In a glitzy and enchanting setting, members of CATO, the European Travel Commission and numerous suppliers came together to welcome agents and media to Symes in Toronto’s west end on November 21.
The theme of the event was Europe invites the curious and participating vendors and guests met face-to-face at a trade show where many attendees offered snacks ranging from German gingerbread to oysters to Swiss cheese. Later, participating vendors made individual presentations during a sit-down dinner.
“We have always collaborated with CATO, but this is the first time we have been so committed to working together on an event,” Sandra Moffatt, president of ETC Canada and Canada country director for Tourism Ireland, told Open Jaw. Now in its 75th year, ETC has 35 members, 8 of which are present in Canada.
Earlier this month, the ETC released its latest cumulative data on the post-COVID recovery, revealing that international travel arrivals are only 3.2% below 2019 levels. The recovery is mainly driven by Southern European destinations including Serbia, Montenegro, Portugal, Turkey, Malta and Greece.
Interestingly, Canadians visit an average of 2.3 countries during a trip to Europe.
In discussions with participating vendors, Open Jaw learned that:
- Airfares to France are currently incredibly affordable – as low as $600 round trip to CDG from YUL.
- G Adventures’ National Geographic trips include 11 itineraries in Europe to destinations as diverse as Iceland, the Balkans and Italy.
- Spain’s diversity is reflected in the variety of some of its most popular destinations such as Malaga (“with its museums, perfect for the culture-seeking guest”), Valencia (“ideal for family holidays”) and the Balearic Islands in the region. Med: Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza (“superb climate and beaches”)
- Long stays in Portugal outside of YYZ are very popular, according to TS, with many people staying for several months. And in a wonderful exercise in myth-busting, during dinner, Switzerland’s Oliver Weibel showed a film featuring comedian Trevor Noah and tennis superstar Roger Federer experiencing the Swiss train. journey. Not a single mention of cheese, skiing, banks or chocolate. Just a delicious way to show that Switzerland can be hilarious and funny.
# EuropeInvitesTheCurious #TravelDifferent #VisitEurope
