Destinations

WHO IS TRAVELLING TO ITALY, WHERE AND WHY

Italy continues to hold the world’s highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites – 61 in total – with Italian cuisine added to the list of intangible heritage in 2025. Its standing as a leading global cultural destination is firmly established. The deeper story lies in how travellers are interacting with that heritage: which cities are strengthening their appeal, how demand is redistributing geographically, and whether growing visitor volumes are affecting experience quality.

WILLKOMMEN: Germany’s back and Canadians are ready  to visit

VoX International Inc. has been reappointed as the agency of record for the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) in Canada, effective April 1, 2026, marking the official return of in-market representation following a temporary pause.

LOOKING BACK AND GOING FORWARD

Rome’s Colosseum has a bright new look following a restoration using the same travertine marble of ancient Rome to recreate parts of columns from 2,000 years ago. Thousands of Romans once flocked to this arena to watch gladiators battle each other and wild animals. The structure still captures the public’s imagination; it is Italy’s most popular tourist destination, with 9 million visitors in 2025 alone.

JUST KEEP ON GOING:

With Toronto set to host six matches of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, new research from Destination Ontario highlights significant opportunities for the tourism industry across the province to entice visitors beyond the city around the June 12 to July 2 game window.

GRENADA IN FOCUS: Meet its’s must-see beaches

Grenada delivers the beach escape vacationers picture when they think of the Caribbean, with a safe, welcoming atmosphere and enough variety to keep every day feeling exciting. The island’s coastline ranges from iconic, postcard-worthy stretches to quieter and secluded bays with warm water and laid-back energy that makes it easy to stay a while.

FLOATING HOTEL SPARKS VANCOUVER WATERFRONT WORRIES

Vancouver’s council has approved a 250-room floating hotel on the city’s waterfront that proponents say would bring more accommodation capacity and generate economic activity, despite concerns that it would mar water and mountain views. 

THE RISE OF THE CULINARY SAFARI: And what it means for the travel trade

By CINDY-LOU DALE/ Safari cuisine was once the weakest link in an otherwise extraordinary experience. Lodges typically relied on colonial-era menus, imported ingredients, and dishes that bore little connection to the landscapes in which they were served. But across Africa, that model is being rapidly replaced. A new generation of chefs and lodge operators are reshaping bush dining by embracing indigenous produce, heritage recipes, and hyper-local sourcing.

SLAINTÉ TO IRELAND: Tourist board, partners celebrate Canada, trade

By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Ireland’s tourist board and a host of road show partners wrapped a successful week-long “whistle stop tour” of Eastern Canada at an elegant reception at the Residence of Ireland Toronto Friday after stops in St. John’s, Halifax, Moncton, and Montreal.

‘ALWAYS EVOLVING’ FLORIDA STILL FOND OF CANADIAN FRIENDS

By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ With new VISIT FLORIDA president and CEO Bryan Griffen headed to Canada for his first official visit in the coming days, the tourism organization’s annual media mission called ahead in Vancouver and Toronto last week to assure that the sun is still shining in the state and that Canadians are still most welcome to come to visit – when they’re ready.

SO BAD THEY’RE GOOD: Icelandair seeks awful photographer to shoot new campaign

Battered camera phone from 2003? Your thumb appears in every shot? Photos that are somehow ALWAYS slightly out of focus? Decapitate your subjects with terrible composition? If any of this sounds familiar, consider that Icelandair is on the hunt for people with a very specific skill: the ability to take absolutely terrible photos. And it’s willing to pay someone US$50,000 to try to do so.

UNLOCKING EUROPE IN THE OFF SEASON: Europe eyes Canadian market for growth

Canada represents a high-value long-haul market and a strategic source of demand beyond Europe’s peak summer months, particularly during the shoulder season, according to a new study, presented during European Tourism Association (ETOA) webinar series on North America outbound markets.

SUNWING CANCELS SUMMER IN CUBA

Sunwing Vacations Group is extending its pause of operations to Cuba for the summer season to include Varadero (VRA) and Cayo Coco (CCC). As such, all operations in Cuba have been cancelled from June 20 through Oct. 9, 2026 (inclusive) for all gateways/airports across its three brands: Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations and Vacances WestJet Quebec.

