Great Agent Information On Gen Z, Plus News From Antigua, MSC, Carnival And More

The folks at booking.com recently published a great study on the travel habits of Gen Z Canadians. Anyone in the travel and tourism business in this country would be wise to give it a look, given the Gen Z love of travel.

- The study found that more one in three (37%) plan to have visited at least three different continents over the next ten years and 18% intend to have studied or lived in a different country (27% female vs. 13% male)

- Gen Z is a daring bunch, with almost half 45% wanting an adventure experience from their travels, such as paragliding or bungee jumping and 47% planning on visiting or trekking to an extreme location

- Independence is a priority for this generation. Over the next ten years, a third of Gen Z (38%) plan to have travelled on their own at least once (27% women vs. 44% men)

- Almost two thirds (65%) of Gen Z have already compiled a travel bucket list, with this figure equally as likely across both genders

- One-half (49%) of Canadian Gen Zers think that travel is always worth investing in. And when it comes to prioritization, "travel and seeing the world" ranked as most important to this generation when thinking about how they spend their money (65%). Saving for 'life's biggest investment' (property) came a close second and more material possessions ranked lowest.

For more information: https://destinationgenz.com/

Carnival Cruise Line will operate its largest Bermuda season ever in 2019-2020, with more than 40 voyages visiting the nation, including eight week-long cruises departing from Baltimore and Charleston next year.

In total, six different Carnival ships - Carnival Breeze, Magic, Pride, Radiance, Sunshine and Sunrise - will offer four- to nine-day Bermuda cruises from five homeports along the eastern seaboard between now and next year.

Carnival is the only cruise operator to offer round-trip Bermuda cruises from Charleston, Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale. Nine-day Bermuda departures have also been added to the New York-based schedules of the totally transformed Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Radiance that include four-day cruises to the island as well.

Carnival's diverse Bermuda schedule not only encompasses a wide range of cruise durations and homeports but also a variety of ship sizes and amenities, providing consumers with unprecedented opportunities to visit the popular destination.

"Guest feedback on our Bermuda program has been nothing short of sensational and we're delighted to expand our offerings to provide even more guests an opportunity to experience all this tropical island paradise has to offer," said Fred Stein, Carnival's vice president of revenue planning and deployment.

The seven week-long cruises to Bermuda from Baltimore will be offered aboard Carnival Pride and spend three days in Bermuda, while a seven-day cruise from Charleston aboard Carnival Sunshine will feature two days on the island along with a visit to the private Bahamian destination of Princess Cays. Baltimore departure dates include May 31, Aug. 2 and 23, Sept. 6 and 20, and Oct. 4 and 18, 2020. The cruise from Charleston departs Oct. 17, 2020.

While in Bermuda, guests can relax on the island's legendary pink beaches, enjoy snorkeling, kayaking and other water sports, and visit historical landmarks such as Royal Naval Dockyard and Gibb's Hill Lighthouse, the oldest cast iron lighthouse in the Western Hemisphere. Numerous shopping, dining and golfing experiences are also available.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority's new #WhatCoolLooksLike summer promotion allows travellers to Antigua and Barbuda to benefit from exceptional savings on some of the destination's top accommodations, excursions, restaurants and attractions, when they visit Antigua and Barbuda this summer.

Visitors are invited to take advantage of these cool and exciting summer experiences on offer in Antigua and Barbuda, during the campaign period from May 1 - October 31, 2019.

Deals include great resort discounts and reduced prices at fabulous dining spots. There also are deals on horseback rides, Segway tours, walking tours and other fun things to do.

Find more amazing #WhatCoolLooksLike summer offers on: www.visitantiguabarbuda.com

Also in Antigua, the Royal Antigua recently debuted the first-ever overwater bungalows in Antigua and Barbuda.

Expedia travel experts this week revealed that Canadians are mostly travelling within the country from coast to coast this summer, choosing domestic destinations over going abroad. This is a great option for those looking to maximize budget and make their dollar go the farthest. Canadians expressed that what they love most about summer at home is the weather (26%) and the outdoor activities (26%). In fact, according to Expedia data, those destinations growing in popularity are within direct proximity to the great outdoors, including, Canmore, Osoyoos, St. John's, Whistler, Charlottetown, Mont-Tremblant, Ucluelet, Squamish, Parksville, Saguenay, Huntsville and Fernie, B.C.

Based on Expedia flight data, Toronto ranks as the most popular Canadian destination for travellers this summer. Following in second and third respectively are Halifax and Montreal; however, other cities that topped the charts include, Vancouver, St. John's, Calgary, Ottawa and Quebec City3. All of these locations make great starting points if a road trip is on your 'to do' list. The data also revealed4:

Beach (38%) and adventure (36%) destinations were the most appealing for Canadians.

July ranked as the most popular month for summer travel (40%).

Canadians are all about capitalizing on long weekends during the summer, and in fact, over two thirds (36%) said they take a short trip away during this time.

The August long-weekend ranked as most popular for travel - 42% of Canadians said they would travel during this time.

When it comes to how much time Canadians are spending on a summer vacation, 33% said they take one week away, and 32% said two weeks away.

MSC Armonia, MSC Cruises' Miami-based ship sailing the Caribbean, will start off its winter season (November 2019 - April 2020), with its maiden call to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve just one week after the island opens. As part of an enrichment of her itineraries for Winter 2019 and Summer 2020, MSC Armonia will visit this exclusive natural island destination every week, as well as other exciting ports across the Western Caribbean.

