Jim Byers

Weather experts say a tropical storm in the Caribbean could escalate into Hurricane Sara by early next week. Heavy rains are hitting Jamaica, and the storm could slam into Cancun, Cuba and Florida.

Tropical Storm Sara, the third named storm in the Caribbean in November, is bearing down on Honduras and could hit Belize and the Riviera Maya. Some experts fear it could turn its sights on Florida next week.

Government travel warnings are meant to keep people safe, but they often don’t reflect the true reality of a destination, a senior official at Allianz Partners USA told a travel writers’ conference in Istanbul.

Tropical Storm Sara could cause heavy rains on the island of Roatan in the Caribbean over the next few days, possibly disrupting cruise itineraries. Mexican authorities warn of potentially heavy rains along the Riviera Maya.

WestJet is poised to announce a serious expansion into the U.S. and Europe. WestJet officials are gearing up for a major announcement in Edmonton on 18NOV that is said to include five new routes to the U.S. from Canada, including new flights to Anchorage, Raleigh/Durham and Salt Lake City.

Europe can get hot and crowded in summer. And we’ve all read about over-tourism in many European cities this year. So why not try a trip in winter? Air fares and hotels will be less expensive than summer, spring or fall, often wildly so. And you won’t have the crowds. Which means more time to delve deep and really explore. Here are seven great spots to try. IRELAND

Sunwing has removed 26 Cuba hotels from its product lineup as the island struggles with power grid problems. Sunwing says it will promote other Caribbean destinations, but remains committed to Cuba.

There’s a new plane in town and it’s a game changer for global carriers. The new single-aisle Airbus A321XLR will open up many long-range routes previously unaffordable with larger aircraft. Air Canada is said to have 30 on order.

Canadians, Americans and others who don’t live in Europe will need a new electronic visa to enter the UK beginning early next year. There are concerns it will hurt UK tourism.

Flight delays and cancellations remain a huge nuisance with 43% of biz travellers saying they faced a delay of more than an hour this year, severely affecting productivity.