A round-up of 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.
NEWS
Justin Trudeau will be a headline speaker at the 26th WTTC Global Summit, taking place in Valletta, Malta, Oct. 7-9. The former prime minister will join more than 1,000 delegates from over 100 countries, including more than 200 of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism CEOs, senior executives and government leaders, for discussions on the future of the sector under this year’s Summit theme, “FUTU[RE]SET.”
The nonprofit Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF) has opened its 7th annual Travel Conservation Auction, the world’s largest adventure and travel & gear auction to benefit global conservation efforts. More than 100 donated trips, stays and gear lots are up for bids, from Galápagos by small ship to Europe by bicycle through Oct. 20 at travelauction.org. The initiative has become the world’s largest and most respected adventure travel and gear auction benefiting conservation, last year raising US$153,000 to enable ATCF’s critical conservation work. Info at travelauction.org.
The British government is backing the landmark airspace-scale trial, dubbed Operation Blue Sky, to avoid creating condensation trails, or contrails. Google UK is contributing its artificial intelligence-powered forecasts to identify the contrail regions. Hundreds of commercial flights will be told to change their paths over the northeastern Atlantic Ocean during the next two winters to show how minor altitude adjustments can reduce aviation’s climate impact.
AIR
Travel advisors can now book flights on Flair Airlines through Sirev and earn a 7% commission on base fares (until Dec. 31). The airline hails the move as a major expansion of its travel trade business and the next step in its broader travel trade strategy to grow responsibly and profitably. Registration form: https://flairb2b.zendesk.com/hc/en-ca/requests/new .
The minimum spend requirement for new Air Canada corporate agreements has been reduced to $50,000 in annual eligible air spend across Air Canada, United Airlines and Lufthansa Group. This lower threshold will help more clients qualify for an Air Canada corporate agreement and access benefits designed for business travel. And coming soon, travel advisors will be able to book eligible Air Canada corporate contracts through AC Connex.
Frontier Airlines has announced the launch of Cancel for Any Reason, powered by HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions), giving customers even greater flexibility when making travel plans. Available when booking at FlyFrontier.com or through the Frontier mobile app, the new option allows customers to cancel up to 24 hours before departure and receive up to a full refund, depending on the level of coverage selected.
DEALS
Paul Gauguin Cruises offers year-round access to French Polynesia aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin, while PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ Le Jacques Cartier adds a new dimension with voyages to the region’s more remote islands launching in October 2026. Together, the two ships provide travellers with the opportunity to discover all five archipelagos of French Polynesia, from the Society Islands and Tuamotus to the remote Marquesas, Gambier, and Austral Islands, through complementary 2026-27 voyages. To celebrate, guests can enjoy US$1,000 in shipboard credit per double-occupancy stateroom or suite on eligible sailings, while travel advisors will receive a $500 gift card for each new double-occupancy booking, or $250 for single occupancy. New bookings must be made and deposited by Oct. 31, 2026, using promo code TEMPTAH.
Hong Kong Airlines is offering a special branded fare promotion ex-Vancouver in celebration of their 20th anniversary. Fare to Hong Kong starts from CAD$553. Fares to 15 other Asian destinations are also available, starting from $119 to Shanghai with a stop in Hong Kong for an additional $110. The sale is now in effect for travel through Dec. 6. Tax and fuel surcharge not included.
TOURS
Citing new global research that suggests nearly three-quarters of fans find lifelong community through football (soccer), G Adventures has launched ‘Away Games’ to tackle foreign ticket scams and matchday travel anxiety. The series of premium small-group itineraries that blend guaranteed, high-tier matchday tickets with deep local cultural immersion in some of Europe’s most iconic European football capitals. The Away Games lineup includes Real Madrid: Pitch to Plaza; Arsenal FC: The Pride of North London; Chelsea FC: West London to Pitch City; FC Barcelona: The Pride of Catalonia; Manchester City: More Than Matchday; and Manchester United: From the Stands to the Streets. The first departures start in October and continue through May 2027.
Guests booking packages with Sunwing Vacations can now earn WestJet Rewards points, tier qualifying spend and milestone qualifying spend on eligible bookings. Top-tier WestJet Rewards members will also gain access to their day-of-travel benefits.
Intrepid is adding a Huron-Wendat experience in Wendake to its Eastern Canada by Rail trip in 2027, including a guided visit to the museum and Huron-Wendat longhouse at the Huron Traditional Site. Together, a new direct partnership with Talasay Tours, an Indigenous-owned tourism company offering land-based, Indigenous-led experiences across British Columbia, Wendake additions will bring Indigenous-led experiences to 75% of Intrepid’s Canadian trips in 2027, an important milestone toward the company’s longer-term goal of integrating Indigenous-led experiences across all of its Canadian itineraries. The work builds on Intrepid’s $500,000 commitment over five years to support the growth and promotion of Indigenous tourism in Canada.
