sales for 2024, will be very close to –if not above – half a billion dollars in sales. And we look forward to a very successful 2025 where we expect to have sales around $570 million or so.
“By far in dollar value we have raised the ceilings for all host agencies in Canada and we’re so excited for our agent partners and this success and the amount of money that they’re
earning, especially at 100% of the commission. It truly has been a winwin for everybody, including our suppliers, so three wins.”
Travelweek: Penny Martin retired from her role as VP Agent Experience this past summer. One of TTAND’s strengths has always been its people. Is there a new VP Agent Experience? Also what can you tell us about Jeff Element’s role as COO?
Friisdahl: “I was very excited for Penny to start the next stage in her life, and the very positive part about all of this is that Penny gave us almost a year’s notice allowing us a significant amount of time to plan for her departure. The answer is no, I don’t think we’ll ever have another VP Agent Experience, as there’s only one Penny Martin.
“However Jeff has done an amazing job as COO, and with Penny’s support for three to four months as he learned part of her role. The transition has been very smooth and of course we still lean on Penny for certain things as she is now a travel agent with The Travel Agent Next Door.
“Jeff’s main role will be operations and he now has the accounting department, marketing, training, support and ticketing reporting into him so pretty much the entire Toronto and India office except for a few areas. He’s coming up to his first year with the company and he’s done an amazing job, continuing to grow our organization to be the best that we can be.”
Travelweek: Like just about everyone else, has TTAND seen bookings plateau in 2024 as demand for travel normalizes?
Friisdahl: “Sales in our Q3 and Q4 have slowed down a little bit, however we’re still up double digits and I believe that 2025 will be our largest earnings year ever. But to be honest, every year has been our largest year ever except for, of course, our two COVID years.
“I can only believe that with our marketing program, the training
that we can provide to our partner agents and the tools available to our partner agents from the websites, to self marketing, to the new tools I mentioned, we will continue to see growth for those partner agents and new agents as they continue to join.”
Travelweek: How many agents does TTAND now have across Canada?
Friisdahl: “The Travel Agent Next Door is made up of two types of agents: primary and associate agents. Both groups are extremely important to our organization and how we function. We fully support the primary agents and we still continue to have a ratio of approximately one support member for every 10 primary agents, giving us the best ratio in Canada. We have a little over 70 support staff presently working for the organization full-time. In total the organization has 1,450 agent partners, being split fairly equally between primary agents and associate agents.”
Travelweek: Any other news you’d like to share?
Friisdahl: “I think the main thing that’s going to make 2025 an amazing year for our organization
has to do with the technology that we will be launching in the coming months. There’s a tremendous amount of work that has gone into creating programs that are unique to the Canadian travel industry and meeting the needs of the Canadian travel industry for the foreseeable future.
“As we continue to embrace programs like AI and technology that makes it easier for travel professionals to present professional documentation, I personally believe strongly that these are the kind of things that will make our partner agents stand above all other travel agents within the industry in Canada.
“We will also be launching our own fully customized, built for independent contractors, booking engines for ITC products. We are very excited about this new tool as it really will offer unique features for our agent partners.
“Also we recently launched not only a cruise booking engine but also a river cruise booking engine for our agent partners on their website – again, a first in Canada for independent home based agents.”
Let’s discover Europe and beyond.
Discover Airlines is the Lufthansa Group’s Quality Airline in Germany, flying travelers from Calgary to Frankfurt, Munich and beyond to the most beautiful holiday destinations worldwide.
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For example, there are full-size beds in Business Class and Premium Economy Class offers wide seats, plenty of seat pitch, footrests and large monitors.
With a modern product tailored to the needs of both corporate and leisure travelers and the crew’s welcoming service, flying with Discover Airlines is a real pleasure. 13
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Melia Cuba’s three dozen properties came through Hurricane Rafael unscathed, as Melia Cuba’s Marketing, Communication & Customer Experience Director, Maite Artieda, told Travelweek. “[The hurricane] found our team fully prepared to offer the utmost safety to each guest. The timely application of the established protocols allowed us to face the meteorological conditions with minimal affectation to the stay of those who chose us. All the facilities we manage are operating normally,” she said, adding “the industry’s understanding and support, as always, are invaluable.”
