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A GRAND OCCASION: Epic Grand Egyptian Museum finally open in full as Tut moves in

After two decades of anticipation and countless delays, the Grand Egyptian Museum has finally had its grand reveal, opening in full on the weekend. Located just outside Cairo next to the Giza Pyramids, the $1-billion facility is the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilization with over 50,000 artifacts detailing the life in ancient Egypt.

NO DULL MOMENTS ALLOWED ON CELEBRITY’S XCEL

By Wallace Immen/ Celebrity Xcel features the line’s widest variety of entertainment, with some of it steered by guests. With three brand-new theatre productions, two interactive club shows, music experiences, high-energy dance parties, interactive activities and surprises in between, every moment onboard will spark connection and delight from morning to night, Celebrity Cruises promises.

SPORTS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS IN GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE

With football, baseball, basketball, and clearly hockey (can you say two-time Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers?) on offer, Greater Fort Lauderdale’s vibrant sports scene ensures there’s always a team to cheer for. And for visitors who would rather get out and get active, the area’s various sporting venues, lush parks, serene waterways, and expansive green spaces make it a haven for those seeking to stay fit or simply connecting with nature.

DEALING WITH THE BLOWBACK: How to market the U.S. to Canadians in the time of Trump

By Michael Baginski/ Even with the downturn in travel by Canadians to the U.S. this year, about 16 million of us – “still a lot of people” – are expected to cross the border in 2025, heading for warmer weather, holiday homes, sporting or cultural events, or just to do what they’ve always done, regardless of any offense taken.

TRAVEL LEADERS WEIGHS IN ON U.S., 2026, AND ‘BIGGEST FEAR’ – AI

By Michael Baginski/ Despite Canadians’ well-documented dip in cross-border travel, Travel Leaders Networks (TLN) says its business already looks great for 2026 with double digit growth on the books compared to what the agent organization was seeing at this time last year.

HERE’S HOW TO HELP MELISSA VICTIMS

Among multiple aid organizations that have stepped up to help victims of devastating Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean, the Canadian Red Cross has launched the ‘Hurricane Melissa Appeal’ to help those impacted by the storm. The organization says it is working to get help to people in affected areas as quickly as possible.

ABANDONED CRUISE PASSENGER FOUND DEAD ON AUSSIE ISLAND

An 80-year-old cruise passenger was found dead on a Great Barrier Reef island in Australia, a day after she was accidentally abandoned there by the ship’s crew. The woman was on the second day of a cruise circumnavigating Australia when she disembarked the Coral Adventurer on Lizard Island.

ROUND-UP: Oct. 27-31, 2025

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.

SHARKS CIRCLING: Increasingly sophisticated deepfakes dupe social media users

One viral video shows what appears to be four sharks swimming in a Jamaican hotel’s pool as floodwaters allegedly brought on by Hurricane Melissa swamp the area. Another purportedly depicts Jamaica’s Kingston airport completely ravaged by the storm. But neither of these events happened, it’s just AI-generated misinformation circulating on social media as the storm churned across the Caribbean this week.

CALIFORNIA STEPS UP TO THE PLATE FOR CANADIANS AT WORLD SERIES

With all Canadian eyes on the Blue Jays playing the in the World Series in Los Angeles this week (shifting gears to Toronto tonight), Visit California launched a playful welcoming digital out-of-home campaign to greet Canadian Blue Jays fans at Dodgers stadium.

DAY OF THE DEAD COMES ALIVE IN MEXICO

As much of the world gets in ghoul on for Halloween, Mexico will come alive with Day of the Dead celebration’s across the country this weekend. The Día de los Muertos holiday (Nov. 1-2) is rooted in pre-Hispanic rituals and Catholic traditions and honours the souls of children and adults who have passed away.

GHOSTS ARE US: Europe’s top 10 creepy houses and why they haunt us

By Cindy-Lou Dale/ The oldest walls in Europe don’t just hold in heat; they hold in stories. Step into a country house on a fog-slung coast or a fortress crouched in a mountain pass, and you can feel history press close: the chill of a draft that shouldn’t exist, the echo of footsteps on an empty stair, the sense that you’ve arrived late to a conversation that never ended.

CANADA OFFERS HURRICANE AID, NO CANADIANS KILLED

The MP overseeing Canada’s foreign aid says that, as of Wednesday afternoon, no Canadians had been reported dead as a result of Hurricane Melissa. Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development, also said Canada has supported making United Nations crisis funds available to Caribbean governments and is ready to help with logistics.

