2021 | The Great Canadian Travel Co.

STAFF PICKS

August 21, 2024 | Pearl McCallum

It is August 2024.  Since the return of travel in early 2022 following the Covid-19 pandemic, airlines have faced staff shortages, strike action (actual and threatened), tightening regulations, and higher operating costs.  These conditions, in addition to the challenges of regular operations, can seriously affect an airline’s level of service.  …

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March 14, 2023 | Pearl McCallum

We want to paint a picture for you.   Imagine you’re at a gathering with friends and acquaintances. It’s a fairly large group, let’s say around 15-20 people. Just as you begin to get hungry, someone brings out a large, layered cake. It’s smothered in rich, chocolate buttercream frosting – …

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June 29, 2022 | Lois Farley

Way back in 2017 I wrote a blog in recognition of Canada Day; 50 Great Things Canada Contributed to the World. Since I wrote that blog I’ve been studying about the Indigenous peoples who have lived on this land we now call Canada for millennia – the First Nations and …

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March 17, 2022 | Lois Farley

Saint Patrick’s Day brings Ireland and all things Irish to a lot of people’s minds. And, those of us lucky enough to be Irish or are of Irish descent, particularly so! My ancestors on both sides of my family emigrated to Canada from Ireland back in the mid to late …

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March 1, 2022 | Allison Silvaggio

There are so many things that we miss when it comes to travel, such as exploring new places, trying new things and meeting new people.  What I miss the most, are those extremely peaceful moments where you can just take it all in.  Whether you are enjoying a beautiful hike, …

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December Celebrations & Why 2021 Kind of “Stink, Stank, Stuck”

December 10, 2021 | Lois Farley

Republishing this blog from 2020 with the revision to include that 2021 was similar to 2020 but was more of a “Stink, Stank, Stuck” kind of year! It seemed like a lot of the year we were spinning our wheels, stuck in a rut of continuing restrictions, lifting of restrictions, new restrictions…..

I think we can all agree, 2020, in the words of the Grinch, “Stink, Stank, Stunk”!

Even though this year we can’t get together in large groups with family and friends, as we usually would be for December festivities, there is still much to be thankful for and to celebrate.

December is truly a month-long time of celebrations, spanning many religions and beliefs. So, on this 1st day of the month, Happy December! And no matter what holiday traditions you celebrate in your household, may you stay healthy and safe.

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Newsletters – 2021

December 10, 2021 | Lois Farley

If you want to keep up to date on product news, promotions and specials we send out a newsletter by e-mail every week or two. To be kept in the loop just sign up from our website, at the bottom of each page in the red “footer” or email us to be added to the list to receive updates from us. You can always unsubscribe at any time if you change your mind later on!

Newsletter Archives:

24 December, 2021 – Up2Date – Season’s Greetings
10 December, 2021 – Up2Date – World Travel Awards & the Festive Season
25 November, 2021 – Up2DateHappy Thanksgiving & Black Friday Sales
11 November, 2021 – Up2Date – Remembrance Day
29 October, 2021 – Up2Date – World Travel Awards – Canada’s Leading Travel Agency 2021
09 October, 2021 – Up2Date – I’m Dreaming of Pt. 4 – Polar Bears & Northern Lights
14 September, 2021 – Up2Date – I’m Dreaming of Pt. 3 – Sporting Events
25 August, 2021 – Up2Date – I’m Dreaming of Pt. 2 – World Wonders
28 July, 2021 – Up2Date – I’m Dreaming of – Wildlife Tours
21 July, 2021 – Up2Date – Warm Winter Breaks, pt. 2
14 July, 2021 – Up2Date – Winter Sun Holidays
25 June, 2021 – Up2Date – Heavenly Holidays
09 June, 2021 – Up2Date – At Home Adventures
12 May, 2021 – Up2Date Booking to Travel in 2021 and Beyond
29 April, 2021 – Up2Date featuring Reopened for Travel
15 April, 2021 – Up2Date featuring the Faroe Islands
31 March, 2021 – Up2Date featuring Iceland
17 March, 2021 – Up2Date Happy St. Patrick’s Day
03 March, 2021 – Up2Date featuring Uplift Payment Options and Travel at Home 
17 February, 2021 – Up2Date featuring Polar Bear Prize Trip and International Polar Bear Day
11 February, 2021 – Up2Date featuring Valentine’s Day Wishes and Romantic Travel Locations
03 February,2021 – Up2Date featuring our 40th Birthday Prize Trip Contest, Week 4
27 January, 2021 – Up2Date featuring our 40th Birthday Prize Trip Contest, Week 3
20 January, 2021 – Up2Date featuring our 40th Birthday Prize Trip Contest, Week 2
13 January, 2021 – Up2Date featuring our 40th Birthday Prize Trip Contest, Week 1

Our Wall of Honour

November 10, 2021 | Lois Farley

This Remembrance Day we’d like to honour members of our own families and friends who have served during war time and in regular military service.

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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada

September 30, 2021 | Lois Farley

Today, 30 September, 2021 marks the first official National Day for Truth and Reconciliation here in Canada.

It’s not a “holiday”, at least it shouldn’t be seen as one, even if it is a day off work for some. It is meant to be a day of learning, a day of listening, a day of trying to understand Canada’s colonial and settler history and the many injustices done in the name of a “civilized” society. And the systematic injustices that are still happening.

