NEW transatlantic flights are to be launched out of Glasgow.
One of Canada's biggest tour operators is to introduce twice-weekly flights to Toronto and the first will take off tomorrow afternoon with scores of Scottish tourists on board.
Sunwing Airlines is to fly holidaymakers out of the west of Scotland hub every Thursday and Sunday. They will also be bringing Canadian visitors to Glasgow twice weekly.
Sunwing's first transatlantic operation comes at a time when about 100,000 Canadians jet into Scotland each year and inject £65 million into the country's economy.
Glasgow Airport's commercial director Francois Bourienne said: "Scotland and Canada have always enjoyed strong cultural ties and the introduction of this new route to Toronto is great news for Glasgow and the wider tourism industry."
Sunwing has already recruited Glasgow-based Canada Travel Services as its sole UK booking agent.
Chief executive Duncan Wilson said he welcomed the introduction of a twice-weekly service. He added: "I'm sure the strong connections between the two countries will ensure this service will prove successful with Scottish and Canadian passengers and I look forward to working closely with Glasgow Airport."
The decision to launch new services was first announced in December by Scotland's Culture and External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop.
She said: "Strong global connections are crucial to our economic prosperity and this new route is a tremendous boost for Glasgow and Scotland as a whole."
The Scottish Government has long recognised the economic benefits of attracting Canadian and American visitors and ministers have gone out of their way in recent years to court both countries.
Last year Sunwing executive Andrew Dawson revealed that travel partners had pleaded with the airline to establish flights between Glasgow and Toronto which is Canada's largest city.
He said: "In addition to the strong historic ties, there is a growing market for a vacation that combines history and old world charm with the modern sophistication of a city stay and Scotland and Glasgow meet those criteria perfectly."
The new service is being launched after Sunwing's rivals, Canadian Affair, decided to provide an extra 10,000 seats this year on its flights out of Glasgow to Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, and this month is offering cut-price holiday deals on the Rocky Mountain train for £899 which includes return flights and accommodation.
gordon.thomson@ eveningtimes.co.uk