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Canadian Resort & Travel Association

CRTA MEMBER NEWS

WestJet cancels 150 flights as mechanics strike in surprise move on busy long weekend

Source: CBC News

WestJet announced it will cancel 150 flights — possibly affecting 20,000 travellers "with limited re-accommodation options available" — just hours after the airline's mechanics said they would strike.

WestJet mechanics decided to strike one day after Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to impose binding arbitration to solve outstanding issues of the collective agreement between the airline and Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA).

In a statement Thursday, AMFA said there is no modern precedent for the minister's action. The order also followed two weeks of turbulent discussions with the union on a new deal.

Air Canada offers first look at its 2024-2025 winter sun routes

Source: travelweek

Air Canada is expanding its sun network for winter 2024-2025, with no fewer than 55 Caribbean and U.S. destinations.

“Air Canada continues to expand the breadth of its winter leisure network by adding new routes to in-demand leisure destinations, including Saint Maarten and Tulum,” says Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s EVP, Revenue and Network Planning.

FBI warns timeshare owners of $300M scam linked to Mexican cartels

Source: mLive

American timeshare owners are being warned about an ongoing scam that can lead victims to losing significant sums of money and involves Mexican cartels. In a post by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the agency reports more than 600 victims have reported losing an estimated $300 million through scams over the last five years, but there’s been an increase in those scams recently.

The scam tends to target older, wealthy Americans who might be looking to recoup some of their investments into their timeshare. The victims have often been meticulously researched by con artists in hopes of scaring the victim in cooperating.

Guided tours are making a comeback thanks to GenZ, survey says

Source: Travel Press

International travelers who find themselves in unfamiliar lands are especially keen on guided tours. A majority (58%) of those who traveled internationally in the past year have booked a guided tour. They are also more likely to trust locals, as most (82%) want a local to show them around, compared to less than two-thirds (58%) of domestic travellers.

Ormond Beach condo owners hit with $100K in assessment fees

Source: ClickOrlando.com

There are now just six months left before the state-wide deadline for condo buildings to get their mandatory engineering assessments done. In Volusia County, this costs over $100,000 per condo owner at one building.

These assessments became law following the collapse of the Surfside condo collapse in South Florida back in 2021. Now, any building over three stories and 30 years old has to have them done.

Crossing the border this Canada Day long weekend? Here are tips to help plan for your trip

Source: Toronto Star

In preparation for next week’s holidays, the Canada Border Services Agency has released some travel tips for those planning for cross-border travel.

According to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), 86 million people crossed the Canada-U.S. border last year.

Canadian Resort & Travel Association

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