Jamaica


  • MONA LISA THE FACE OF MASSIVE LOUVRE OVERHAUL
    by Staff Writer - French President Emmanuel Macron announced Tuesday that the “Mona Lisa” will get its own dedicated room inside the Louvre – the world’s most-visited museum – under a major renovation and expansion of the Paris landmark that will take up to a decade.

  • EXPO 2025: Osaka set for global spotlight
    by Staff Writer - Visitors to Tokyo and Kyoto might not realize it, but Osaka – one of Japan’s biggest and oldest cities, known more as a business hub than a tourist destination – is gearing up to host this year’s World Exposition. The city has been plastered with the Expo’s red-and-blue “Myaku-Myaku” mascot for months and is abuzz with preparations.

  • STINK-TACULAR! Blooming corpse flower a phenomenon in Sydney
    by Staff Writer - The rare unfurling of an endangered plant that emits the smell of decaying flesh recently drew hundreds of devoted fans to a greenhouse in Sydney, Australia, where they joined three-hour lines to experience a momentous bloom – and a fragrance evoking gym socks and rotting garbage.

  • SEEING STARS: Britain taps film and TV interest for new campaign
    by Michael Baginski - From Paddington Bear to Harry Potter and James Bond to Mr. Bean, Great Britain has a long history of marketing the destination through TV and film. Indeed, Britain is never far from viewers around the world through an endless list of cinematic mainstays that are uniquely British, such as Downton Abbey, Bridgerton, Dr. Who, Mary Poppins, and Sherlock Holmes – not to mention productions that simply borrow Britain as a backdrop, like Jurassic Park and Game of Thrones/House of Dragons.

  • NAME BLAME: Alaskans oppose, mock Trump’s new Denali designation
    by Staff Writer - Despite Donald Trump’s executive order that the name of North America’s tallest peak – Denali – revert to […]

  • GOWAY’S GALAPAGOS – BY LAND OR SEA
    by Michael Baginski - Charles Darwin was so inspired by the Galapagos Islands that he came up with his theories of evolution and natural selection there. No visitor to the archipelago arriving after the British naturalist in 1834 has made such a significant mark in the history of human thinking… but most, no doubt, have been equally awed.

  • DIVERSE CHURCHILL HELPS PUT MANITOBA TOURISM ON THE MAP
    by Staff Writer - A new study shows how important Churchill is to Manitoba’s tourism industry as visitors from around the globe flock to the northern town and spend tens of millions of dollars. According to the study, roughly 25,000 people visited Churchill in 2023, “many of them from international markets such as the US, UK, and Australia.

  • KIA ORA: Pack your computer and your jandals, New Zealand welcomes digital nomads
    by Staff Writer - New Zealand has relaxed visa requirements for remote workers in a bid to attract more ‘digital nomads’ skilled workers who given an internet connection can work from anywhere on the planet.

  • MALAYSIA WOOS NEWLYWEDS
    by Staff Writer - Honeymoon in Hawaii? Hold on. And maybe reconsider the Caribbean. Tourism Malaysia says the southeastern Asian destination is a picture-perfect destination for newlyweds that offers an enticing mix of white sandy beaches, lively nightlife, exquisite cuisine, and breathtaking sunrises and sunsets.

  • TORONTO TAPS AI FOR TRAVEL PLANNING, INFO
    by Staff Writer - Travellers planning a trip to Toronto or exploring the city can now rely on 6ix, an AI travel genius that can provide instant answers to any and all travel or tourism questions about the city. Destination Toronto recently launched the new feature at DestinationToronto.com as well as on Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook using GuideGeek artificial intelligence technology.

  • HOW BRAZIL’S STREET DOGS BECAME A NATIONAL ICON
    by Staff Writer - For decades, they have scrounged for food on streets across the country – undesired, abandoned and overlooked. But today, the caramel-coloured mutts of Brazil are having a major moment. The “vira-lata caramelo” (literally: caramel trashcan-tipper) is being exalted in memes, videos, petitions, an upcoming Netflix film, a Carnival parade and draft legislation to honour it as part of Brazilian culture.

  • SPAIN TACKLES OVERTOURISM:
    by Staff Writer - Spain attracted a record 94 million tourists last year, making the Southern European nation famous for its Mediterranean coastline, sweeping landscapes and historic cities among the most visited countries on earth. The surge in visitors has stoked complaints at times from some Spaniards about “overtourism,” with concerns about overcrowding, water use and particularly the availability and affordability of housing.

  • ONCE IN A LIFETIME: Southern snow shatters records
    by Staff Writer - Sun-soaked Florida and other southern states appear to have shattered snowfall records in what many are calling a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness sandy snowscapes on, of all places, beaches.

  • SURPRISING ECUADOR: South America’s hidden gem is flying high
    by Michael Baginski - From the jungles of the Amazon to the ecologically unique islands of the Galapagos in the Pacific, and the Andes mountains in between – not to mention the name-giving Equator running through it – Ecuador packs unprecedented diversity into its small frame. And that, says Goway Travel, makes it a wonderland for travellers, not least those drawn to adventure and the natural world.

  • STARRING GREAT BRITAIN: VisitBritain raises curtain on screen tourism at annual showcase
    by Staff Writer - VisitBritain is set to host more than 120 international travel trade on educational visits across the UK as part of its flagship ‘Showcase Britain’ event. Starting today (Jan. 23) at Hampton Court Palace outside London, the showcase event will include a delegation of a dozen Canadian retail tourism representatives and VisitBritain staff, along with Travel Industry Today.

  • TAHITI TIME: Island road show touts alternative to cold Canadian winter
    by Michael Baginski - If I didn’t know before, I know it now: I want to live in Tahiti – as do, I’ll warrant, the three dozen or so travel advisors who turned out on the coldest day of the year (can you say polar vortex?) in Mississauga Tuesday to get the latest news on the South Pacific destination courtesy of The Islands of Tahiti, a collection of a dozen suppliers whose job it is to inspire people, if not to live, but at least visit the idyllic islands.

  • THE GAINS IN SPAIN CAME MAINLY FROM THE PLANES
    by Staff Writer - The world’s second-most visited country got even more popular in 2024, with Spain’s tourism minister announcing that a record 94 million international travellers visited last year, making it the best year for tourism in the country since records started.

  • SELL YOUR WAY TO THE USA: Earn a spot on Brand USA FAMs
    by Staff Writer - Canadian travel advisors are being urged to unleash their selling potential with an exclusive opportunity to “Sell Your Way to the USA.” The incentive program will see 12 top-selling agents invited on one of a series of FAM trips in 2025 sponsored by Brand USA, in collaboration with Travel Nevada, Travel North Tahoe, Visit Reno, Utah Office of Tourism, Visit Salt Lake, Visit Seattle, and Travel Oregon.

  • FLORENCE’S SECRET PASSAGE AN OVERTOURISM ‘OPPORTUNITY’
    by Staff Writer - For centuries, Florence’s 16th-century Vasari Corridor was a secret passage that was only accessible to dukes and lords. Now, the raised passageway that connects the Italian city's Uffizi Galleries to the former residence of the powerful Medici family has reopened to the public after an eight-year restoration project.

  • BEST. YEAR. EVER.: Brazil basking in tourism boom
    by Staff Writer - 2024 was the best year in history for international tourism in Brazil, according to Embratur. The country reached the record mark of 6,657,377 foreign tourists in the year, an increase of 12.6% compared to 2023. In December alone, the country received more than 690,236 international visitors, a number 11.1% higher than that recorded in the last month of 2023.