Porter to Tremblant, Japan Prepares for Olympics, Wave Season and More JimBits

Porter Airlines resumes seasonal service between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Mont-Tremblant International Airport on Dec. 6. Flights are available until March 30, 2020, with service up to four times weekly.

Reconnect with the joys of winter in Mont-Tremblant, Que., in as little as 70 minutes from downtown Toronto. Connecting flights are also available from numerous Porter locations in Canada and the U.S.

Located in the heart of the Laurentians, Mont-Tremblant is home to some of the country's best winter attractions. In addition to downhill skiing and snowboarding, winter in Tremblant offers an array of exhilarating outdoor activities such as dog sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. For those seeking a more relaxed pace, enjoy the serenity of a spa retreat, and dine or shop in the charming pedestrian village.

Visit Porter's website for detailed flight schedules. Porter Escapes offers inclusive packages for flights, accommodations and activities, on and off the slopes.

Mont Tremblant International Airport (MTIA) is offering Porter passengers a special promotion on lift tickets this ski season. Passengers receive two free weekday ski lift tickets when they arrive on a Sunday or Monday and depart on a Thursday or Friday. For full details, visit www.mtia.ca

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) is pleased to announce the launch of Tokyo and Beyond 2020, an all-new website designed to serve as a comprehensive travel resource for those planning to visit Japan during the Olympic and Paralympic games. The website will provide a wealth of valuable information, offering everything from the schedule of the games to insider knowledge on where to stay, where to go, and what to do while in Japan.

More than just a guide to the Olympics, the JNTO envisioned Tokyo and Beyond 2020 to function as a definitive guide to the greater destination of Japan. As they look forward to welcoming so many new guests to Japan, the JNTO wants to ensure that all visitors have the information available to get the best experience not only in Tokyo, but in the prefectures just beyond.

Currently available in both English and simplified Chinese, Tokyo and Beyond 2020 is an interactive and visually engaging database for essential information like transit routes, accessibility, and venue locations. It is also an exhaustive and intuitive travel guide, providing a list of recommended accommodations, spotlights on Japan's cuisine and culture, and answering frequently asked traveller questions.

The site will continue to be updated with new content in the buildup to the games. Visitors can look forward to video content with Olympic athletes, features on popular and lesser-known tourist attractions, and even curated itineraries in the months to come. Visitors curious about Japan's bathing traditions or in search of an affordable kimono rental will find answers to all their inquiries (and more) on the website.

more information on Japan and the 2020 Olympic Games, please access https://www.japan.travel/tokyo-and-beyond-2020/ . The JNTO also invites you to visit their website https://www.japan.travel/en/ca/ for more travel information. To contact the Toronto office of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) directly, please e-mail [email protected]

As winter is setting in across Canada and the busy travel season begins, it appears half of Canadians will be spending it at home.

"It looks like this coming winter season will at best include a frigid 'snow-cation' at home instead of a warm, sandy beach for more than half of Canadians," said Dan Keon, Vice President, Market Management, Allianz Global Assistance Canada.

The fourth annual Canadian Winter Vacation Confidence Index released today by Allianz Global Assistance Canada, a leading provider of travel insurance and assistance services, shows 51 per cent of Canadians say they won't be taking a winter vacation this year. The study was conducted by Ipsos for Allianz Global Assistance.

When asked about the main reason for not taking a vacation, almost two-thirds (66%) said they can't afford it. The next reason for not expecting to take a vacation this year was 'Just don't want to go,' at 13 per cent. Another seven per cent said they have 'too many family responsibilities.' Only five per cent said they 'don't have time,' while three per cent were 'concerned about an economic downturn.' The remainder cited other reasons.

"Obviously Canadians are concerned about their pocket books," added Keon. "While 72 per cent of Canadians said that an annual vacation is important to them, it's interesting that only 49 per cent actually expect to take one. And they expect it will cost them more to do so."

Of those who are planning on taking a winter vacation, they expect to spend a total of $2,706. That's the highest anticipated spend since Allianz started collecting this data four years ago. Not surprisingly, Boomers say they'll spend the most at $3,299, significantly more than the $2,205 Millennials intend to lay out. While Millennials will spend the least on average, they are also the largest age group to cite budget constraints as their reason for not taking a vacation (75%) followed closely by GenXers (73%).

