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CANADIAN CARRIERS RESUME SERVICE TO PUERTO VALLARTA

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.

UP IN SMOKE: Iconic Cuban cigar fair postponed after Trump fuel freeze

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.

‘SANITY’ CHALLENGED: Trump sued for ‘erasing history’ at U.S. national parks

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.

AUSTIN POWERS PORTER ROUTE UPDATES

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.

NEW TICO CHAIR ARRIVES AT ‘IMPORTANT TIME’

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.

BOMB CYLCONE BLITZES EASTERN SEABOARD

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.

RETAIL ROUND-UP: Agent news, fams & incentives

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.

CANADA PREPARING AID PACKAGE FOR CUBA

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, PEGASUS TALK TURKEY

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.

PANDEMONIUM IN PUERTO VALLARTA: Canadians ordered to shelter in place, airlines cancel flights

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…

U.S. SUSPENDS NEXUS DURING PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

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…

ACTA TO RECOGNIZE SOME NON-CANADIAN CERTIFICATIONS

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.

OOKY WEATHER IDEAL FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SHOW

By Michael Baginski/ There wasn’t a foot of snow and bitter cold like at the recent Golf show, but rain, slush and general ookyness in Toronto over the weekend made an equally compelling case for winter-weary visitors to the annual Outdoor Adventure Show to find their inspiration to go somewhere else.

ROUND-UP: Feb. 16-20, 2026

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.

U.S SENATORS TAKE ON TRUMP OVER TOURISM

In the face of declining tourism numbers to the U.S. – especially from Canada – two American senators (a Democrat and a Republican) have introduced a bill designed to eliminate Trump administration policies that are detrimental to tourism and ensure that the U.S. is working to officially support the sector through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

AIR CANADA UPDATE: Flight attendants disappointed with arbitrator settlement

An arbitrator reviewing wages for flight attendants at Air Canada has finalized rates at the airline, bringing an end to the labour dispute that saw travel disrupted for thousands of people last summer. But the bargaining committee for the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees says it was not the outcome the union fought to achieve.

WESTJET, VIRGIN ATLANTIC EXPAND SHARED LOYALTY BENEFITS

WestJet Rewards and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members can now earn points with their preferred loyalty program on each other’s entire network including VS-WS codeshare flights. The update to the partnership particularly benefits WestJet guests travelling on Virgin Atlantic’s Toronto-London (LHR) route, which connects Canadians travelling through Pearson airport to Virgin Atlantic’s primary hub at London Heathrow.

CANADA URGED TO SUPPORT CUBA

Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing mounting calls to speak out against the United States for widening its restrictions on fuel reaching Cuba, or to send aid to the country.

MORE MEXICO FOR AIR CANADA

Citing growing travel to and from Mexico by Canadians, Air Canada says it is strategically expanding its summer schedule to the destination with 18% more seat capacity than last summer.

SIMPLY THE BEST: Virtuoso honours top Canadian members, partners

Luxury and experiential travel specialist Virtuoso presented its third annual regional Virtuoso Awards at its recent Canada Forum at Fairmont Palliser in Calgary. The event brought together more than 100 attendees, including owners and managers from Virtuoso’s travel agency members in Canada and preferred partners from around the world.  

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