Destinations

MULLING THE KINTYRE TRAIL AND OTHER SENSATIONAL SCOTTISH HIKES

With miles of coastline, plus impossibly scenic highlands and valleys, Scotland rates as one of the world’s great hiking destinations. And with the northern European country easier to get to than ever for Canadians thanks to new direct Air Canada flights launching from Montreal to Edinburgh this month (June), plus existing direct flights from YYZ to EDI, it’s an ideal time for those looking to lace up the hiking boots and hit the trails.

WIN A TRIP: Seattle prioritizes Canadian travel trade relationship

Three Canadian travel advisors who were winners in the ‘Sell Your Way to the USA’ incentive campaign, recently returned from a prize FAM trip hosted by Visit Seattle, in partnership with Brand USA. And three more can qualify for another trip to the Emerald City in October by completing Visit Seattle’s new online training program by July 1.

CANADA COMPASS: The power of Pow Wows and where to see them this summer

Canada continues to be recognized as a global leader in Indigenous tourism, with several Pow Wows celebrated annually. More recently, Indigenous tourism and experiences have gained greater attention as travellers increasingly seek meaningful and culturally rich experiences.

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.

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.

PORTER BOOSTS EAST COAST OPTIONS

East coast connectivity is being boosted by the launch of two new routes from Porter Airlines – Toronto to Deer Lake, Nfld., and YYZ to Charlottetown. The former began yesterday (June 10), the latter takes flight Friday (June 13). The flights open up additional travel possibilities across the country, with connecting options via Toronto linking to Western Canada.

PRETTY IN PINK: Bermuda courts Canadians ahead of new flight

By Michael Baginski/    It was a nice gesture – cruising around the islands of Toronto harbour (on a still chilly night in June, egads) – but the Bermuda Tourism Authority’s (BTA) trade event on Monday night certainly made one thing crystal clear: It would have been better to be in those islands (there are in fact, 181 of them).

TORONTO WELCOMES NOBU HOTEL

The Nobu Hotel Toronto is now officially open. Following the opening of its popular restaurant in 2024 and the debut of its residences, the hotel completes the Nobu’s first integrated property under one roof, located in the city’s entertainment district.

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.

SILVER LINING: U.S. travel boycott may mean billions for Canadian tourism

A new report from the Conference Board of Canada argues that Canada’s trade war with the United States might come with a silver lining for the domestic tourism industry with the board estimating that estimates that Canadians boycotting the U.S. for cross-border vacations could net the country’s tourism sector up to $8.8 billion in extra business this year as travellers stay closer to home.

FLIGHTS ARE BETTER FOR THE BAHAMAS

With new and expanded airlift options from multiple gateways across Canada, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism says getting to the Caribbean islands will be easier than ever for Canadians this summer and fall.

CANADA COMPASS: New look for Nova Scotia’s Fox Harb’r Resort

As Nova Scotia gains ground as one of Canada’s top golf destinations, Fox Harb’r Resort, Eastern Canada’s only four diamond, five- star resort is marking its 25th anniversary with a sweeping transformation designed to elevate the guest experience on and off the course.

JAMAICA’S WATER-FORWARD ADVENTURES

While Jamaica is famous for its pristine beaches and reggae culture, there’s much more that travellers can experience than meets the eye. Beyond Jamaica’s best all-inclusive resorts are a variety of natural wonders that highlight the island’s incredible beauty and where visitors are virtually guaranteed to get wet!

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.

BAGPIPES AND KILTS: A Scottish summer sampling

From epic anniversaries and a reimagined landmark castle to the Knights who say ‘ni,’ here are 10 tidbits of news or note, some even a little bit quirky, emanating from the land of bagpipes and kilts for this summer and beyond.

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.”