Some travellers who checked baggage on certain WestJet flights between 2014 and 2019 may now claim their share of a class-action settlement recently approved by the British Columbia Supreme Court and valued at $12.5 million. Any passenger who paid a fee for their first checked bag on domestic flights for travel Oct. 29, 2014 - July 29, 2017 and international flights for travel Jan. 6, 2016 - Feb. 27, 2019 when they shouldn’t have been charged has until Feb. 10, 2025, to submit a claim. The settlement will be distributed to class members in the form of travel credits.
Air Transat has temporarily suspended its flights to and from Haiti amid ongoing civil unrest. Tensions between gangs and police have ramped up significantly in recent weeks. “Due to the increase in violence in Haiti, we are forced to suspend our flights to/from Port-auPrince until the situation is deemed safe for our crews and customers. At this time, flights are cancelled until January 15, 2025,” said the airline in a statement. Air Transat is reaching out to those affected by these cancellations and said it will closely monitor the situation and will share any relevant updates as soon as possible.
Porter Airlines’ new flights connecting Toronto Pearson and Palm Beach International Airport are now underway, with nonstop daily service. PBI is Porter’s sixth destination in Florida. “Florida has quickly grown to be one of Porter’s most popular U.S. markets,” said Kevin Jackson, President, Porter Airlines. Travellers on the YYZ-PBI route can connect with Porter to Eastern Canada destinations. From Toronto, flights depart at 2:25 p.m., arriving in West Palm Beach at 5:35 p.m. On the return leg, flights depart West Palm Beach at 6:35 p.m., arriving back in Toronto at 9:50 p.m.
CALGARY WestJet’s 2025 summer schedule includes two new domestic gateways and three new U.S. destinations, plus 10% growth across its network.
WestJet’s double-digit increases in total seat capacity across 10 major Canadian airports include Calgary (11%), Edmonton (23%), Kelowna (15%), Montreal (31%), Ottawa (36%), Regina (23%), Saskatoon (19%), Vancouver (12%), Victoria (18%) and Winnipeg (19%).
This summer, WestJet will deliver double-digit increases in total seat capacity across 10 major Canadian airports.
Two new domestic destinations for the airline – Sudbury, ON and Sydney, NS – will offer direct and exclusive service to Calgary.
To the U.S. WestJet is adding three new destinations for summer 2025. From Calgary, the airline will add Anchorage, AK (2x weekly, June 29 - Sept. 7) and Raleigh-Durham, NC (3x weekly, June 9 - Oct. 13). From Edmonton, it’s adding Salt Lake City (5x weekly service, May 15 - Oct. 24).
In addition to these three new destinations, WestJet’s transborder highlights for summer 2025 continue with a new Calgary-Minneapolis route (4x weekly, May 6 - Sept. 3), a new Edmonton-Chicago route (3x weekly, June 4 - Oct. 22), a new VancouverBoston route (daily, June 9 - Oct. 13) and an extension of winter service to
year-round service on the KelownaSeattle route (daily).
WestJet is also ramping up summer connectivity from Western Canada to Florida. Calgary-Fort Lauderdale is going year-round (1x weekly), and so is Calgary-Tampa (1x weekly) and Winnipeg-Orlando (1x weekly). Not only that, but a new route, VancouverTampa, will operate 1x weekly June 14 - Oct. 25.
For summer 2025 WestJet will introduce nonstop connectivity between St. John’s and Paris. The airline will also bring back service between Halifax and Paris and St. John’s and Dublin.
WestJet is also boosting its existing transatlantic connectivity, beginning its service between Halifax and Edinburgh and Dublin one month earlier than 2024, while increasing St. John’s previous service to London Gatwick from 3x weekly to 4x weekly.
Across the Pacific, WestJet will maintain its daily service to Tokyo for summer 2025, while increasing Calgary’s capacity serving Incheon.
TORONTO Virtuoso is looking at key trends shaping travel in the year ahead with its 2025 Virtuoso Luxe Report: Canada.
