Prime Minister Mark Carney said he supports the U.S. action in Iran, but Canada will not get directly involved in the conflict after American and Israeli militaries launched an attack on the Middle Eastern country that left its leader dead.
With the launch of operation “Roaring Lion” against Iran, and with explosions rocking Jerusalem on Sunday night as Iranian missiles attempted landfall, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism said it is operating in emergency mode, providing accommodation to residents evacuated from their homes and assisting tourists currently staying in Israel with departing from the country.
The World Trade Center’s final office tower will start construction as soon as this spring and become the new headquarters of American Express, marking a milestone nearly 25 years after the Sept. 11 attacks destroyed the New York site.
The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) welcomed 64 members of the Canadian travel Friday at the Vancouver edition of “Japan: Delve Deeper.” The event, hosted at Vancouver’s Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, brought together a cosmopolitan group of Japan’s top travel suppliers and partners for a compelling mini trade show.
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.
A long-running air traffic controllers shortage has aviation experts warning of a perfect storm of delays for travellers in Canada this summer when the FIFA World Cup of soccer kicks off.
Global Affairs Canada/Affaires Mondiales Canada was suddenly thrust into the spotlight this week as it supported Canadians caught up in the eruption of violence in Mexico’s Jalisco state (including Puerto Vallarta) after a leading cartel figure was killed by Mexican government forces. But what exactly does/can Global Affairs really do?
Louise MacKinnon and her family have become accustomed to visiting Cuba in March, but plans to return this year fell through when Canadian carriers were forced to suspend service to the island due to a fuel shortage caused by the U.S. oil blockade.
British tourism is experiencing a “Bridgerton”-fuelled surge, according to leading tour operator Evan Evans, which says the demand for the series’ UK filming locations has resulted in a staggering 276% increase in website visits for its Stonehenge & Bath private tours, while online searches for the Hampton Court & Windsor tours have climbed 140%.
According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study, 59% of Canadian travellers say U.S. government policies, trade practices and political statements make them less likely to travel to the U.S. in the next 12 months – up from 53% last October, but down from a peak of 63% in July 2025. At the same time, 45% say they plan to visit the U.S. in 2026 with 23% of those undeterred at all by politics.
Canada is sending $8 million in food aid to people in Cuba, where a U.S. oil blockade has triggered a humanitarian crisis. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and MP Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development, say the funding is aimed at addressing urgent needs.
The federal government is advising First Nations people to carry a passport in addition to a secure status card when crossing the border to the United States. The updated advisory comes as one First Nation chief says his members are already hesitant about travelling south.
Calling it ‘a new era of long-haul’ travel, Air Canada has announced the next phase of its fleet modernization program with the purchase of the Airbus A350-1000 widebody aircraft. The airline will add eight of the aircraft to its fleet and has rights to buy eight more with deliveries scheduled to begin in the second half of 2030.
In an era of constant notifications, endless scrolling and always-on schedules, travellers are redefining the meaning of luxury, says the Globus family of brands. Citing new research from MMGY Travel Intelligence, GFOB says, “It’s no longer about planning more – or even escaping to a beach to do nothing at all. Increasingly, the ultimate indulgence is being fully present: immersed in culture, connected to place and free from the distractions that pull attention away from the moment.”
Take a cruise, one travel advisor suggested, as cancelled flights in and out of Puerto Vallarta emerged as the latest obstacle in a rocky season for Canadian travellers – and the travel advisors who book (and sometimes must help retrieve) them – with Mexico joining troubled Cuba and muted interest in the U.S. in a perfect storm of uncertainty when it comes to travel ahead of March break and beyond.
Canadian airlines began flying in and out of Puerto Vallarta again Tuesday after widespread violence led them to temporarily suspend service since the weekend. Air Canada, Air Transat, WestJet and Porter Airlines all announced were resuming flights to and from the popular western Mexican resort city, with WestJet also offering service to Guadalajara and Manzanillo.
Cigar afficionados have been forced to stoke their Habanos elsewhere this year as Cuba’s most famous cigar festival has gone up in smoke. The annual fair, which was to have taken place this week was postponed as the island continues to face blackouts and severe fuel shortages brought about by a U.S oil embargo.
Amidst a federal judge’s comparison of the Trump administration to George Orwell’s totalitarian Ministry of Truth in “1984,” conservation and historical organizations in the U.S. are suing the federal government over National Park Service policies that the groups say erase history and science from America’s national parks.
A new destination in Austin, Texas, plus an updated presence in Chicago at O’Hare International Airport are among the highlights as Porter Airlines adds two airports and three routes to its growing North American network.
The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) has announced the appointment of Andrew Gibbons as the incoming Chair of its Board of Directors. The appointment was made by the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement.
The streets of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, were eerily quiet a day after fire and violence engulfed the popular tourist destination on Sunday, Canadians in the region said.
Massive snowstorms pummeled the northeastern seaboard from Maryland to Newfoundland, causing travel chaos amid strong wind and blizzard warnings, transportation shutdowns, and school and business closures. New York City remained under a state of emergency, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said during an afternoon news briefing on Monday.
This week: Ensemble reveals its top performers destination for 2026; Virtuoso wrapped its 2026 Canada Forum; a travel trade portal featuring lesser-known Japanese destinations launched; and a community tourism organization in Nepal is inviting the trade to visit.
By Michael Baginski/ Three million golfers can’t be wrong. That’s how many rounds of golf were played in Myrtle Beach in 2025, prompting Jeff Monday, to observe with a smile: “We play a lot of golf.”
Canada announced Monday that it is working on an aid package for Cuba as it faces blackouts and severe fuel shortages worsened by a U.S oil embargo, however details of the plan have not been released.
Air Canada and Turkish-based Pegasus Airlines have announced a new interline agreement that will enable clients to book travel on nine Pegasus-operated routes to Istanbul and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir via several major European gateways.
As Canadian airlines cancelled or diverted flights to Puerto Vallarta and the Mexican government warned that travel was not safe, Canadians in Jalisco state were being ordered to shelter in place as violence escalates in the region. The pandemonium erupted after the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, was killed in in a raid by federal forces. MORE…
Canadian airports are warning travellers that NEXUS and Global Entry pre-clearance programs for U.S.-bound flights are suspended. Airports in Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto have advised passengers travelling through U.S. Customs to allow for extra time to pass through security checks. MORE…
The final commercially operated Canadian airline flight departed from Cuba late last week, completing an exodus of about 28,000 travellers, said Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand on Friday.
The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors (ACTA) says it will now recognize select travel advisor certifications from other jurisdictions and organizations as equivalent to its Certified Travel Counsellor (CTC) and Certified Travel Manager (CTM) designations, subject to established equivalency requirements.