CLIMATE CRISIS PROMPTS ROOM, CRUISES TAXES: Hawaii governor says destination first, but won’t be last

Hawaii’s governor has signed legislation that boosts a tax – to 19 percent – imposed on hotel room and vacation rental stays in order to raise money to address eroding shorelines, wildfires and other consequences of climate change. The signing, which includes a 11 percent levy on cruise ships comes nearly two years after a Maui wildfire killed 102 people and wiped out almost all of Lahaina town, and marks the first such levy in the U.S. to help cope with a warming planet.

CANADA COMPASS: Last roar for The Lion King in Toronto

“The Lion King” will soon utter its final roar in Toronto. Mirvish Productions has announced that the last performance of the critically acclaimed and award-winning musical will take place Aug. 30 at the Princess of Wales Theatre.

THE BEACH IS BACK: Caribbean demand heats up for summer

Leading travel intelligence provider ForwardKeys has published a joint report, “Caribbean Travel Trends 2025” indicating strong demand for the region this summer, not least as consumers seek to go back to beaches.

CANADA, NATURALLY: New tourism brand unveiled

‘Canada, naturally’ is the country’s new tourism brand and tagline. Unveiled at the recent Rendez-vous Canada, the country’s largest international tourism tradeshow, the brand is meant to reflect “what comes naturally to Canada – awe-inspiring landscapes and warm-hearted people – and how even the ordinary moments here can feel extraordinary to guests,” according to Destination Canada.

FAM-TASTIC SEATTLE: New specialist program offers essential knowledge, chance to win trip

Travel advisors who complete Visit Seattle’s new online training program by July 1 will have a chance to win one of three spots on a FAM trip to the Emerald City scheduled for early October. The free interactive program is designed to equip travel professionals with in-depth knowledge and skills they can use to showcase the city’s exceptional experiences to their clients and to do so backed by an official “Seattle Certified” designation.

CANADA COMPASS: Festivals adds colour to Quebec summer

From stargazing in a Dark Sky Reserve to wrangling brook trout (or bulls), Québec’s most unconventional festivals offer memorable ways to experience the province’s landscapes, culture, and sense of fun this summer. Here are four festivals of notes catering to diverse and unique interests.

TOURISTS EAGER TO RE-VISIT VIETNAM’S TROUBLED PAST

Hamburger Hill, Hue, the Ia Drang Valley, Khe Sanh: Some remember the Vietnam War battles from the headlines of the 1960s and 1970s, others from movies and history books. And thousands of Americans and Vietnamese know them as the graveyards of loved ones who died fighting more than a half-century ago.

CARIBBEAN NEEDS MORE FLIGHTS FROM CANADA

By Michael Baginski/    Despite a 16 percent increased forecast for flights to the Caribbean from Canada this summer, a new study says lift from this country to the region is not keeping up with travel demand that is peaking due in part to travellers seeking alternatives to travel to the U.S.

NEW HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HONOURS OSCAR SCHINDLER

A dilapidated industrial site in the Czech Republic where German businessman Oskar Schindler saved 1,200 Jews during the World War II is coming back to life. The site, a former textile factory in the town of Brněnec, about 160 km. east of Prague, was stolen by the Nazis from its Jewish owners in 1938 and turned into a concentration camp. In May it welcomed the first visitors to the Museum of Survivors dedicated to the Holocaust and the history of Jews in this part of Europe.

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.

PUTTING ON A SHOW: Rendez-vous Canada kicks off in Winnipeg

Rendez-vous Canada (RVC), Canada’s largest tourism tradeshow, kicks off today (May 27) in Winnipeg, bringing together 500 Canadian tourism businesses and more than 400 buyers from 22 international markets – including Destination Canada’s nine key markets – to showcase Canada to the world for the rest of the week. The event is expected to generate tens of millions in sales.

UP IN SMOKE: Why Nevada weed tourism hasn’t taken root

Cannabis lounges were once seen as a promising new frontier in Nevada’s legal marijuana industry – the bedrock of a new Amsterdam-like weed tourism district in a Sin City on the cutting edge of hospitality innovation.

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