The luxury specialists note that while high-end travellers are willing to spend more in 2025, they’re also mindful of rising costs and want to ensure their investment enhances their travels. That makes their relationship with a trusted travel advisor “all the more important,” says Virtuoso.
Nearly half of Virtuoso advisors surveyed anticipate a slight rise in travel demand in 2025, with 21% expecting a significant increase, 58% predicting a modest uptick in spending per trip and 24% saying they think pricing will remain steady.
The Luxe Report identified five key trends for the market: Ice-olated Escapes (the ‘coolcation’ trend); Sailing Solo; Born to be Mild (soft adventure as well as wellness travel);
You Tell Me Travel (travel choices powered by word-of-mouth, especially via social media); and Palate and Place (culinary travel).
When it comes to ‘destinations on the rise’ from the Canadian market, Portugal takes top spot, followed by Antarctica, Costa Rica, Iceland and Columbia. Meanwhile the top global destinations from Canada are Italy, Greece, France, Japan and Croatia. The top family destinations are Mexico, Costa Rica, D.R., Orlando and Italy. Top adventure destinations are Antarctica, Alaska, Iceland, the Galapagos Islands and South Africa.
And not surprisingly given Canada’s climate, when it comes to top travel motivators, ‘escaping foul weather’ takes second spot, after milestone travel, and followed by the excitement of exploring a new destination, spending time with loved ones and R&R.
“The hottest ticket in town”: G Adventures opens spots
TORONTO G Adventures’ Change Makers is back, giving Canadian travel advisors the chance to earn their spot at its next GX Summit.
The agent reward program, designed to connect advisors with the power of community tourism, will bring together a group of 75 winners from around the world for the GX Summit who have earned their space to see firsthand how their work directly impacts local communities in the places they send their clients to.
The Change Makers Challenge is now live and runs through to May 31, 2025.
The next GX Summit will take place in Jordan in September 2025, in partnership with the Jordanian Tourist Board and Royal Jordanian Airlines, with added support from USAID Jordan.
Each ‘life changed’ by making a booking will earn travel advisors one entry to qualify for the GX Summit. The top 10 sellers per region will secure their spots, with five additional ‘wildcard’ spaces also available.
The wildcard challenges for 2025 include fundraising for G Adventures non-profit partner, Planeterra, and completing G-Learning training modules. Plus, there will
be opportunities for ‘first time’ G Adventures bookers and a reward for the advisor who’s changed the most lives in total from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025.
And for the first time, advisors will get the chance to sell tickets to GX Jordan, plus there will be one place available in each region for the advisor who has booked the most travellers to attend. More details will follow.
The 2025 Change Makers Challenge is live now and runs until May 31, 2025. Agents can log into Sherpa or speak to their regional Global Purpose Specialist for more information.
Next year, in addition to celebrating advisors and their hard work, the GX Summit will offer the chance to explore Jordan’s sights, sounds and community tourism highlights.
“GX Jordan will be a celebration of G Adventures’ 35th anniversary and it promises to be bigger and better than ever. These spots are the hottest tickets in town, so I wish all of our agents the best of luck as they change more people’s lives through travel,” says David Green, managing director for G Adventures. “We’re proud to stand as our agency partners’ strongest supporters and there’s nothing more fulfilling than watching our global community of agents come together to celebrate our joint success and the impact we all make in transforming lives in the destinations we take our travellers to.”
Set on a stunning beach between Cancun and Riviera Maya, the wellness-inspired, EarthCheckcertified Haven Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa invites adults 18 and over to indulge in all-suite, allinclusive luxury.
Serenity Club guests benefit from a private section with stunning views, exclusive check-in lounge, exceptional concierge service throughout your stay, an exotic international à la carte restaurant, complimentary green fees and more benefits.
Situated between Cancun and the Riviera Maya, the Haven Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa offers an idyllic adults-only getaway designed for relaxation, wellness and indulgence. Spanning 250 acres and located in the Yucatan Peninsula, the all-inclusive resort enjoys year-round warm temperatures, making it the perfect destination for couples or groups seeking an upscale retreat.
