Author name: Michael Baginski

HARD TO SWALLOW: Brand USA budget bludgeoned

By Michael Baginski/  Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” is now law, which is bad news for Brand USA. At nearly 900 pages, the budget reconciliation legislation – signed by the president with the backdrop of fireworks on July 4 – is a sprawling collection of tax breaks, spending cuts and other Republican priorities, including new money for national defense and deportations. But buried in the document is the slashing of funding for the marketing organization responsible for promoting U.S. tourism abroad by 80% to a mere $20 million.

LISTENING IN: They say it’s your birthday

Each year on since 2008, Ringo Starr has invited people everywhere to pause at 12 noon local time on July 8 – his birthday – to say, think, or post “Peace and Love” as a collective moment of global unity. The heartfelt tradition is now recognized worldwide as a simple yet powerful gesture of kindness and hope.

LISTENING IN: Seattle a Nirvana for music

By Michael Baginski/ From Hendrix to Heart and Brandi Carlile to the Foo Fighters, Seattle has consistently rated as one of North America’s premiere music cities. Perhaps most notably, the Pacific northwest city spawned “grunge,” the gritty sound that captured the zeitgeist of the late 1980s and early ‘90s.

THE BAHAMAS BOUNCE: And the islands’ love affair with Canada

By Michael Baginski/- Not unlike its ubiquitous flying fish, Bahamas tourism is calmly skimming along above the surface of the world’s choppy waters and having a definitive moment in the sun, both generally and with its integral Canadian market.

US TRAVEL INTERVIEWED ME AND THIS IS WHAT I TOLD THEM

By Michael Baginski/   I’m usually the one asking the questions. But this year at IPW, the U.S. Travel Association interviewed me – on camera – about my views on Canadian travel south of the border during these troubled times. And as a Canadian, I told them we were pissed.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: The two sides of America at IPW

By Michael Baginski/   IPW wasn’t a doozy – at least in the way I predicted in this space a week ago. To be clear, the annual U.S. Travel Association tradeshow was absolutely first rate thanks to the organizers, and particularly host city Chicago; however, any anticipated fireworks inside the show were quickly doused by a thorough glossing over by U.S. Travel and Brand USA of the affairs going on outside the convention space.

LISTENING IN: Linda Ronstadt rolls the dice on Stones classic

By Michael Baginski/ “Tumbling Dice” is often cited as one of the Rolling Stones top songs, so it’s of little surprise that it has been covered by many artists over the years and, surprisingly perhaps, none so capably as Linda Ronstadt. That’s no insult to clearly one of the greatest vocalists of all time, but one tends to recall her softer offerings like “Blue Bayou.”

THIS COULD BE A DOOZY: US IPW trade show kicks off in Chicago

by Michael Baginski/-Chicago is the place to be for the travel trade this week as U.S. Travel hosts its signature IPW trade show, where U.S. suppliers and destinations – and the host city, of course – pull out all the stops to put on a show for the world and position the U.S. as a pre-eminent place to visit. At the same time, the event never fails to capture the zeitgeist of the host country – both in travel and in general – and, as such, this year ought to be a doozy.

LISTENING IN: Remembering Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys’ resident genius

The endless summer has come to an end. Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys’ visionary and fragile leader whose genius for melody, arrangements and wide-eyed self-expression inspired “Good Vibrations,” “California Girls” and other summertime anthems and made him one of the world’s most influential recording artists, has died at 82.

BE WELL PREPARED AND TRUTHFUL: What U.S. Travel says about entering the States

By Michael Baginski/   With thousands of travel trade professionals from around the world – typically including well over a hundred Canadians – set to descend on Chicago this weekend for the U.S. travel industry’s signature IPW trade show (June 14-18), the U.S. Travel Association has issued a notable and sign-of-the-times guide to entering the country for delegates.

COSTA RICA NOT SLOTHFUL OVER CANADIAN MARKET

By Michael Baginski/ More than 250 travel advisors turned out last week in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to experience the La Pura Vida lifestyle as a delegation of more than a dozen suppliers from Costa Rica, plus the country’s tourism minister, made the case that there’s no better time for Canadians for visit.

LISTENING IN: Jammin’ with The Jackson 5

By Michael Baginski/ With the news this week that G Adventures has enlisted The Jacksons to perform at the company’s epic GX tourism event in Jordan in September, the time seems right to recall a group that is one of the top-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide since bursting on the scene with four straight No. 1 hits on the Motown label in 1969.

NYC AND ME: Why I’d go back to the Big Apple in a New York minute

By Michael Baginski/    I recently spent a minute (several, in fact) in New York – a visit that transpired during the nascent times of tariffs and the 51st state. Perhaps not surprisingly, I was asked by some why I went, and what my experience was like. Simply put, it was New York – no more, no less. Frenetic, mesmerizing, limitless, a world unto itself. And utterly unconcerned, even oblivious, of my Canadianness and critical gaze.

BERLIN: Germany’s Cool Capital is calling Canadians

By Michael Baginski/    There’s no better time for Canadians to discover, or return to, Berlin – on many levels – says the CEO of Visit Berlin, who noted to Canadian media last week that, “When we read the news about south of here, we immediately thought that we should go and visit our friends in Canada.”

LISTENING IN: Getting ready for Chicago

This year’s U.S. travel trade show IPW kicks off in a couple of weeks in Chicago and one of the best perks for attendees will be the city’s vibrant music scene. The city continues to celebrate the 50th anniversary of House music (ok, not my cup of tea, so don’t worry!), but it is equally renowned for its rock, jazz and, especially, blues history.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: Caribbean courts Canadians amid US ‘crisis’

By Michael Baginski/   Many Caribbean nations are looking further north than usual for visitors as economic turmoil threatens the United States and wary (and aggrieved) Canadians look for alternative destinations to the U.S. for their summer holidays.