"The Index shows that having the budget to take a vacation is directly related to age," adds Keon. "While Millennials cite greater budget constraints (75%), Boomers appear to have saved or acquired the resources with significantly fewer (55%) indicating that money is keeping them from travelling."

Regionally, the average anticipated spend is highest in the Prairie Provinces at $3,365 and lowest in Quebec at $1,908. Ontarians expect to spend an average of $3,012.

"Despite the fact that just over half of Canadians don't plan on taking a winter vacation, for those who will, they are expected to add a significant boon to the economy," said Keon. "But it is important for them to protect their hard-earned investment with travel insurance that not only covers medical emergencies but trip interruptions and cancellations."

Based on an average spend of almost $3,000 per household, the study projects Canadians will spend over $13.5 billion on winter vacations this year - up from $12.2 billion a year ago and up significantly from $10.7 billion in 2016, a jump of 25 per cent.

Carnival Cruise Line, the world's largest cruise operator, returned to the Port of San Diego last weekend to launch a winter schedule of three- to 15-day voyages aboard Carnival Miracle, marking the line's first departure from the port in seven years.

The cruise schedule began yesterday with a seven-day sailing to the Mexican Riviera, and features a wide range of durations and destinations, including:

· three-day weekend getaways visiting Ensenada Dec. 27, 2019 and Jan. 3, 2020.

· five-day voyages departing Dec. 22, 2019, and Jan. 12, 2020, that spend two days in Cabo San Lucas.

· a four-day New Year's Baja Mexico cruise featuring Catalina Island and Ensenada departing Dec. 30, 2019.

· A six-day cruise featuring two days in Cabo San Lucas and a day-long visit to Ensenada departing Jan. 6, 2020.

· Three longer-length Carnival Journeys adventures, including 14- and 15-day Hawaii cruises visiting popular destinations throughout the Aloha State departing Dec. 8, 2019 and Jan. 17, 2020, respectively, along with a 13-day Panama Canal sailing from San Diego to Miami Feb. 1-14, 2020 offering a unique opportunity to transit through the Panama Canal in addition to visiting exotic destinations in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Colombia.

After a brief hiatus, Avalon Waterways is returning to Egypt in 2020 to invite travellers to stand at the foot of the pyramids, answer the riddle of the Sphinx and sail down the historic Nile River, aboard the MS Farah - a luxury cruise ship, featuring 62 staterooms and suites - on its NEW Taste of Egypt itinerary.

"We are thrilled to return to Egypt and the Nile River with this once-in-a-lifetime vacation," said Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways. "From welcoming travellers to Cairo, 'Mother of the World,' and inviting them to look up at the 'Stairway to the Sky,' to welcoming them onboard the MS Farah to sail through Africa's ancient history and civilizations along the Nile, this is a very special, awe-inspiring experience for cruisers of all ages."

On this 10-day adventure to ancient Egypt, travellers will explore the Pyramids and Sphinx in Giza; visit the Ramses II and Alabaster Sphinx in Memphis as well as Cairo's oldest church - the Hanging Church - and Tutankhamun's Tomb in the Egyptian Museum - all of this and more before even stepping foot on the MS Farah in Luxor to embark on their Nile Cruise. Along the Nile River, passengers will visit the Luxor Temple; Avenue of Sphinxes; the massive Karnak Temple Complex, including the Temple of Amun-Ra; the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens; the Temple of Kom Ombo (an unusual double temple), Temple of Isis and more. This is a vacation full of astonishing sites and extraordinary exploration.

2020 departures are currently on sale until December 16 this year and priced from $4,148 Cdn (excluding airfare), a saving of $650 per couple.

For more information, visit www.avalonwaterways.ca; call 800-268-3636.

Everyone knows Canadian winters are no walk in the park, and with the unseasonably early drop in temperature and snowfall, warm weather has never looked so enticing. In an attempt to make spirits bright, KAYAK, the world's leading travel search engine, has pulled data around the least expensive sun destinations for Canadians outside of North America.

The Caribbean leads the pack with eight cities on this year's list.

Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal - $396 CAD median roundtrip airfare

Oranjestad, Aruba - $570 CAD median roundtrip airfare

Panama City, Panama - $610 CAD median roundtrip airfare

Nassau, Bahamas - $638 CAD median roundtrip airfare

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - $642 CAD median roundtrip airfare

Kingston, Jamaica - $648 CAD median roundtrip airfare

George Town, Cayman Islands - $657 CAD median roundtrip airfare

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos - $675 CAD median roundtrip airfare

San Jose, Costa Rica - $677 CAD median roundtrip airfare

Just in time for wave season, Holland America Line's popular View & Verandah promotion is back and more robust than ever before with a special $50 beverage card bonus for booking early. Guests who book select 2020 and 2021 cruises to practically all of Holland America Line's global destinations and Alaska Land+Sea Journeys will receive a stateroom upgrade, onboard spending money up to $500 per stateroom, free or reduced fares for kids to plan spring breaks or summer vacations, 50% reduced deposits and 10% off select shore excursions.

Suite bookings also receive prepaid stateroom gratuities. Plus, when View & Verandah bookings are made by Jan. 17, 2020, Holland America Line will include a $50 beverage card per guest. View & Verandah runs through Feb. 28, 2020.

"We listen to cruisers about the perks they most appreciate, so we've put together an incredible View & Verandah promotion that is packed with extras providing extraordinary value," said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line's president. "Many travellers are already looking to book a cruise next year or in 2021. With View & Verandah, they can reserve their dream itinerary and receive special benefits to make it all the more memorable and affordable."

As part of the View & Verandah offer, guests can book an ocean-view stateroom for the price of an interior and a verandah for the price of an ocean-view. Depending on the length of cruise and category of stateroom, guests can receive onboard spending money up to $500 per stateroom. The onboard spending money is available to the first and second guests in a stateroom and can be used for specialty dining, spa services, gift shop purchases, beverages and more.

Free and reduced fares for kids apply to any guests traveling as the third and fourth guests in the same stateroom. Guests who reserve select shore excursions prior to embarkation can take advantage of 10% savings if booked by March 14, 2020. A 50% reduced deposit makes it even more affordable to plan a Holland America Line cruise.

As an added bonus, suite guests also receive prepaid room gratuities in addition to the other perks. And each guest in a stateroom booked by Jan. 17, 2020, will get a $50 beverage card.

Cruise destinations featured in the View & Verandah sale include Alaska cruises and Land+Sea Journeys, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Canada & New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, the Pacific Coast, the Panama Canal and South America, as well as holiday sailings.

Condor announces its new North American 2020 summer flight schedule, and there's more Canada in the mix.

Germany's leading leisure airline will be flying non-stop from Frankfurt to Edmonton in Canada for the first time as of June 2020. Flights between the two cities can be booked from approximately $516 CAD, per person one-way and are offered every Monday and Thursday.

In addition, longhaul destinations from Halifax, Canada and Seattle to Munich will return to Condor's flight schedule again in summer 2020, with a Boeing 767 stationed in Munich as of May 2020.

Condor flies to the Bavarian state capital from Halifax in Canada on Fridays and Wednesdays and from Seattle (USA) on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. New destination from Frankfurt: Edmonton With the inclusion of the Canadian city of Edmonton in the 2020 summer flight schedule,

Condor's Canada services will be expanded to a total of six destinations: In addition to Edmonton, Germany's most popular leisure airline will also be flying to Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver and Whitehorse from Frankfurt and Halifax from Frankfurt and Munich. In addition to Seattle, Condor also serves Anchorage, Baltimore/Washington D.C., Fairbanks, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Portland (Oregon) in the U.S.

"With the additional long-haul flights next summer, we are expanding our existing summer 2020 flight schedule -- not only with the new destination Edmonton in Canada from Frankfurt, but also with the non-stop service to Munich," said Ralf Teckentrup, CEO of Condor. "We are thus offering our North American guests an even greater selection of non-stop service to the heart of Germany and beyond."

From its Frankfurt Hub Condor offers connecting service to more than 100 destinations throughout Europe via Condor and a network of airline and rail partners. From Munich, Condor offers connecting service to more than 100 destinations.