Plus, Air Transat offers direct flights from Montreal, Toronto, and Quebec City, making it easy for Canadians to enjoy this luxurious retreat.
The resort’s standout feature is its luxurious spa, MySenses, recognized as one of the top wellness destinations in the Caribbean. Offering a range of treatments inspired by ancient Mayan traditions, guests can unwind with the signature Temazcal Experience, an immersive ritual combining herbs, sacred instruments, and chants to purify the body and soul. The spa also features a dynamic water journey, a hammam and relaxation areas.
With seven dining options, including six à la carte restaurants, culinary enthusiasts will be spoiled for choice. From Mediterranean-inspired dishes at Olios, to flavour-packed Mexican steakhouse offerings at Agua Bendita, there’s something for every palate. Guests can also savour pan-Asian creations at
Satsu, or Italian classics at Vora Mar. Serenity Club members can enjoy exclusive dining experiences at Tahini and Vistas, both offering stunning views of the Caribbean Sea.
The resort also caters to a wide range of tastes with a variety of bars, including a mixology corner at Moet Corner, an American-style bar at Limes, and the lively Moons nightclub for after-hours entertainment.
Guests will find plenty to do with multiple pools, including swim-up bars and an oversized inpool whirlpool, alongside activities such as yoga, tennis and beach volleyball. The resort also offers complimentary green fees at the nearby El Tinto golf course, with extra perks for Serenity Club members, including free cart rentals based on the length of stay. For those seeking more adventurous activities, introductory scuba diving lessons, cooking classes and spirits tastings are available.
For an even more exclusive experience, the Serenity Club offers upgraded amenities, including a dedicated concierge, personalized minibars and access to the exclusive Serenity Lounge, featuring premium wines and spirits. Additional perks like 10% off spa treatments and priority access to premium services elevate the experience for discerning travellers.
For more information go to transat.com.
MONTEGO BAY Sandals Resorts International’s Black Friday sale comes with savings worth up to 65% off, plus up to $1,500 in booking credit, plus one night free on select room categories, on bookings made now through Dec. 3, 2024 (i.e. Travel Tuesday).
The limited-time offer includes a flex pay 0% financing option for 12 months and is valid for travel through Dec. 3, 2025.
To celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the brands’ philanthropic arm, the Sandals Foundation, Sandals and Beaches will donate $15 for every booking made from Black Friday (Nov. 29, 2024) to Travel Tuesday (Dec. 3, 2024), helping support ocean conservation and more. The Sandals Foundation supports projects in three core areas – environment, education and community – with 100% of proceeds directly benefiting the Caribbean communities where
Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts operate.
The list of participating resorts includes all 17 Sandals Resorts, from the newly-opened Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Sandals Dunn’s River, to Sandals Royal Curacao and Sandals Grenada.
Guests who stay for 7+ nights in select room categories at Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Ochi in Jamaica, or Sandals Regency La Toc and Sandals Grande St. Lucian in Saint Lucia, will receive one free night to bask in paradise a little longer.
Families can take advantage of major savings and book at Beaches Turks & Caicos, Beaches Negril or Beaches Ocho Rios, with savings worth up to 65% off and up to $1,000 in credit off their vacation (up to a $400 instant credit and a $600 air credit).
Those who stay 6+ nights at Beaches Negril or 7+ nights at Beaches Ocho Rios will receive one night free on select room categories.
The Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) has hired Hilary Brown as Marketing and Business Manager in the Toronto office, overseeing business across Canada.
“We are thrilled to welcome [Brown] to our tourism marketing team to help us navigate through these challenging times and beyond,” said Yael Golan, Interim Tourism Commissioner, Israel Ministry of Tourism. “We look forward to seeing the ways in which … Hilary implements her knowledge of the industry to help keep Israel top of mind as a premier travel destination for tourists and our trade partners alike.”
Brown has more than 20 years of industry experience with Globus family of brands and Intair. In her role at IMOT, Brown will focus on “transforming partnerships into success stories through innovative training events and engaging travel talks,” says IMOT.
CALGARY WestJet recently marked the inauguration of its service to Tulum with the departure of WS2320 from Calgary and WS2034 from Toronto.
