London Heathrow (LHR) has retained its title as the world’s most connected airport for the third consecutive year in 2025, offering over 59,000 possible connections to 226 destinations on the busiest day. Two Canadian airports made the annual top 50 ‘Megahubs’ list by global aviation data platform leader OAG: Toronto Pearson at 26, and Vancouver, 46.
New Year’s Eve notwithstanding, travellers are increasingly prioritizing authenticity, nature and mindfulness over partying and nightlife according to Global Rescue Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey.
Each year, G Adventures releases its annual ‘Where to Travel’ list, looking at hot destinations for the upcoming year. But, this year, the travel company is doing things differently, focussing on how travel can change people, and its power to create lasting happiness.
Trips by Americans to Canada rose for the first time in eight months in October, Statistics Canada reports. The number of trips to Canada by U.S. residents in October totalled 1,814,406, up 3% compared with 1,760,987 the same month last year.
As 2025 comes to a close, WestJet has revealed a list of some of its quirkiest and most critical stats of the year – such as the most-watched movies at 35,000 feet and whether guests consumed more cookies or pretzels.
Sweden’s ICEHOTEL – the world’s first (since 1989) – has opened in doors for the season, inviting guests to sleep surrounded by shimmering art made of ice and snow created by 33 artists from 12 countries, including Canada. A highlight this year is a grand piano – a full-scale piano made of ice – which will be played during the winter season.
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.
Call it the ultimate flight tracker. For 70 years, the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline has been tradition at the North American Aerospace Defense Command – a joint U.S. and Canadian operation charged with monitoring the skies for threats since the Cold War.
Trading the North Pole for a tropical atoll, Old St. Nick took his annual holiday plunge in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary on the weekend, where 35-degree weather and streams of sunshine offered stark contrast to the ice and snow in Santa’s more familiar habitat.
In the spirit of the season, several tour operators are launching (or relaunching) extensive FAM trip and/or prize opportunities that will enable travel advisors to experience some new or favourite destinations, and, at the same time, gain hands-on experience with a supplier that will help build their business.
Direct flights from Canada to Albania? Credit Air Transat for tapping into the Balkan country’s growing reputation among savvy travellers as an up-and-coming travel destination that is off the mainstream track in Europe but not lacking in amenities or charm.
This holiday season, the simple joy of opening a new toy is reaching tens of thousands of children across the Caribbean through an annual toy drive led by the Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals and Beaches Resorts.
With Christmas festivities barely packed away, Dubai lights up again for New Year’s, staking a claim as one of the world’s most spectacular places to turn the calendar from one year to the next.
Hilton has launched the Outset Collection by Hilton, the company’s 25th brand and eighth in its growing Lifestyle portfolio. The new brand underscores Hilton’s dramatic growth trajectory and focus on offerings for customers in the fastest-growing segments, particularly the collection and lifestyle spaces.
Intrepid Travel’s annual ‘Not Hot List’ showcases 10 lesser-known destinations ready to welcome more visitors in 2026. The list is designed to direct curious, conscientious travellers towards regions where their presence can have an outsized positive impact.
The head of Transat A.T. Inc. says fallout was “limited” from a strike threat by its pilots and that the company continues to benefit from Canadians’ turn away from U.S. travel, paving the runway for growth in the new year after the tour operator turned its first annual profit since 2018.
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.
Many Christmas holiday traditions in Iceland will be familiar to North American and European travellers, such as the Christmas trees that dress their living rooms, the large family gatherings that take place, and the singing of yuletide carols. However, there are some aspects of Christmas in Iceland that set it apart, giving the occasion its own unique charm…
VoX International is enhancing its leadership team with the promotion of Erin Oddleifson to Vice President. Oddleifson was previously Director, overseeing administration, public relations, marketing, sales, operations and human resources.
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.
Air Transat pilots begin voting today (Dec. 19) on a tentative deal with the company that would see raises of well over 50%, boosting the salary for most senior pilots to nearly $388,000 a year by May 2029.
Donald Trump’s administration has added 20 countries to a list of travel restrictions, most of them from Africa, a continent of some 1.5 billion people. The new restrictions expand on the list from June and are broader and more punitive than those during Trump’s first presidency, which largely targeted Muslim-majority countries and which were reversed in 2021.
When was the last time you pulled out cash to pay for something? Many Canadians might have to think long and hard, especially if they’re younger. Canada has gradually moved toward becoming a cashless society, with most people paying for purchases with smartphones or credit cards. However, whether or not you should carry cash – and how much – can still be a point of contention when travelling abroad.
Staring into a fire deep in the woods. Watching the stars stretch over Arctic skies. Waiting on a frozen lake for a fish that may never bite. In Sweden, boredom isn’t a problem – quite the opposite, says Visit Sweden, which this winter is leaning into a quietly growing trend in wellness and travel: boredom as a form of luxury – where stillness and silence aren’t just accepted, they’re encouraged.
Tiny Trinidad and Tobago, a tourism hotspot known for its beautiful beaches, incredible biodiversity and one of the world’s best carnivals, says it will allow the U.S. military to access its airports in coming weeks as tensions build between the United States and Venezuela.
By Cindy-Lou Dale/ Safari travellers increasingly expect lodge cuisine to match the quality of wildlife and landscape experiences. Historically, lodge menus were modelled on European colonial food systems, relying on imported ingredients and generic continental dishes.
Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) now offers its franchise and affiliate agency owners a comprehensive bilingual training program designed to help them navigate the complex and emotional process of business succession.
A tragic hot air balloon accident in Brazil that made global headlines recently has triggered a sharp rise in searches for “hot air balloon safety,” prompting fresh warnings for travellers to stay vigilant when booking bucket-list experiences.
Concern about excessive alcohol consumption during travel remains strong, with a majority of travellers (57%) saying airlines and airport bars should exercise more control over alcohol service, according to the latest Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.
With 2025 nearly in the books, Rail Europe has parsed its bookings for the year and come up with some key insights on how North American travellers chose to explore the continent this year.