News

From the front desk of Hotel Bedford in Goderich, Ont., Lynda Cross welcomes guests from regions ranging from southern Ontario to the South Pacific. “A lot of them come from Toronto,” said the manager, standing just inside the Romanesque arches of the 129-year-old establishment. “Just lately, we’ve had a few groups come from Australia” – a first, she said.

The European Union and the U.K. have reached an agreement to ease cross-border travel and trade in Gibraltar after years of post-Brexit wrangling over the contested territory. EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič called the deal “a truly historic milestone (that) benefits everyone and reinforces a new chapter in the relationship.”

Following its return to Antarctica in October, G Adventures is doubling its polar program with the relaunch of Artic voyages in June 2026, its first operations in the region since 2019. Small expeditions cruises will sail across the Arctic circle, including Iceland, Norway and the Scottish Isles in some of the most remote regions in the world.

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 lone passenger to survive the Air India crash Thursday found himself near debris after being thrown out of the plane and walked to a nearby ambulance for aid, a medic said. The fiery crash enroute to London, killed at least 241 people, including one Canadian, and is one of India’s worst airline disasters in decades.

Consumer concerns about the economy are sparking changes in bookings, according to a new survey of advisors affiliated with TRAVELSAVERS Canada agencies. Notably, the high cost of travel is the top concern of clients, cited by 62% of the responding advisors. Related, 46% named unfavourable exchange rates as a client concern.

Men plan to take more trips, spend more money, and explore more international destinations than women in 2025, according to the Spring 2025 Global Rescue Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey. These gender-based differences in travel behaviour point to a clear divide in post-pandemic confidence amongst global travellers.

Members of the US travel industry are being urged to oppose a proposed budget cut for Brand USA that would see the organization’s maximum share of the ESTA fee reduced from $100 million to just $20 million, thereby severely limiting international marketing of the United States.

Return trips by Canadians from overseas countries rose 9.8% to 1.1 million in May compared to a year ago, according to Statistic Canada, which reports that, at the same time, U.S. returns fell 24.2% year over year to 488,800.

From A-list celebrities to repeat travellers, it’s well known that the Dominican Republic is rife with luxury, from lavish resorts brimming with top-tier amenities and premium experiences, to picturesque landscapes that hold unlimited opportunities for exploration, and city centres that showcase the impressive architecture of the past while also looking to the future.  

This week: Carnival Cruise Line is celebrating travel advisors in June; Travel Leaders’ Edge conference has been a SNAP for Canadian advisors; TRAVELSAVERS Canada adds new agencies; Direct Travel unveiled a new commission tracking tool; and WestJet Vacations was busy entertaining and educating travel advisors both at home and abroad.

A new survey south of the border says a growing number of American travellers are deliberately steering clear of certain countries – including Canada – due to fears of being unwelcome. The attitude is driven largely by concerns over the global fallout of US foreign policy, according to the Spring 2025 Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey conducted by Global Rescue. 

Thailand plans to tighten regulations on cannabis sales after cases of tourists attempting to smuggle the drug out of the country soared in recent months. Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis in 2022, which has boosted Thailand’s tourism and farming and spawned thousands of shops.

Ontarians are travelling this summer, but confidence is low that their plans will go as expected according to new data from the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO), which also shows a strong domestic travel trend across all age groups in 2025. At the same time, international and U.S. travel intentions reveal a clear generational divide, with older Canadians more likely to steer clear, according to the provincial regulator.

With 28 active wildfires in the province – 10 of which are out of control – and the province under a state of emergency, Manitoba is urging tourists to reconsider visiting as it works to find shelter for a flood of wildfire evacuees now reaching 21,000.

President Donald Trump’s new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from a dozen countries took effect Monday with relative calm, as some travellers with valid visas reported extra scrutiny at American airports before being allowed entry.

Sunwing Vacations and WestJet Vacations Québec are set to introduce Managua, Nicaragua, as an exclusive sun destination for Quebecers this winter. Beginning Dec. 18, weekly nonstop service from YUL to MGA will be operated on board WestJet every Thursday until April 9, 2026.

The American ambassador to Canada is pushing back on Ottawa’s travel advice on travel to the U.S. that warns Canadians should “expect scrutiny” of electronic device when entering the country. “I’m not denying that it happened, but I’m saying it’s an isolated event and it is not a pattern,” said U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. He further stated that some Americans are complaining about getting a frosty reception at Canadian customs.

The U.S. State Department instructed U.S. embassies and consulates on Friday not to revoke visas previously issued to people from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries now under President Donald Trump’s new travel ban, which went into effect today (Monday).