The airline continues to bolster its extensive portfolio of sun destinations this winter, reaffirming its position as Canada’s leisure champion with new services to unique destination, said Daniel Fajardo, WestJet’s VP, Network and Schedule Planning.
“WestJet is pleased to further enhance our connections to sun destinations this winter with new seasonal service to Tulum from Calgary and Toronto, allowing guests from coast-to-coast to explore the beauty of Mexico’s Riviera Maya,” said Fajardo. “Cementing our position as the country’s leading leisure airline, the WestJet Group will provide more seat capacity than any other carrier to sun destinations this winter.”
The introduction of service to Tulum’s newly opened international airport from Calgary and Toronto adds to WestJet’s network of service offerings to and from Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Guests travelling to Tulum will also benefit from convenient flight times, allowing them to connect seamlessly from Canadian destinations across WestJet’s network.
WestJet Vacations has partnered with 30 major hotels in close proximity to TQO.
MONTREAL Air Canada Vacations has launched its latest travel collection of New Zealand tour packages.
“The addition of New Zealand to our travel portfolio supports Air Canada Vacations’ global expansion goals,” said ACV’s VP, Nino Montagnese. “New Zealand is a dream destination for many Canadians, and we’re thrilled to offer carefully crafted tour packages that take the guesswork out of planning and organizing the perfect itinerary, leaving more time to explore this incredible country. Now travellers can experience the best of New Zealand and beyond, whether it’s a tour focused solely on New Zealand or a combined Australia-New Zealand adventure, Air Canada Vacations gives you options.”
Each tour includes four-star accommodations, daily breakfast, roundtrip private airport-hotel transfers, guided day tours with transportation where applicable, and the option to earn and redeem Aeroplan points.
Air Canada flights from Vancouver to Auckland operate four times per week November 2024 – January 2025, and five times per week January – March 2025, with connecting flights from over 60 Canadian airports.
Tours are also available in both English and French upon request.
Highlights include: the 8-day Kiwi Wonders; the 19-day Complete Australia and New Zealand Highlights; the 13-day Magical Australia and New Zealand Express; the 11-day New Zealand Wonders; and the 11-day New Zealand Experience.
NEW ZEALAND IS A DREAM
DESTINATION FOR MANY CANADIANS AND WE’RE THRILLED TO OFFER CAREFULLY CRAFTED TOUR PACKAGES
TORONTO Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday sales are available with TTC Tour Brands’ portfolio including Trafalgar, Brendan Vacations, Contiki, Costsaver and Insight Vacations.
Savings range from 10-30% off itineraries around the world.
“We’re helping our travel advisor partners bring even more value to their clients this holiday season with unbeatable savings for 2025 travel across our brands,” said Melissa DaSilva, interim CEO of TTC Tour Brands. “This year, we’re offering our longest-ever sale period, giving advisors more time to take advantage of this essential retail season –with over 350 tours available at special rates.”
All cyber sales are available now and will run through Dec. 5, 2024 on select 2025 departure dates.
Trafalgar is offering up to 15% off top itineraries, including up to Cdn$850 off Trafalgar’s Best of Spain and nearly $855 off the Switzerland and Austria itinerary.
Insight Vacations is offering a full month of daily deals on top itineraries. Travellers can save up to 15% off on popular destinations, with up to $1,075 off the Boston, Cape Cod and the Islands itinerary and nearly $645 off the Greece Undiscovered itinerary.
New for Black Friday 2024, Trafalgar and Insight Vacations are offering 30% off one itinerary a day throughout the sale period on popular trips.
Brendan Vacations meanwhile has savings worth up to 15% off on the brand’s most popular guided tours including up to $1,600 off the Romantic Britain and Ireland and nearly $1,100 off Best of Ireland and Scotland. Custom itineraries also feature doorbuster savings of $1,200 off per couple for the first 50 guests on any custom trip booked for travel from January through March 2025. Couples can redeem up to $500 off all other Private Chauffeur and Lux Self Drive bookings or up to $400 off all Rail Vacations and Self-Drive trips. Travellers who book a Self-Drive itinerary will receive a free online driving guide from international driving guide company, Tripiamo.