PATA HOPING FOR THE BEST: But prepared for the worst

Pacific-Asian inbound travel is poised to exceed pre-pandemic levels starting this year, and reach 761.2 million visitors by 2028, according to the latest forecast from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

GRENADA IN FOCUS: A getaway that fits your pace

Grenada pairs classic Caribbean beauty with a safe, welcoming atmosphere that makes it easy for travellers to settle in and explore. Known for its relaxed pace and varied landscapes, the island offers a seamless blend of coastal calm, nature and light adventure. From soft-sand shores to forested hills, memorable experiences are always close at hand.

CANADA COMPASS: Yearning for Yellowknife

Citing growing interest in travel to the North, the Government of the Northwest Territories reported an increase in annual passenger traffic at Yellowknife Airport for 2025 when compared to the previous year.

BERMUDA TOURISM HITS NEW HEIGHTS: Hosts trade event at top of the CN Tower

By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ More than 70 members of the Canadian travel trade turned out – or up, more accurately – for a Bermuda Tourism Authority event at the top of the CN Tower last week that, fittingly, offered the latest updates on what continues to make the mid-Atlantic island a top travel destination.

THE SPICE IS NICE: Grenada comes calling in Canada

By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Grenada Tourism Authority director of sales Sekou Stroude was holding forth at an event in chilly Toronto last week when he surmised that many of those in the audience might just be wondering, “Why am I here in this cold?” 

CUBA TOURIST BOARD TO HOLD HYBRID TOURISM SHOW

With a theme of “Resilience and Renewal,” the Cuba Tourist Board is set to host a hybrid version of its International Tourism Fair, FITCuba 2026 and members of the Canadian trade are invited to attend.

40TH ANNIVERSARY: Canada Place – more than a cruise terminal

Canada Place is celebrating 40 years as one of Canada’s most recognizable landmarks on Vancouver’s waterfront. Since opening on May 2, 1986, as the Canada Pavilion for Expo 86, it has become a popular destination for residents and visitors, a venue for major public events, and home to the Port of Vancouver’s award-winning cruise terminal, which is the largest in Canada. 

CANADA COMPASS: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump having a moment

A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Alberta is enjoying a recent uptick in interest spurred by a random shout out on a popular American television show – and its head of marketing hopes that curiosity translates into a bustling summer season.

DOING IT DIFFERENTLY: Agents get – and give – the goods on Guadeloupe

By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ In late March, the Guadeloupe Tourism Committee (GTC) hosted five accomplished travel advisors from Ontario to help them get to know the Caribbean islands intimately and in person – and to share what they learned as the French-Caribbean destination continues to make inroads in English-speaking Canada.

CANADA SETS ALL-TIME CAYMAN RECORD

The Cayman Islands welcomed over 49,000 stayover visitors in February, representing a 10.1% increase year over year and marking the second-strongest February on record. Canada led February’s performance and continued its record-setting momentum with double-digit percentage increases in stayover visitation for the fourth consecutive month.

SLIP SLIDING AWAY: Canadian Caribbean visits dip in 2025

Caribbean tourism continued its expansion in 2025, recording a 2.5% increase in international stay-over arrivals to an estimated 35 million visits, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). However, a decline in Canadian arrivals tempered the gains.

GUADELOUPE, EH!: An English-speaking guide to a French Caribbean gem

By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Start with the name. It’s Guad-el-oup – which is to say, not Guad-a -loup-eh (a city in Mexico). You could call it “the biggest small island in the Caribbean,” as some inhabitants boast, or, better still, just call it Gwada, as the locals do in their creole dialect.

WIN A SWEDISH ISLAND: It could be all yours for a year

With over 267,000 islands, Sweden has more islands than any other country on Earth – islands that are defined by calm, rest, clean air and restorative nature, large or small, set in the sea or emerging from a lake. With a rethinking of what luxury means, Sweden is now offering five of them for free to use and care for during a year.

JAPAN’S LUXURY HOTEL RENAISSANCE: Four landmark openings shaping 2026

By CINDY-LOU DALE/ Japan’s hospitality sector is entering a defining new phase. After years of recalibration following the pandemic, the country’s luxury hotel pipeline for 2026 reveals a confident, carefully considered return to growth – one that prioritises cultural sensitivity, adaptive reuse and regional diversification over sheer scale.

AFTER THE FLOOD: North shore Oahu returning to normal

Following the recent storms that brought flooding to parts of the Hawai’i, the historic town of Haleʻiwa, is moving forward as shops and restaurants reopen – and visitors are being welcomed back, says state tourism officials.

Scroll to Top