The CEOs of American Airlines, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue, are imploring U.S. Congress to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security and embrace a bipartisan solution to pay federal aviation workers including airport security officers during the partial government shutdown.
This week: TTAND tunes in to luxury; Virtuoso unveils 21 Canadian cruise “icons’; KVI Travel also “evolves” with enhanced luxury offerings; Uniworld University introduces a new course; and Coconut Bay Resort & Spa in Saint Lucia has a bonus for advisors.
By JEN SAVEDRA/ 2026 is proving to be an exceptional year for the Dominican Republic, with official data showing that an amazing 1.22 million visitors arrived in January alone. This “unprecedented surge” represents an 8.7% increase over the previous year, and a 61% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
As fears of a global energy crisis rose on Monday, Donald Trump said he demanded about seven countries send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open as Iranian strikes continued to rain down on Gulf countries as the week began.
According to new data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute, the recent acrimonious U.S.-Canada trade relationship, fueled by the economic hostility of the Trump administration, is not reflected in the general views of Americans. Three-quarters (73%) in the U.S. say they have a favourable view of Canada.
More than one in three travellers are thinking about retiring outside their home country, according to the latest Global Rescue Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey. The results show strong curiosity about international retirement among younger and higher-income respondents, with only about half of all travellers saying they plan to retire domestically.
As the 2026 wave season nears its end, TRAVELSAVERS Canada reports notable double-digit increases in cruise sales across virtually all major categories compared with the same period last year. The strongest gains during the first two months of the year came from expedition and river cruising, which posted year‐over‐year increases of 40% and 15% respectively. Luxury cruise sales increased 14% and ocean cruises grew nine%.
Antoine Gordon has been named the new Business Development Manager, Alberta, Manitoba and Northwest Territories for Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts. Based in Calgary, he takes his post immediately.
As spring unfolds across Japan, the nation’s most beloved seasonal spectacle – cherry blossoms (sakura) – progresses northward from the southern islands toward the country’s cooler regions. While the earliest petals have already appeared in parts of Kyushu and Shikoku, the peak of blooming is advancing steadily through central and northern Japan, with many regions just entering their most anticipated viewing period.
Travel agents in the Greater Toronto Area say the economic and political uncertainty in Cuba, fear of violence in Mexico and the impact of a devastating hurricane in Jamaica have forced many people to change their March Break vacation plans, with some choosing to go to new countries and others deciding to stay put.
Ever since the Donald Trump launched his war against Iran on Feb. 28, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand has said her top priority is helping Canadians who want to leave the Middle East. According to her department, as of Friday, nearly 8,500 Canadians and permanent residents have made it home to Canada from the region, while more than a thousand have left the Middle East for safe third countries.
Formula 1 and its governing body FIA said the Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will not happen in April because of safety concerns related to the Iran war. F1 was due to race in Bahrain on April 12 and in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on April 19.
With jet fuel prices rising above $100 as the war in the Middle East disrupts global oil supplies, the cost pressure on airlines intensifies as the summer travel season approaches. Experts say it’s not a question of if airfares will go up, but when, for how long and by how much. The impact may be felt most on long-haul international routes, which burn significantly more fuel than shorter flights.
Trinidad and Tobago’s government has received House of Representatives approval to extend a state of emergency for three months, as the twin-island Caribbean nation struggles with a high level of crime.
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.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates that the escalating conflict in Iran is impacting the Travel & Tourism sector across the Middle East by at least US$600 million per day in international visitor spending, as disruptions to air travel, traveller confidence and regional connectivity affect demand.
Starting June 15, the Ontario communities of Niagara, Sarnia and Muskoka will be linked directly to Toronto Pearson International Airport thanks to extended Air Canada Landline luxury motorcoach service.
The Toronto Blue Jays have made Dunedin, Fla., into a virtual oasis during turbulent economic times in Florida. Canadians’ broad grassroots boycott of the United States has had a massive impact on the tourism industry, especially in states like Florida. But Dunedin, home of the Blue Jays’ spring training facility, seems to be have been spared thanks to the loyalty of Canadian baseball fans.
Tampa International Airport said on social media recently that it wanted to ban people from wearing pajamas at the Florida facility. A post on the airport’s official X account said that after successfully going “Crocs-free,” Tampa International had “seen enough” of pajamas too.
Airlines across the globe have started to hike fares and fuel surcharges in response surging oil prices sparked by the war in Iran, and Canada is no exception. Several carriers indicated this week that higher ticket prices are likely – or already a reality – thanks to cost pressures caused by fallout from the conflict, which entered its 12th day on Wednesday.
The U.S. Global Entry program was reinstated Wednesday amidst public and travel industry backlash. U.S. customs and immigration clearance program for pre-approved, low-risk travellers entering the United States was suspended by the Department of Homeland Security on Feb. 22 amidst the U.S. government shutdown.
Following its launch in Vancouver, Atout France and Air France’s Destination France 2026 annual tour rolled into Toronto Tuesday with over 30 French and local exhibitors in attendance. The event featured a trade show that generated over 386 face-to-face meetings with travel advisors designed to strengthen connections and deepen knowledge of France’s tourism leading to new or renewed itineraries and travel products for Canadian travellers.
Twelve years after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 vanished with 239 people aboard, a renewed deep-sea search in the southern Indian Ocean has so far failed to locate the missing aircraft, Malaysian authorities say, as families press for the effort to continue.
Calling Toronto’s island airport an underutilized “crown jewel” in the city, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province is taking over the city’s stake in facility with the simple rational that Toronto needs two (major) airports in order to compete with other cities around the world.
Transat A.T. Inc. shareholders have rejected media magnate Pierre Karl Péladeau’s bid to seize effective control of the company’s board on Tuesday, opting instead to stay the course.
The noteworthy Ig Nobel Prize – a satirical award for scientific achievement dubbed the “bizarro cousin of the Nobel Prize” – is shifting for the first time from the United States to Europe due to concerns about attendees getting visas, organizers have announced.
This week: Travel Masters celebrated its top performers; Tully Luxury Travel takes its “next step”; Ensemble publication earns kudos; Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) Canada hires in Quebec; and a chance to win a FAM trip to Bermuda.
American Airlines has received approval to become the first U.S. airline to resume flights to Venezuela. Even though the State Department continues to warn Americans not to travel to the South American country, the government cleared the way for the airline to begin scheduling flights there.
Springtime is Québec’s sweetest season as the province welcomes visitors to its famed cabanes à sucre to sample glistening maple syrup, decadent meals, and authentic French-Canadian hospitality. Québec is home to more than 100 sugar shacks that offer distinctly unique sweet escapes for various types of travellers.
Long-awaited, much anticipated U.S. preclearance operations open today (March 10) at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility requires all travellers to complete U.S. immigration, customs, and agriculture inspections before departure. The result – a faster, more seamless arrival in the United States.