Contiki is offering savings of up to 25% off on a record-breaking 145 trips across six continents. Travellers can save on brand-new trips such as a trip to Albania Beaches and Peaks, a Lima to Machu Picchu Road Trip and exploring the Ancient Wonders of Rome, Athens and Cairo plus top sellers like the Thai Island Hopper West tour and over $1,400 off a 15-day adventure from London to Budapest by Train.
Finally budget-friendly Costsaver is offering hundreds in savings on a selection of worldwide tours including nearly $405 off the European Experience, which hops through 12 cities in eight countries, or up to $375 off the South America Discovery. Clients can customize their trip further with a $50 credit towards Choice Optional Experiences on all bookings.
TORONTO TravelBrands Encore Cruises’ 9th SeaU cruise event “highlighted the incredible power of connection in a truly inspiring setting,” said Nathalie Tanious, President & CEO of H.I.S. Canada Travel Inc., the parent company of TravelBrands.
Some 240 Canadian travel advisors took part in this year’s SeaU cruise onboard Carnival Celebration. The fully booked, week-long journey united industry leaders, agents and suppliers for immersive training, unforgettable Caribbean experiences, and the latest insights on travel and cruise trends, said Tanious.
This year’s SeaU aimed for an empowering program designed to elevate agents’ cruise sales expertise, keep them on the forefront of emerging cruise technologies powered by TravelBrands, and strengthen connections with leading cruise suppliers.
“This event reaffirms our commitment to equipping travel agents with the knowledge and confidence to thrive in the cruise industry. Sharing this journey at sea and witnessing each attendee’s growth is truly rewarding. We look forward to many more successful SeaU events!” she said.
THIS EVENT REAFFIRMS OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR TRAVEL ADVISOR PARTNERS
TORONTO TRAVELSAVERS Canada has returned from its recent Elite Retreat, a celebration of the many successes of its agency owners.
The retreat welcomed agency owners on a cruise from Rio de Janeiro to Montevideo, allowing them to experience for themselves the increasingly in-demand destination of South America onboard a private charter of Atlas World Navigator.
“We were thrilled to bring our topperforming agencies together for this one-of-a-kind retreat as interest in South America continues to rise,” said Jane Clementino, SVP and
GM, TRAVELSAVERS Canada. “Not only did we celebrate our advisors’ outstanding achievements, but we also offered them firsthand insights into highly sought-after destinations. This retreat allowed advisors to deepen connections with our preferred partners and uncover new ways to enhance the exceptional travel experiences they design for their clients.”
Citing data from Future Market Insights, Clementino added that South America’s tourism market is worth $320 billion and is projected to grow by 4% a year until 2023. In addition, ocean cruising continues to grow in popularity among clients of TRAVELSAVERS Canadaaffiliated agencies, with sales up 14% from 2023.
Exotik Journeys recently wrapped up its FAM trip to Singapore and Malaysia, providing a group of travel advisors with a firsthand look some of Southeast Asia’s most inspiring destinations. The trip welcomed advisors from Quebec, Ontario, and B.C. and was led by Exotik Journeys’ Business Development Manager Jessica Smid.
MONTREAL Turkish Airlines recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Montreal-Istanbul route.
With an ever-expanding fleet of 477 aircraft, Turkey’s national airline said it has been “steadily expanding its reach and connecting more passengers between Montreal and Istanbul every year.”
In its first year of operation, the airline carried over 43,000 passengers between the two cities.
The number of passengers has been increasing every year, reaching over 76,000 in 2024.
“Over the past 10 years, we have connected Montreal and Istanbul to nearly 770,000 travellers with three weekly flights,” said the carrier.
“Turkish Airlines’ operations over the past 10 years demonstrate our commitment and determination to the exceptional travel concept for which we are known worldwide, especially in Montreal,” added TK.
TORONTO TICO has issued a reminder for registrants with year-ends on or after Dec. 1, 2024 and Ontario gross sales of $2 million or more to file their annual financial statements.
