Air Transat has begun unveiling its 2026-27 winter program with its “first wave” of announcements that include four new routes from four different Canadian gateways; the expansion of two of its flagship routes – Toronto-Paris and Montreal-Barcelona – to year-round service; and the return of Florida flights after a summer pause.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ With new VISIT FLORIDA president and CEO Bryan Griffen headed to Canada for his first official visit in the coming days, the tourism organization’s annual media mission called ahead in Vancouver and Toronto last week to assure that the sun is still shining in the state and that Canadians are still most welcome to come to visit – when they’re ready.
Carnival Cruise Line must pay $300,000 to a former passenger after a federal jury in South Florida found that the company was negligent in serving the woman more than a dozen shots of tequila before she fell down some stairs and suffered a possible traumatic brain injury.
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.
Europe has “maybe six weeks or so” of remaining jet fuel supplies, the head of the International Energy Agency said Thursday in a wide-ranging interview, warning of possible flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war.
Luxury cruising is undergoing a quiet but significant transformation. As small-ship fleets expand and hotel brands long associated with land-based luxury enter the market, affluent travellers are no longer asking which cruise line is “the best.” Instead, they’re asking which one fits them.
Air Canada raised the curtain on its new long-haul cabin designs at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, this week. The first major expression of its new ‘Glowing Hearted’ standard design aims to deliver a distinctly Canadian experience, and is the culmination of what the company says its “most significant” cabin investment.“This investment is about fundamentally redefining the experience of flying with Air Canada. From the moment of stepping on board, we’re setting a new standard for how Canadians and the world connect with our brand,” said Mark Nasr, Executive VP & Chief Operations Officer at Air Canada.
Battered camera phone from 2003? Your thumb appears in every shot? Photos that are somehow ALWAYS slightly out of focus? Decapitate your subjects with terrible composition? If any of this sounds familiar, consider that Icelandair is on the hunt for people with a very specific skill: the ability to take absolutely terrible photos. And it’s willing to pay someone US$50,000 to try to do so.
Canada represents a high-value long-haul market and a strategic source of demand beyond Europe’s peak summer months, particularly during the shoulder season, according to a new study, presented during European Tourism Association (ETOA) webinar series on North America outbound markets.
Sunwing Vacations Group is extending its pause of operations to Cuba for the summer season to include Varadero (VRA) and Cayo Coco (CCC). As such, all operations in Cuba have been cancelled from June 20 through Oct. 9, 2026 (inclusive) for all gateways/airports across its three brands: Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations and Vacances WestJet Quebec.
Pacific-Asian inbound travel is poised to exceed pre-pandemic levels starting this year, and reach 761.2 million visitors by 2028, according to the latest forecast from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
The new Hyatt Regency Niagara Falls Fallsview is the first Hyatt hotel in city and is the closest Canadian hotel to the Falls. The former Embassy Suites property features newly renovated rooms and suites and panoramic views of the famous Falls
Despite a long list of obstacles and setbacks, Travel & Tourism strengthened its position as the world’s fastest-growing sector in 2025, with new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) revealing the sector significantly outpaced global economic growth – and accounted for one in three new jobs created globally.
An arbitrator has ordered Air Canada to grant back pay to seven pilots denied religious exemptions from the airline’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. The decision states that Air Canada violated the Canadian Human Rights Act when it placed the pilots on unpaid leave because they failed to meet the company’s bar for “sincere religious belief,” while other pilots who cleared it received more than six months of paid leave.
Canadian travel to the U.S. continued to slide in March, according to Statistics Canada; however, the decline was offset by more Canadians going overseas compared to the year before.
This week: Transat Distribution Canada reveals Rendez-vous 2026 details; TTAND introduces a new preferred partner; Ensemble is putting on the Ritz; Virtuoso makes key C-suite appointments; and Sandals/Beaches Resorts is offering cash bonuses in April.
The Dominican Republic hosted its fourth signature Trade Show in Miami last wee with more than 1,200 travel industry professionals from the U.S., Canada, and Latin America in attendance.
Citing growing interest in travel to the North, the Government of the Northwest Territories reported an increase in annual passenger traffic at Yellowknife Airport for 2025 when compared to the previous year.
A new research series by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) examines how adventure travel continues to evolve beyond its traditional niche in four major outbound regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Together, these travellers represent a global adventure-oriented outbound market valued at approximately $1.16 trillion, highlighting the growing influence of experience-driven travel worldwide.
From cities at sea to overwhelming destinations with mass tourism, cruising sometimes gets a bad name. But a new report from the World Travel & Tourism Council highlights the positive impact of the sector, including supporting 1.8 million jobs worldwide and generating US$199 billion in global economic output.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ More than 70 members of the Canadian travel trade turned out – or up, more accurately – for a Bermuda Tourism Authority event at the top of the CN Tower last week that, fittingly, offered the latest updates on what continues to make the mid-Atlantic island a top travel destination.
Air Canada Vacations has launched its second annual Travellers’ Top Picks Awards, inviting Canadians once again to have their say by voting for their most beloved travel destinations. Building on the huge response of last year’s inaugural edition, the program returns with even more opportunities for travellers to share their stories and inspire others across the country to discover new places.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin says his government will offer new fuel tax cuts to try to end crippling protests over soaring gas costs that have largely brought the country to a standstill.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku was expected to make landfall today (Tuesday) in the Northern Mariana Islands, bringing destructive winds, widespread heavy rain and flooding. Power outages on the islands could be lengthy, forecasters warned.
Surging energy prices driven by conflict in the Middle East have meant airlines are dolling out more for jet fuel while motorists are seeing huge price spikes at the pump. It also means travellers, whether they’re embarking on a road trip or a flight to a far-flung destination, have to open their wallets even wider.
Cuba’s president says the U.S. has no valid reason to carry out a military attack against the island or to attempt to depose him. But should it happen, Miguel Díaz-Canel says Cubans would defend themselves.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Grenada Tourism Authority director of sales Sekou Stroude was holding forth at an event in chilly Toronto last week when he surmised that many of those in the audience might just be wondering, “Why am I here in this cold?”
Most travellers say they generally feel safe travelling alone, but a significant portion still modify their behaviour and avoid certain destinations due to security concerns, according to the Global Rescue Winter 2026 Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey. Mexico and the Middle East are the most frequently cited destinations travellers avoid due to safety concerns.
Canada is short an estimated 200 air traffic controllers, but and is working on building its capacity, says Nav Canada, the privately run, non-profit corporation that is responsible for training and employing the specialized workers who play a critical role in the safety of Canada’s air travel system.
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.