Founded on a deep commitment to ecological principles, Ocean Cay will be a private island destination like no other, surrounded by protected waters rich in marine and coral life. It has been developed to immerse travellers in the natural beauty of the Caribbean and The Bahamas.Snorkeling tours, scuba diving, stand up paddle boarding and kayaking are among the outdoor activities that MSC Armonia's guests will be able to enjoy at Ocean Cay. Guests looking to relax can choose from eight white-sand beaches, or select a treatment at the island's new luxurious spa concept. Families will also have plenty to do, with a dedicated family beach and activities for all ages to not only have fun, but also learn about the environment. MSC Armonia will stay docked at the island from 9 am to 11 pm, allowing guests to easily enjoy activities during the day, retreat to the ship to freshen up, and then enjoy sunset and evening activities, such as a traditional junkanoo parade.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest independent hotel brand, is pleased to celebrate 28 member hotels within its global portfolio that have been recognized by Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards 2019 including those that were named the #1 and #2 "Top 100 Hotels in the World" overall - The Leela Palace Udaipur and The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, respectively.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, The Leela Palace Udaipur, located along India's pristine Lake Pichola surrounded by the majestic Aravalli Mountains, secured the coveted #1 spot on the "Top 100 Hotels in the World" list for its idyllic location, prominent facilities, intuitive personal service, renowned dining, and commitment to providing enriching experiences.

Situated in Saratoga, Wyoming on 30,000 acres of pristine, Western landscape, The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch was ranked #2 on the same prestigious list, recognizing the resort for its highly refined luxury dude ranch experience that places a strong focus on environmental sustainability. Both hotels, which are members of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend Collection, continue to elevate their services and amenities to surpass the shifting needs of luxury travellers around the globe.

Other hotels represented within the brand's Legend collection to make the "Top 100 Hotels in the World" list include The Leela Palace New Delhi in India (#31); Montage Kapalua Bay in Maui, Hawaii (#63); Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California (#84); Montage Los Cabos in Mexico (#95); and The Temple House in Chengdu, China (#96).

On a related note, Anguilla was ranked #1 island in the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas in the 2019 Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards. The Island was also claimed the #6 position on the Top 15 Best Islands in the World list.

Cora Breakfast and Lunch is proud to announce that the brand is now a valued partner of Canadian airline WestJet. The onboard breakfast meal, served in Premium cabin on morning flights, is now provided by Cora. It is a satisfying mark of confidence in the Canadian breakfast pioneer.

has been offering Cora breakfasts on the majority of its flights lasting 2½ hours or more since June 26. The breakfast leader's morning creations are served on flights departing after 10:30 p.m. and before 9:30 a.m. The in-flight dishes are inspired by classic Cora favourites: Smoked turkey eggs Ben et Dictine, a Vegetable skillet and a Spinach and aged cheddar omelette with turkey sausage. The three plates are available in rotation and a change to the menu is planned for next fall to maintain customers' appetite for the delicious breakfast fare.

in WestJet's Premium cabin are able to savour Cora breakfasts, making it a delicious opportunity for Cora to offer a taste of its menu to a different segment of the population. Moreover, this new mandate will allow the breakfast leader to pursue its expansion plan and bring added value to its offering.

For WestJet, this tasteful initiative is part of its plan to optimize its Premium service. The breakfast dishes, served on a tray with stainless-steel utensils, will be accompanied by a serving of the fruit that is the source of Cora's fame and which continues to set it apart to this day.

NYC & Company, the official destination marketing organization for the five boroughs of New York City, today announced details for NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2019 and opened reservations on NYCgo.com. Now in its 27th year, the biannual program will be supported by NYC & Company's new global, multiyear partnership with Mastercard. Details for NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2019 include:

Dine 23 days between July 22 and August 16, 2019*

Explore nearly 400 diverse restaurants in more than 40 distinct neighbourhoods across the five boroughs

Enjoy two-course prix-fixe lunches for $26 and three-course prix-fixe dinners (with dessert) for $42**

Discover more than 30 individual cuisines

View a full list of participants, browse menus, collections, James Beard Award winners and book tables now at nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

*Saturdays excluded, Sundays optional.

**Beverages, gratuities and taxes not included. Prices in USD.

Good news for residents of Greater Moncton! The Sunshine State just got a little closer with the news that sunseekers will be able to fly direct to Miami from their local airport this winter.

A new destination added by Sunwing for this coming season, travellers can experience all that this premier beach and nightlife destination has to offer with convenient weekly Saturday departures from February 8th, 2020 until May 2nd, 2020 inclusive. The first carrier to offer a direct flight service to Miami from Greater Moncton, Sunwing is expected to be the only airline offering this route for the coming season. With the addition of Miami, sunseekers departing from Greater Moncton now have six of the tour operator's most popular southern destinations available on their doorstep including Puerto Plata and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Montego Bay in Jamaica, Cancun, Mexico and Varadero, Cuba.

Sunwing offers travellers plenty of ways to experience Miami's pristine beaches, stylish restaurants, famed nightlife and more. Customers who opt for a Florida vacation package receive a complimentary Alamo car rental included in their booking, with an upgrade to a mini-van when they book family-style accommodations with two bedrooms or more making it easier to explore Southern Florida. The tour operator also offers cruise packages that include return transfers from the airport to PortMiami.

Cruise aficionados, families and groups have plenty of options to choose from when they travel with Sunwing. Sailing from Miami this winter, MSC Seaside features exquisite architecture, excellent dining and entertainment together with an exciting splash park. Passengers also benefit from the Easy Drink beverage package offering a selection of complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Another popular option is Norwegian Escape, boasting 20 decks and upscale amenities including a thrilling zipline circuit and The Waterfront, a quarter-mile long oceanfront promenade lined with delicious restaurants and stylish bars. Additionally, travellers can experience more of Miami or Southern Florida before or after their Caribbean vacation when they choose to cruise and stay.