During the pandemic, the Ontario government amended the General Regulation (O. Reg. 26/05) under the Travel Industry Act, 2002 (TIA) to reduce burden on Ontario’s registered travel agencies and tour operators and to assist certain travellers impacted by the pandemic.
“As communicated in March 2024, the temporary exemption from filing annual financial statements for registrants with Ontario Gross Sales of $2 million or greater will expire as of December 1, 2024,” said TICO in a statement.
Here’s more from TICO …
December 1, 2024: Expiry of the temporary exemption from filing annual financial statements for registrants with Ontario Gross Sales of $2 million or greater.
• For a period of four years, from December 1, 2020 to November 30, 2024, registrants with Ontario Gross Sales of $2 million or greater were only required to file a Verification Statement (a selfattestation of financial position), subject to a limited exception. All registrants who fall in this category will have benefited up to four times from the temporary exemption.
• Registrants with Ontario Gross Sales of $2 million or greater whose year-end is on or before November 30, 2024 can still submit a Verification Statement for this year-end cycle. If a registrant is required to prepare an annual financial statement with a Review Engagement Report or Audit Opinion for any other purpose outside of TIA, it is still required to provide this report to TICO.
• Registrants with Ontario Gross Sales of $2 million or greater whose year-end is on or after December 1, 2024 will be required to submit to TICO annual financial statements with a Review Engagement Report or an Audit Opinion, as the registrant prefers.
Permanent burden reduction changes (implemented in 2020):
• Registrants whose Ontario Gross Sales are less than $2 million can choose to continue to submit a Verification Statement, as this was a permanent change as of March 30, 2020. This permanent change benefits approximately 70% of TICO’s registrants.
• Registrants whose Ontario Gross Sales are $10 million or greater are not required to submit an Audit Opinion and instead have the option to submit a Review Engagement Report, as this was a permanent change as of March 30, 2020.
TICO’s statement also included this FAQ: Why is the option to submit a Verification Statement expiring for registrants with Ontario Gross Sales of $2 million or greater?
“The regulatory amendment that allowed registrants with Ontario Gross Sales of $2 million or greater to submit a Verification Statement was time-limited, with a view to reduce burden and cost as a result of the pandemic’s significant impacts on the sector,” said TICO.
“As consumer demand for travel has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, it’s important for TICO to receive comprehensive financial information from larger registrants to help ensure consumers are protected.”
Any questions can be directed to tico@tico.ca or 1-888-451-TICO (8426).
MIAMI Celestyal’s new simplified fare, called ‘Celestyal One,’ is replacing the line’s current ‘Experience’ and ‘Experience Plus’ packages.
Celestyal One will include the cruise fare, complimentary essential Wi-Fi for all guests, filtered coffee, tea, water and juice throughout the day, unlimited free soft drinks in the main restaurants with meals, as well as port fees and taxes, and crew gratuities.
Celestyal is also simplifying its beverage offering with the removal of all beverage packages. These will be replaced by a prepaid food and beverage wallet called ‘CelestyalPay,’ which will be used on board for any non-complimentary food and drink purchases.
The changes take effect on all bookings starting Dec. 11 for cruises departing from March 21, 2025.
In addition to the new fare, Celestyal has also revealed an additional investment into its fleet with refit plans for the Celestyal Discovery. The designs include the introduction of 47 additional cabins, increasing the ship’s overall capacity to 1,300, a 7.4% increase.
The new staterooms will include two Grand Horizon Suites with balconies and positioning above the bridge; 30 newly designed Junior Dream Suites, a new stateroom category on the ship; 15 additional and spacious interior ‘Cosmos Cabins’.
All additions will be completed on Celestyal Discovery by April 2025 and the new cabins go on sale Dec. 10.
Celestyal Discovery underwent a multi-million-dollar refurbishment in Athens following its purchase in November 2023.
VoX International has welcomed a new Account Manager to the team: Joshua Knox.
Knox’s travel industry background includes six years of experience leading a successful vacation rental property management company in Mexico, where he managed 100 properties and a team of 30. Knox also worked as a BDM for WestJet.
Knox can be reached at josh@ voxinternational.com.