For me it’s a sad day as I think of all the children who lost their lives in Indian Residential Schools and lay in unmarked graves across our country. All the children who survived residential schools but whose lives were irreparably damaged. All the parents who had their children torn away from them and their hearts broken. All the families whose beloved children, grandchildren, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews were taken away by force. Some to return, often changed into strangers, some never to return.

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Passion for Travel, Sports and Rugby

September 03, 2021 | Sandra Jensen

It is my passion to plan holidays, for myself as well as my clientele. In 2006 that started with a plan to visit Europe while attended a FIFA World Cup soccer match in Hamburg. Match tickets were not that easy to get. They were done on a lottery draw basis, so we picked 3 options in Hamburg and proceeded to plan our vacation around those matches “just in case” we were lucky enough to get tickets.

As it turned out we did get tickets but we didn’t receive confirmation of the game until well into our vacation, only 24 hours prior to the match. We had just checked into our hotel in Copenhagen when the email came confirming the game for the very next day. This meant we had to cut our time in Copenhagen short, but this was the experience of a lifetime! We were to see Czech Republic vs Italy. Italy would then proceed to win the World Cup that year.  Amazing experience and great start to our dreams of travelling for Rugby, which is really our passion.

These dreams took root quickly as in 2007 the Rugby Union World Cup was to be held in France with some games in the UK. We are staunch All Blacks fans(the national team of New Zealand). Taking a good look at the schedule we saw that in 2007 one of the quarter finals was to take place in Cardiff, Wales. With our calculations, the All Blacks should qualify for that game, so we took our chances and put our names in for that game. As with the FIFA World Cup, tickets did not get confirmed until later, but at least it was earlier than 24 hours prior and we could make our travel plans a little easier.

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Sun, Sand and Surf Getaway Vacations

July 06, 2021 | Lois Farley

It might seem a bit odd for us to be talking to you about sun, sand and surf holidays when most of North America is suffering through extreme heatwaves. But, turn your mind back to those days in January and February, when the wind was howling, the air brisk and you were shovelling snow, not sand. Remember how much you wished you could be on a beach somewhere or on the deck of a cruise ship, sipping a cocktail and watching the world go by?

A recent survey of over 4,000 Canadian “snowbirds” showed that 91% intend to head south this winter, to the southern states in the US, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. 83% plan to be away at least 3 months.

Now is the time to be putting your winter holiday vacation plans into place. Travel is re-opening, slowly but surely. The resorts and hotels that are open, the cruises that are setting sail and flights that are taking off to whisk you away, are rapidly selling out for winter 2021-22. This season there will be much more demand than there is supply, especially as a number of tourism suppliers have ceased operations.

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Heavenly Holidays – Auroras and Solar Eclipses

June 25, 2021 | Lois Farley

We were just so excited about the Summer Solstice and Full Moon this week that we forgot to send out our newsletter on Wednesday, which is the usual day. (And by we, I mean me! My bad! 😉)

All the celestial happenings this week got me to thinking about the travel opportunities to witness astronomical phenomena like the auroras and solar eclipses.

The Auroras

Here in Canada, where we’re located, we are most familiar with the Aurora Borealis, that occur in the Northern Hemisphere. There are great opportunities to see the Northern Lights (as the Aurora Borealis are commonly referred to), in Arctic Canada. Places like Churchill, Manitoba, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon are all easy to visit and offer great Northern Lights programs. As well, we can plan a trip for you a bit further afield to Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Norway. Even the north coast of Scotland and Northern Ireland get a light show from time to time in the winter months. Maybe combine a whiskey tour with some treks to hunt for the lights?

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Canada Tourism Week

May 27, 2021 | Allison Silvaggio

Calling all Canadians to take the 2021 travel pledge to travel in Canada.  It has been a difficult year +, to say the least, and we cannot wait to get out there and see one another again.

With over 20 years in travel, the first half was spent mostly travelling internationally.  And then, the exploration became closer to home.

When looking back, some of my favorite memories & experiences happened right here within Canada.  Kayaking with the Beluga Whales in Churchill, experiencing the Floe Edge in Nunavut, and even drinking a Sour Toe Cocktail in Dawson City.  Exploring Peggy’s Cove to Whistler and everything in between.

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Notes on Booking to Travel in 2021 and Beyond

May 12, 2021 | Lois Farley

There has been lots in the news about travel starting up again from the US and Canada, and countries re-opening for international tourism. We featured a couple of these countries in recent newsletters, namely Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

We wanted to update you on a few things regarding booking travel at this time. It’s important to note that, even though a country has decided to accept international tourists again, the availability of accommodations and tours will be limited. And may be for quite a while.

Using Iceland as an example, a good number of the moderate hotels in Reykjavik have been designated as Red Cross quarantine hotels, so are not available for tourism stays. Read More >

What Not to Wear Travelling

April 28, 2021 | Allison Silvaggio

We all remember Stacy London and Clinton Kelly from their 10 seasons of “What Not to Wear”.  In travel, we read quite a few blogs on how to dress in certain destinations for certain types of tours.  Here is how we can expand on this, advising what we shouldn’t wear.

The first item that comes to mind, mainly due to the safety, is a long scarf or camera strap while viewing wildlife.  If you have travelled to Churchill, Manitoba before to view the polar bears from the Tundra Vehicle, you may have been warned about this.  While on the outside viewing area at the back of the vehicle travellers should not lean over the side, as the bears can stand up which puts their front paws quite close to any loose clothing potentially hanging over.

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