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.
NEWS
Air Canada expected said most of routes were back up and by the end of the week after the conclusion of a strike by its flight attendants. Initially, the airline said it would take up to 10 days for service to fully return to normal levels across Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge.
Qantas Airways was fined AU$90 million (CDN$80.8 million) for illegally firing more than 1,800 ground staff at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The penalty is in addition to the AU$120 million ($108 million) in compensation that Australia’s biggest airline had already agreed to pay its former employees. Australian Federal Court Justice Michael Lee said the outsourcing of baggage handler and cleaner jobs at Australian airports in late 2020 was the “largest and most significant contravention” of relevant Australian labour laws in their 120-year history.
BY THE NUMBERS
According to IATA, Jeju-Seoul (CJU-GMP) is the most popular route globally, with 13.2 million passengers flying between the two airports in 2024. In the top 10, only one airport pair –Jeddah-Riyadh (JED-RUH) – was not in the Asia Pacific region. New York John F. Kennedy International Airport-Los Angeles (JFK-LAX) was the busiest route in North America with 2.2 million passengers while Barcelona-Palma de Mallorca (BCN-PMI) was the busiest within Europe with 2 million passengers.
AIR
Air Canada will reintroduce its non-stop service to Lima from Toronto and Montréal this winter. Starting Dec. 5, the airline will begin flying directly to the Peruvian coastal capital twice weekly from both Toronto Pearson International Airport and Montréal-Trudeau International Airport. The routes will feature the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which offers capacity for 248 passengers in Signature Class, Premium Economy, and Economy classes.
DEALS
The new “Tempting Tahiti” offer from Paul Gauguin Cruises offers guests $1,000 in shipboard credit per stateroom or suite on all 2026 departures. Applicable to bookings made by Sept. 26, 2025, the offer applies to the line’s all-inclusive, luxury sailings to the Society Islands, Tuamotus, Marquesas, Cook Islands and South Pacific. Travelers can use their shipboard credit toward shore excursions, spa treatments, shopping, and other splurges. A special gift is also in store for travel advisors, who will receive a $500 gift card ($250 for solo travellers) for each newly deposited booking.
The “Endless Summer Sale” presented by the Bermuda Tourism Authority and the Bermuda Hotel Association, gives Canadian travellers special savings of up to 30% when booked through Oct. 13 for travel through the end of 2025. More than a dozen properties are taking part in the seasonal sale, offering discounted hotel rates, free nights and value-added perks for travellers. More details HERE.
TOURS
With bookings to North and Central Asia in destinations like China, Mongolia (photo above), Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan up 66% year-on-year, Intrepid Travel has launched launched six new trips across Northern and Central Asia including China, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, and the Stans marking its biggest expansion in the region yet. The new itineraries go far off the tourist trail, such as trekking with reindeer herders in Mongolia, sleeping in yurts in the Tien Shan Mountains, and hiking untouched sections of the Great Wall.
TTC Tour Brands has launched 16 new itineraries for travel in 2026, across Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold, marking the largest introduction of new trips in the past seven years. The expansion spans five continents, with each of the new itineraries including a mix of nature escapes, culinary explorations, heritage-rich adventures, and women-only departures.
New tours break down as follows – Trafalgar (8), Insight (6), and Luxury Gold (2). Tours are now available to book, details in the TTC Tour Brands Travel Advisor Portal.
HOTELS & RESORTS
Sunwing Vacations is adding a new resort to its winter 2025-26 lineup: Majestic Mirage Costa Mujere. Available from January, the Cancun resort features twelve sparkling pools including six with swim-up bars, an extensive menu of culinary options, exclusive Club Level, Family Club section, and a wide selection of activities and entertainment for guests of all ages.
Located in the lively heart of St. Julian’s, the new voco Malta offers a stylish urban retreat just steps from St. George’s Bay. Guests can indulge in culinary delights at Lumi restaurant and unwind at the rooftop pool or spa. Surrounded by shopping, nightlife, and culture, voco Malta combines modern comfort with sustainability practices for an elevated, eco-conscious stay.
CRUISE
Crystal cruise line has unveiled ‘By Abercrombie & Kent,’ an exclusive partnership with sister tour company Abercrombie & Kent. The program extends Crystal’s exceptional voyages beyond the ship, offering guests both curated land adventures and A&K’s acclaimed cultural expertise aboard Crystal vessels. The curated collection of land-based experiences spans continents, from Africa to Asia, the South Pacific to the Mediterranean, and is designed to immerse guests in destinations’ culture, nature, and history.
Available for booking through Sept. 30, Ponant Explorations’ “Enticing Iceland” program presents two value-added options: complimentary airfare or a post-cruise experience. The offer is available on a series of summer 2026 itineraries in Iceland, where the ships will venture to the remote Westfjords – an otherworldly landscape defined by cascading waterfalls that tumble from moss-covered cliffs, abundant wildlife, and a rich sense of culture. Those who choose complimentary airfare will receive roundtrip flights to and from Reykjavík (valued up to $1,000). The post-cruise stay includes one night at a hotel, meals and beverages, transfers, guided experiences, and entrance fees as outlined in the program.
FAMS & INCENTIVES
Montreal-based Rental Escapes, a full-service luxury villa company specializing in providing unparalleled private villa rentals worldwide, has an end-of-summer offer that makes booking even more rewarding for travel advisors. From Aug. 25 to Sept. 30, travel advisors can earn an Amazon gift card of up to $5,000 on all bookings made during promotion window for travel by Dec. 31, 2026. The reward value is based on the total villa rental cost, meaning bigger bookings can translate into maximum rewards.
A limited time incentive from Trafalgar is available to travel advisors and their clients booking the tour company’s new river cruise product. Through Sept. 30, advisors will earn a CAD$750 gift card per couple booked and their clients will receive CAD$2,000 off per couple on select 2026 departures. Use the promo code TR26IOS.
EVENTS
Skal Toronto hosted its remarkable 69th annual golf tournament in Toronto last week with over 100 members and guests in attendance for a fine day on the links and lunch at the Royal Woodbine course near Pearson airport. The event was made possible by a lengthy list of sponsoring travel industry partners, including tournament sponsor Exoticca, along with Virgin Airways, Visit Britain, and more, with Travel Industry Today also teeing up closest to the pin prizes. Among the golfers were Shabhaz Kahn (Air Miles), Wolf Paunic, Colin Wood (VoX International), and Mike Baginski (Travel Industry Today).
DESTINATIONS
New York City Tourism + Conventions, the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of New York City, has launched NYC Broadway Week 2-for-1 tickets at nyctourism.com/broadwayweek featuring 24 shows, with performances running from Sept. 8 to 21. The twice-yearly program invites audiences to experience Broadway at a value, at this year kicks of with a free live concert in Times Square on Sept. 7 featuring performances from 23 Broadway shows.
This fall, the Chicago Architecture Biennial (Sept.-Feb. 2026), the largest exhibition of its kind in North America, returns to the Windy City. Expect exhibitions, talks, performances, and films at the Biennial, which is free and open to the public. While in town, visitors can explore Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie-style homes or take a river cruise through the city’s architecturally renowned skyline.
LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY
In 2009, the Canada Line, Vancouver‘s new rapid transit line and the first to link a major Canadian city to its airport, opened with a day of free riding.
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