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
Despite lower fourth quarter revenue Transat A.T. Inc. reported that the company turned its first annual profit since 2018 this year. As a result, Transat expects a capacity increase and overall growth in 2026.
The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) has launched a new membership recruitment campaign, inviting tour operators across Canada to join a unified national voice dedicated to advancing a strong, competitive, and sustainable travel industry. For details, jhebert@cato.ca.
The world’s tallest hotel has opened in Dubai. Featuring one of the world’s highest infinity pools with panoramic views of the emirate’s coastline, Ceil Dubai Marina represents a striking new landmark in the city’s skyline. The property has 1,004 rooms and suites, rising 82 floors and reaching 377 metres.
BY THE NUMBERS
’Tis the season: Between Dec. 18 and Jan. 4, the Air Cannada expects to welcome close to 130,000 customers a day – surpassing 140,000 during peak periods – in one of its busiest travel weeks of the year.
AIR
New weekly service to Tirana, Albania will be introduced by Air Transat, starting June 18, using an Airbus A330 aircraft
Porter Airlines has inaugurated nonstop service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (GCM), with up to three times weekly frequency. The route is complemented by twice weekly non-stop flights operating from Ottawa that began Dec. 19.
Air Canada has announced a further expansion of its Summer 2026 global schedule. From Montréal, Air Canada will offer non-stop service three times weekly to Berlin, and three times per week to Nantes, France. It will also be resuming its Montréal-Tel Aviv seasonal route for next summer. Meanwhile, the airline will launch service to Ponta Delgada in the Azores (Portugal) from Toronto and is also adding a second international destination from Halifax to Brussels.
DEALS
Through Jan. 4, Sunwing Vacations’ Boxing Week Sale offers savings of up to 31% per pair on select all-inclusive vacation packages to popular winter destinations, for travel until April 30, 2026. Further, guests who book an all-inclusive vacation package by Jan. 4 will receive a 20% off voucher code applicable to NexusTours excursions.
TravelBrands’ “Tis the Season of Deals: Boxing Week Sale” is effect through Jan. 2 with incentives for clients and agents as follows: TravelGenie Packages, Hotel-Only & Add-Ons Receive 5X Loyalty Rewards Points plus a $50 Add-Ons Credit applicable to tours, transfers, attractions, and shore excursions when using promo code BOX50; Encore Cruises – Second guest receives FREE prepaid gratuities; Exotik Journeys – Choose any program and receive an instant $200 off per couple; Car Rentals – Receive 2X Loyalty Rewards Points, a $50 gas card on every fifth car booking, plus two chances to win your rental back (through Jan 4); Intair Flights – Earn 7X Loyalty Rewards Points on WestJet bookings; and Sunquest – Receive 5X Loyalty Rewards Points plus a chance to win a bonus 50,000 Loyalty Rewards Points.
HOTELS & RESORTS
Following its first major renovation in two decades, Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo is entering a new chapter in 2026. While its iconic Belle Époque lobby remains gloriously intact, the hotel has undergone an elegant transformation, reaffirming its place as one of the Riviera’s most refined addresses. A major highlight of the refresh is the debut of the Spa Métropole by Guerlain, a serene, design-forward wellness haven conceived by Samy Itani of the Itani & Courtois agency.
TOURS
Goway’s new Solo Women Travel Line is designed to offer female travellers an opportunity to explore the world on their own, with five classic trips featuring Dubai, Egypt, India, Jordan, and Thailand. Every trip prioritizes safety and features single rate pricing and women-focused activities. The product line will be expanded in the future, including a package to Brazil lined up for early 2026 and more to follow.
Intrepid Travel has unveiled over 100 brand-new trips for 2026, featuring immersive adventures in more than 50 countries worldwide. The biggest-ever trip cover a variety of travel styles including Walking and Trekking, Multi-active, Cycling, Expeditions, Family, Rail and 18 to 35s, as well as two new trip ranges – Short Breaks and Premium Walking and Trekking.
CRUISE
Abercrombie & Kent‘s highly anticipated luxury riverboat Pure Amazon (photo above) recently began sailings along the rivers, lakes and backwaters of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. The 12-suite, 22-passenger vessel offers immersive itineraries ranging from three to seven nights, with exclusive excursions like kayaking, wildlife jungle walks, community visits, and piranha fishing with onboard naturalist guides. The culinary program spotlights Latin American cuisine and fine wines, with five-course tasting menus available on board.
ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS
Walt Disney World is set to unveil several new experiences across its parks in 2026. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will be reimagined as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, combining high-energy thrills with Muppet-style fun. It will also unveil “The Magic of Disney Animation” in 2026, a new family-friendly experience inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Emmy-winning short film, “Once Upon a Studio.” At Magic Kingdom Park, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad returns with upgraded tracks, enhanced effects, and fresh story elements. Over in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Zootopia: Better Together will debut in the Tree of Life Theater, replacing It’s Tough to Be a Bug! with a 4D show designed for family-friendly entertainment and a cool escape from the sun.
FAMS & INCENTIVES
Intrepid Travel has opened applications for its 2026 Agent FAM Program, offering Canadian travel advisors the chance to experience the tour company’s destinations and trip styles firsthand. From March through December 2026, the expanded FAM program includes opportunities across several destinations. Intrepid notes there is limited space on each FAM and applications for Central America close Dec. 31, 2025. All other FAM applications close Jan. 28. Participation fees for general FAMs start as low as $550 CAD. Full details, eligibility requirements, and the application form are available now on the Intrepid AGENT HUB.
The new Partners in Paradise program from Carnival Cruise Line invites travel advisors to get an inside look at its elevated private Celebration Key while highlighting the potential for business growth with ship inspections and one-on-ones with the Carnival team. Agents can choose from three-day, two-night experiences, for the week of Feb. 23 through March 1, or March 9-15. Priced at US$599, the package includes round-trip airfare from the participant’s home airport to Freeport, Bahamas, hotel accommodations, transportation throughout Freeport and Celebration Key, and a voucher to experience Celebration Key’s food and beverage offerings.
EVENTS
Dine Out Vancouver Festival returns for its 24th year from Jan. 21 to Feb. 8. This year’s DOVF showcases more than 400 restaurants from the North Shore to downtown, through Richmond and beyond, dishing up menus in fixed price points ranging from $25 to $70 p.p. Diners can also enjoy exclusive menus from MICHELIN One Star restaurants Burdock & Co. and Published on Main for $110. The festival will feature more than 30 special ticketed dining events, including a three-course dinner in one of Rocky Mountaineer’s luxury rail cars. Diners can also enjoy exclusive hotel, flight and attractions offers. Among them a 15% discount on all Air Canada base fares for the first 1,000 bookings made for travel between Jan. 14 and Feb. 15.
See dineoutvancouver.com/travel/fly-with-air-canada/ for more details.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
Two well-known travel industry figures have joined Wingbuddy, advancing the Montreal-based tour operators rapidly growing B2B strategy. Former Trafalgar and Globus exec Wolf Paunic joins as Director of Business Development, following the appointment earlier this year of Sébastien Lauzière, as BDM for Eastern Canada. They can be reached at wolf@wingbuddy.com and seb@wingbuddy.com respectively.
DESTINATIONS
The annual Tulip Festival returns Hampton Court Palace, former home of Henry VIII outside London in April, with thousands of vibrant tulips transforming the gardens and courtyards into a spectacular floral display. Visitors can pre-book private garden history tours.
LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY
In 2020, Ottawa began restricting travel from the United Kingdom in a bid to keep a contagious mutation of the virus that causes COVID-19 from reaching Canada.
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