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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.

2024 was the “year of the great recharge,” where sleep retreats made headlines; and mindful drinking rose in popularity while wellness-themed guest rooms took off. So, what’s in store for 2025? Based on a recent survey of over 13,000 global travellers and its own internal experts, Hilton has some ideas, including go getaways, the rise of frolleagues and me-mooners, and even the head-scratching ‘hurkle‑durkling.’

Whether having to scale back vacation spending or deciding to forgo a trip to the US, many travellers are contending with a weak loonie as the Canadian dollar’s value continues to decline. The currency has been hovering around 70-cents US in recent weeks, a slide that has seen its value depreciate to near five-year lows.

The best international airport is Singapore Changi Airport, followed by Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport, Dubai International Airport, and Doha Hamad International Airport, according to the travellers responding to the Global Rescue Fall 2024 Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey.

Higher costs and a levelling out of “revenge travel” are leading to a softening of travel intentions amongst Canadians’ travel intentions for 2025, according to new data from Allianz Global Assistance Canada. Based on its 8th annual Vacation Confidence Index Study (conducted by Ipsos), the insurance provider says only 35% of Canadians are expressing confidence that they will take a winter vacation, a 12-point drop from last year.

Seven foreign tourists who were hospitalized in Fiji after drinking cocktails at a resort bar were not poisoned by alcohol or illicit drugs, officials said Wednesday following a toxicology report. But the incident has “rocked” tourism in the South Pacific destination, says the country’s prime minister, who questioned whether the reports were perpetrated by competitors for tourists.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission will soon require hotels, vacation rental platforms and live event promoters to disclose any fees up front when they list prices. The FTC said consumers often see advertised prices for hotel rooms, short-term rentals, and tickets to sporting events and concerts only to be surprised later by so-called “junk fees,” including resort fees, cleaning fees, processing fees and other extra charges.

Enquiring minds want to know: How many travel advisors are there in Canada? Historical estimates have typically ranged from thousands (too low, of course) to about 30,000. Some unscrupulous marketers have fantastically claimed up to 75,000. Then there was that thing known as the pandemic, which threw whatever we thought we knew out with the facemasks.

Antigua and Barbuda hosted its inaugural agent achievement gala in the islands; Ensemble is planning to sing the praises of top performers in 2025; and Travel Leaders Network has new Canadian members on its advisory board.

Shuffling across icy ground on a cold December afternoon, lots of tourist groups poured into Santa Claus Village, a winter-themed amusement park perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle.

The federal government needs to reform this country’s aviation system if it wants travel to become more affordable, according to the under-pressure CEOs of Air Canada and WestJet, who appeared before a parliamentary committee over their recent decisions to introduce carry-on bag fees for travellers.

Seven foreign tourists were hospitalized in Fiji after drinking cocktails at a resort bar, Fijian authorities said on Monday. The cause of their illness was not known, but local news outlets reported on Sunday that the cause of the foreigners’ illness was suspected alcohol poisoning, similar to a case in Laos in November in which six tourists – including two Australian teenagers – died after consuming tainted drinks.

With the Global Wellness Institute estimating wellness tourism to reach US$1.4 trillion by 2027, the golden age of wellness tourism has arrived, according to a new report recently released at the recent Global Wellness Summit in St. Andrews, Scotland.

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.