HOTELS & RESORTS
This November, Dromoland Castle in Ireland (above) will close its doors for six months for the largest redevelopment in its 63 years as a hotel. Reopening in June 2027, the 16th-century property in County Clare – near the Cliffs of Moher and along the Wild Atlantic Way – will unveil a comprehensive transformation spanning accommodations, public spaces, wellness facilities, culinary concepts, and cultural programming. The project’s centerpiece will be a 3,200-sq.-ft., glass-enclosed Atrium that will debut in July, reimagining the castle’s historic courtyard as a year-round gathering space for morning coffee, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails accompanied by live music.
Expected to open in late 2026, The Botany will introduce a new boutique luxury experience to St. Thomas, USVI, offering travellers an intimate, design-forward alternative while expanding the island’s upscale accommodations landscape.
CRUISE
Guests can now book Carnival Tropicale, Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship and the final addition to its Excel class. As bookings open, the cruise line celebrates the ship’s progression from concept to reality at MEYER WERFT’S shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The ship will set sail from Galveston, Texas, beginning April 15, 2028.
MSC Cruises’ third Alaska season will begin April 24, 2028, and MSC Poesia will sail weekly seven-night Alaska itineraries from Seattle through Sept. 18, 2028. The newly enhanced MSC Poesia has recently completed a major refurbishment and now features a brand-new MSC Yacht Club, the cruise line’s luxury “ship-within-a-ship” concept.
FAMS & INCENTIVES
Explora Journeys, the luxury ocean travel brand of the MSC Group, has launched a new travel advisor rewards program created to recognize and reward the expertise, dedication and influence of travel advisors. The ‘Beyond Commission’ program rewards eligible travel advisors for qualifying new bookings by offering an incentive worth up to 2% of the qualifying journey value, delivered as a virtual gift card. The offer is on eligible bookings made by Oct. 31 for eligible 2026 Journeys and Q1 2027 Mediterranean Journeys. Bookings can be registered online following deposit, with rewards delivered by email approximately 45 days after final payment due date. There is no cap on earnings during the introductory promotional period, allowing advisors to be rewarded for every qualifying booking they make. Visit explorajourneys.com/traveladvisors.
EVENTS
Registration is now open for Granite Travel Trade Expos (GTTE) Fall 2026 travel trade show series, bringing global travel suppliers directly to travel advisors in seven lucrative secondary markets across Western Canada and Ontario. Registration is free (including parking, prizes, and dinner) for qualified travel agents. Each Expo will feature up to 36 travel suppliers, as well as educational, revenue-generating supplier presentations. The schedule is as follows: Winnipeg – Oct. 6; Red Deer, Alta. – Oct. 7; Kelowna, BC – Oct. 8; Ottawa – Nov. 2; Kingston, Ont. – Nov. 3; Richmond Hill, Ont. – Nov. 4; and Hamilton – Nov. 5. Travel advisors are encouraged to register early and the first 50 advisors arriving at each event will receive a $20 prepaid Mastercard. Info HERE.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
With new Air Canada service to Guatemala taking flight this Fall and continuing momentum from last year’s launch in Montreal, the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT) has named Montreal-based Duval Communication as its official public relations and travel trade representative in Canada with a particular focus on the Quebec market. Air Canada currently operates between two and four weekly flights from Montréal. The carrier will also launch a new weekly non-stop service between Toronto Pearson and Guatemala City on Dec. 1.
Air France-KLM has announced the appointment of Eugénie Audebert as Country Manager for Canada. She becomes the 19th person to lead the Group’s Canadian organization, established in 1950, the year Air France launched its first service between Montréal and Paris. Audebert brings nearly 20 years of experience within the Air France-KLM Group to the Canadian market.
DESTINATIONS
The Barbados Food & Rum Festival (Nov. 5-8) is the island’s premier culinary event with signature experiences including Oistins Under the Stars, Rum Route, Rise & Rum and the Liquid Gold Feast, bringing together acclaimed local and international chefs, mixologists and rum producers.
The San Francisco Martini Trail now features 25 curated cocktail destinations across the city, including newly added People’s Choice winners Bar Sprezzatura and Fog Harbor Fish House. The trail offers visitors a fun and flavourful way to explore neighbourhoods through one of the city’s most iconic drinks. Go HERE.
LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY
In 1934, the “Queen Mary,” the first British liner to exceed 305 metres in length, was launched in Glasgow, Scotland. The 85,535-tonne vessel, built at Clydebank for the Cunard White Star Line, carried more than two million people in over 1,001 Atlantic crossings. In 1967, the huge liner docked at Long Beach, Calif., where it has since been fashioned into a hotel and museum.
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