LISTENING IN: Comedy-inspired Middle Aged Dad Jam Band no joke

Which of us aging dads hasn’t had – or at least hasn’t wanted to – have their own band out in the garage? Well, the Middle-Aged Dad Jam Band (MadJB) has actually fulfilled that fantasy. Formed during the pandemic by members of the comedy troupe The State, the project is no joke. All accomplished musicians, the group exploded on social media, formed their own YouTube channel, and enlisted celebrity friends to join them in performing a repertoire of favourite pop-rock classics, like Kristen Bell in today’s rendition of “Islands in the Stream.”

THE NEXION CONNECTION: Host agency takes stock in Canada

By Michael Baginski/   Travel remains strong in 2025, according to a new survey of Nexion Travel Group (NTG) members in Canada, who report that factors such as global uncertainty, political tensions between the U.S. and Canada, as well as a weaker loonie and economic distrust, have affected where – but not whether – Canadians are travelling this year.

CANADIANS HELP DRIVE CARIBBEAN TOURISM GROWTH

By Michael Baginski/   With Canadian visitations rebounding and a continued strong interest from the U.S., the Caribbean tourism sector is continuing robust recovery and expansion, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).

LISTENING IN: We’re with The Band

I heard this song – this version, at least – walking through an airport somewhere and it stopped me in my tracks. Almost missed my flight. I’m kidding, of course, but The Band’s folksy, Appalachian treatment of the Bruce Springsteen classic “Atlantic City” did give me a “what is this?” moment and sent me searching on the Internet when I got home.

FROM BUS TO ROBUST, COLLETTE SUPPORTS AGENTS

By Michael Baginski/    Collette celebrated Travel Agent Month with a special gathering for Toronto-area travel advisors Tuesday atop the X Hotel at Exhibition Place, offering arguably the most spectacular view of the city, and the island airport.

‘SHAMEFUL’ TREATMENT: Frustrated US destinations step up to court Canada

By Michael Baginski/    Holding to account “the big orange elephant in the room” and the “shameful way the current president has represented us on the national stage as of late,” Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker says matter of factly that he “doesn’t blame anyone from Canada whose appetite for visiting the U.S. might have soured.”

NEW US BILL WOULD LET SNOWBIRDS NEST FOR LONGER: But will they want to?

By Michael Baginski/    Three members of Congress from across the U.S. political and geographical spectrum – one an avid supporter of Donald Trump; another a Republican who has been targeted by the POTUS; and an opposition Democrat – having come out in support of Canadian snowbirds, proposing that the reliable long-stay visitors be allowed to stay in U.S. even longer than is currently permitted.

LISTENING IN: It’s Miller time

I get plenty of random e-mail (as we all do) and one of the regular ones persists in advising me who I can expect to see perform at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., should I be in the neighbourhood, and so inclined. But I must say, the place does present a stellar line-up and in many cases I would if I could, such as an upcoming gig by the great Steve Miller.

‘LOOK BEYOND THE WORDS’: New York as welcoming as ever, says tourism boss

By Michael Baginski/   A “reverse” trade mission hosted by New York City Tourism + Conventions last week took on important new meaning as members of the city’s travel trade strived to reverse the current feeling by some Canadians that they are not appreciated or welcome south of the border – a perception perpetuated by well-documented words and deeds of the U.S. president directed towards Canada since taking power (again).

PORTER TAKES BIGGER BITE OF BIG APPLE WITH LGA FLIGHTS

By Michael Baginski/    Clients flying to New York with Porter now have a new option with flights to LaGuardia complementing the carrier’s existing Newark service. And with LGA flights departing from Pearson, travellers can also choose an alternative departure point to the Big Apple than Billy Bishop island airport.

LISTENING IN: The Magic Power of Triumph

It’s been over 40 years since the heyday of Triumph, but the great Canadian band is still revered, garnering virtually every honorific possible in this country, and now again in the news thanks to the upcoming release (in June) of a tribute album featuring the likes of band devotees Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Ann Wilson (Heart), Larry Gowan, (Styx), and Sebastian Bach (Skid Row).

SHOWING THE LOVE: Brand USA mission arrives in Canada to help ‘reimagine’ US travel 

By Michael Baginski/    Kicking off today (Monday), a whopping 30 U.S. destinations are taking part in Brand USA’s multi-day Brand USA ‘Canada Connect 2025’ mission, with timely events in Toronto and Montreal that the US DMO acknowledges are taking place at “pivotal moment” amid “shifting travel trends on both sides of the border.”

LISTENING IN: A song for the times then and now

It’s remembered as the epic coming together of two of the world’s greatest rock bands, The Beatles and Queen. But the momentous jam by Paul, Ringo, Brian May and Roger Taylor – notably aided by a who’s who of musical friends, with a full orchestra, for the rendition of “All You Need is Love” – was so much more.

NOT OUR FIRST RODEO: How advisors are coping in 2025, and top trending tips

By Michael Baginski/    Despite cross-border travel woes, the sky is far from falling for travel, according to a panel of top agents at Virtuoso’s recent ‘On the Road’ event in Toronto. Indeed, the biggest takeaway from the session was that travellers are mostly going to travel no matter what, though in the current circumstances, that may simply mean changing destinations – and how agents get them there may require some flexibility and finesse.

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