THEY REALLY LOVE US: Sky’s the limit for Canadian carriers at World Airline Awards
Canadian airlines landed a number of top awards at this year’s prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards – dubbed “the Oscars of the aviation industry.” Leading the way were category winners Air Canada, Air Transat, and Porter Airlines. And joining them in the worldwide top 100 were WestJet and Air Canada Rouge.
FLAIR VACATIONS LOOKS TO EARN AGENTS’ TRUST: Announces inaugural gateways, destinations ahead of official opening
Touting a “trade-first” approach to its imminent launch, Flair Vacations has announced five gateways and five destinations for this winter, connecting Canadian travellers to getaway destinations in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, including Flair’s newest destination, Puerto Plata (POP).
JAMAICA SENDS ‘POWERFUL SIGNAL’ AT JAPEX
With the 36th staging of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) takes place in Ocho Rios last week (Sept. 14-17), Jamaica sent a “powerful signal” that it has nearly overcome the impact Hurricane Melissa and is ready and eager to welcome the world to its shores.
SEEING IS BELIZE-ING: Tourist board meets trade on Canadian roadshow
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) together with partners from the Belize Hotel Association, Best Western Plus Belize Biltmore Plaza and Darah Travel, recently completed a successful Canada Roadshow across Toronto, Montreal and Calgary from Sept. 9 to 11, engaging with hundreds of Canadian travel industry professionals ahead of the busy fall and winter travel season.
AIR FRANCE-KLM NAME NEW CANADA MANAGER
Air France-KLM has announced the appointment of Eugénie Audebert as Country Manager for Canada. She becomes the 19th person to lead the Group’s Canadian organization, established in 1950, the year Air France launched its first service between Montréal and Paris.
LAST WEEK THIS MORNING: Sept. 14-18, 2026
A round-up of news nuggets, airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news you may have missed.
Check out our special inFocus Editions...
Just in case you missed yesterday’s stories…
ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK: US tourism groups want to win Canadians back
Appeals from American tourism organizations seem to be everywhere. Billboards and banners proclaimed a state or city’s love for Canada. Online and social media ads offered special deals for travellers from north of the border.
WESTJET DOUBLE-DOUBLES DOWN WITH TIM HORTON’S
Tim Hortons’ coffee is cleared for takeoff. As Canadian brands increasingly search for ways to differentiate themselves in a crowded retail marketplace, the café giant is teaming up with WestJet.
AIR CANADA REVEALS TOP RESTAURANT CONTENDERS
For a quarter-century, ‘Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants’ has traversed coast to coast, mapping Canada’s culinary hotspots to uncover what’s new and next, establishing its place as a leading voice in food worth flying for.
WHY SMART TRAVELLERS NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT CASH
As Canadians continue to embrace digital payments at home, experienced travellers know that carrying local currency remains one of the smartest ways to prepare for international travel. In a new travel guide, ICE Exchange Corporation Canada explores why cash still plays an essential role in many destinations around the world despite the rapid growth of digital payments.
MIDDLE EAST ERASED FROM CRUISE MAP FOR YEARS
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Cruises lines are now expecting the Persian Gulf is going to be a no-go zone for a long, long time. Explora Journeys has just scratched 2028 Middle East itineraries for two of its ships. They join Norwegian Cruise Line, which cancelled its entire 2027-28 Gulf season.
LISTENING IN: A moving moment ‘Out in the middle of Lake Ontario’
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Who knew that a throwaway line in Blue Rodeo’s 1993 song “Hasn’t Hit Me Yet” would resonate so deeply some 33 years later?