JORDAN TOURIST BOARD TO CLOSE IN NORTH AMERICA

After more than 30 years of operation in North America, the Jordan Tourism Board says it will officially close its office on Nov. 30. The Washington DC-based office promoted the Kingdom across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST FOR HOTEL SECURITY

By Harding Bush/  Your hotel may feel like a haven after a long flight, but security begins the moment you step through the lobby doors. Checking in isn’t just a formality, it’s a crucial opportunity to put situational awareness and proven safety practices into action. Hotel security isn’t only about locks and cameras. It starts with the traveller, and how prepared and observant they are from the very beginning.

MY DOCTOR SAYS I NEED A HOLIDAY IN SWEDEN – REALLY!

A sauna in Swedish Lapland for better sleep quality, or cold plunges in the archipelago for improved circulation? Two out of three respondents in a new international survey would be open to spending more time in nature if a doctor prescribed it. Now, Sweden is positioning itself as the world’s first country to which travel can be prescribed by a doctor.

THE SCIENCE OF WANDERLUST: Expedia reveals what makes ideal travel content

What makes the perfect travel content to drive bookings in today’s world of AI? According to Expedia Group Advertising, which has released comprehensive findings from research dubbed ‘The Science of Wanderlust,’ there are six key ingredients that that drive consumer travel decisions.

IRELAND REVELS IN ANCIENT ROOTS AT HALLOWEEN

As kids of all ages get pumped over pumpkins and giddy over ghosts this week, Tourism Ireland reminds that the event can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, thereby rendering the destination as the true “home of Halloween” – a “holiday” that is still taken seriously around the country while lending traditions that are rooted in Irish folklore to the rest of the modern world.

RETAIL ROUND-UP: Agent news, fams & incentives

This week: Nexion Travel Group announced its 2026 Summit in Vancouver in 2026; Virtuoso’s Chairman’s Event recognized top performers in Mexico; Voyzant lit up Vancouver with Diwali celebrations; TRAVELSAVERS Canada is showcasing its professional development; and a new-look Club Med University is back in session.

KENSINGTON TO BOLDY GO WHERE LUXURY TRAVEL HASN’T GONE BEFORE

From space to sea, and air to ice, Kensington says its new Expeditions collection is set to “push the boundaries” of luxury travel, blending highly customized travel experiences – such as curated visits to next-generation space stations – with immersive adventure across land, sea, air and space.

HILTON HIGH ON CANADA, PORTFOLIO PIPELINE SURGING

Hilton is celebrating a major milestone: more than 200 hotels now open in Canada. The achievement, highlighted by the most recent openings of Hôtel Vallea Bromont, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton Woodstock ON and Spark by Hilton Toronto Mississauga – reflects the hospitality company’s successful multi-brand growth strategy.

U.S. TO TAKE PHOTOS OF ALL TRAVELLERS AT BORDER

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is amending its policies to require that all non-citizens – including Canadians – be photographed when entering or leaving the United States.

DON’T RELY ON AI FOR TRIP INSURANCE

With travellers increasingly turning to tools like ChatGPT as a quick way to plan their trips, an insurance expert is warning that users might not realize the potential travel disruptions they could face caused by misinformation the technology may provide, such as missed flights or incorrect visa information.

TRADE OUTREACH: Visit Scotland ready to Connect in 2026

Scotland is welcoming more international visitors than ever, making it the fastest-growing UK nation for inbound tourism, and VisitScotland is planning to continue the momentum at its Connect 2026 event in Glasgow in April. The annual trade event remains a vital platform for Scottish tourism businesses to connect with international tour operators and travel advisors while showcasing the country’s landscapes, culture, heritage, and welcoming experiences.

GLOBUS SURVEY: Guided travel aligns with next-gen travellers

The guided tour isn’t dead yet, according to Globus family of brands, which commissioned a new survey showing that three in four next-gen travellers still embrace the traditional means of travel as it continues to offer balance, value, and smaller group sizes.

MOVE OVER MONA LISA: Crown jewels gains celebrity through theft

The robbery at the Louvre has done what no marketing campaign ever could: It has catapulted France’s dusty crown jewels – long admired at home, little known abroad – to global fame. Over a week on, the country is still wounded by the breach to its national heritage –even as authorities have announced arrests tied to the haul.

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