“VoX is excited to welcome Josh to the team,” said Susan Webb, President of VoX International. “I am confident that Josh’s expertise, professionalism, and commitment to client success will make a significant impact.”
Webb said Knox will manage two VoX accounts, Experience Kissimmee and Broadway Inbound, working closely with the Canadian travel trade on campaigns, training, marketing, business development and more.
MIAMI Virgin Voyages is alerting its travel advisor partners – also known as ‘First Mates’ – to new client incentives designed to drive sales.
John Diorio, VP of North American Sales for Virgin Voyages, said the cruise line is intent on listening to the advisor community and responding to the incentives that best serve their clients and partners.
“A big part of our commitment to our First Mates and Travel Advisor community includes listening to realtime feedback and bringing the right incentives to the forefront. This is especially important as we all look
forward to Wave season and all of the excitement around this time of year,” said Diorio. “Not to mention, there’s never been a better time to share the joy of a Virgin Voyages experience with clients and friends – there’s so much on offer, including new Alaska itineraries, Brilliant Lady’s debut on the horizon and fresh entertainment and restaurant concepts.”
Included in these value-added propositions are reduced single supplements for the growing solo cruiser segment; 10% savings
for pay-in-full clients; and the reintroduction of the brand’s popular Bar Tab offer. All of these perks arrive on the heels of the Black Friday offer, which is 80% off the second Sailor (plus up to $300 Bar Tab).
In addition to these added perks, Diorio said Virgin Voyages remains committed to staying NCF-free “while also leading the industry with some of the highest commission rates available.”
THE CRUISE LINE IS INTENT ON LISTENING AND RESPONDING TO THE TRAVEL ADVISOR COMMUNITY
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TORONTO HX has launched a new loyalty program designed for both seasoned travellers and those new to expedition cruising.
Marking the company’s first standalone loyalty program, HX Explorers includes an array of exclusive benefits and rewards starting this month. It features two tiers: Level 1, for those who are about to sail; and Level 2, for those who have sailed more than three nights.
The membership offers special rates for repeat bookings, as well as activities and offers on HX products. It also includes special rates for chosen like-minded and sustainable brands, including CEWE, Waterhaul and Ocean Bottles.
“At HX, we believe that travel is not just about reaching a destination but about embracing the journey and the stories that come with it,” said Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX.
“HX Explorers is our commitment to recognizing and rewarding our loyal guests, encouraging them to dive into new adventures and discover the world with a fresh perspective.”
Other HX Explorers offers include exclusive partner rewards; dedicated loyalty manager; welcome cocktail, year-round activities and more.
As part of the launch of HX Explorers, HX has created a specially designed range of anniversary badges to celebrate both the program and its 130th anniversary, which will take place in 2026. HX Explorers booking from today through to the end of 2026 will receive a badge when they arrive on board for their voyage. The badges will be available for a limited time and will only be given out during the anniversary period.
TORONTO Contiki has unveiled four new trips to some of Asia’s most indemand destinations: the Philippines, China, India and the Malaysian island of Borneo.
Contiki’s CEO, Adam Armstrong, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for expanding in Asia: “We’ve been focused on increasing our range of trips in Asia for a couple of years now. Given the financial pressures many young travellers are facing, we’ve worked hard to keep these trips affordable, and our upcoming Cyber Sale will make booking even more accessible.”
The new tours include The Borneo Adventure, Philippines Island Hopping East, China Adventure and Eternal India Express.
“Borneo is a hidden gem, home to 6% of the world’s biodiversity. We’re thrilled to offer an eco-conscious, wildlife-focused trip that takes full advantage of this incredible natural beauty. We’re also very pleased to expand our Philippines offerings and provide even more choices for travellers seeking unforgettable island adventures,” said Taryn Welsh, Contiki’s Director of Operations for Asia & Australia.
Welsh added: “We know India and China can seem overwhelming for first-time visitors, which is why we’ve designed these trips with expert Local Guides and Contiki Trip Managers to ensure a seamless experience.”
BORNEO IS A HIDDEN GEM, HOME TO 6% OF THE WORLD’S BIODIVERSITY
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