ROUND-UP: Oct. 27-31, 2025

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.

SHARKS CIRCLING: Increasingly sophisticated deepfakes dupe social media users

One viral video shows what appears to be four sharks swimming in a Jamaican hotel’s pool as floodwaters allegedly brought on by Hurricane Melissa swamp the area. Another purportedly depicts Jamaica’s Kingston airport completely ravaged by the storm. But neither of these events happened, it’s just AI-generated misinformation circulating on social media as the storm churned across the Caribbean this week.

CALIFORNIA STEPS UP TO THE PLATE FOR CANADIANS AT WORLD SERIES

With all Canadian eyes on the Blue Jays playing the in the World Series in Los Angeles this week (shifting gears to Toronto tonight), Visit California launched a playful welcoming digital out-of-home campaign to greet Canadian Blue Jays fans at Dodgers stadium.

DAY OF THE DEAD COMES ALIVE IN MEXICO

As much of the world gets in ghoul on for Halloween, Mexico will come alive with Day of the Dead celebration’s across the country this weekend. The Día de los Muertos holiday (Nov. 1-2) is rooted in pre-Hispanic rituals and Catholic traditions and honours the souls of children and adults who have passed away.

GHOSTS ARE US: Europe’s top 10 creepy houses and why they haunt us

By Cindy-Lou Dale/ The oldest walls in Europe don’t just hold in heat; they hold in stories. Step into a country house on a fog-slung coast or a fortress crouched in a mountain pass, and you can feel history press close: the chill of a draft that shouldn’t exist, the echo of footsteps on an empty stair, the sense that you’ve arrived late to a conversation that never ended.

CANADA OFFERS HURRICANE AID, NO CANADIANS KILLED

The MP overseeing Canada’s foreign aid says that, as of Wednesday afternoon, no Canadians had been reported dead as a result of Hurricane Melissa. Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development, also said Canada has supported making United Nations crisis funds available to Caribbean governments and is ready to help with logistics.

JORDAN TOURIST BOARD TO CLOSE IN NORTH AMERICA

After more than 30 years of operation in North America, the Jordan Tourism Board says it will officially close its office on Nov. 30. The Washington DC-based office promoted the Kingdom across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST FOR HOTEL SECURITY

By Harding Bush/  Your hotel may feel like a haven after a long flight, but security begins the moment you step through the lobby doors. Checking in isn’t just a formality, it’s a crucial opportunity to put situational awareness and proven safety practices into action. Hotel security isn’t only about locks and cameras. It starts with the traveller, and how prepared and observant they are from the very beginning.

MY DOCTOR SAYS I NEED A HOLIDAY IN SWEDEN – REALLY!

A sauna in Swedish Lapland for better sleep quality, or cold plunges in the archipelago for improved circulation? Two out of three respondents in a new international survey would be open to spending more time in nature if a doctor prescribed it. Now, Sweden is positioning itself as the world’s first country to which travel can be prescribed by a doctor.

THE SCIENCE OF WANDERLUST: Expedia reveals what makes ideal travel content

What makes the perfect travel content to drive bookings in today’s world of AI? According to Expedia Group Advertising, which has released comprehensive findings from research dubbed ‘The Science of Wanderlust,’ there are six key ingredients that that drive consumer travel decisions.

IRELAND REVELS IN ANCIENT ROOTS AT HALLOWEEN

As kids of all ages get pumped over pumpkins and giddy over ghosts this week, Tourism Ireland reminds that the event can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, thereby rendering the destination as the true “home of Halloween” – a “holiday” that is still taken seriously around the country while lending traditions that are rooted in Irish folklore to the rest of the modern world.

RETAIL ROUND-UP: Agent news, fams & incentives

This week: Nexion Travel Group announced its 2026 Summit in Vancouver in 2026; Virtuoso’s Chairman’s Event recognized top performers in Mexico; Voyzant lit up Vancouver with Diwali celebrations; TRAVELSAVERS Canada is showcasing its professional development; and a new-look Club Med University is back in session.

KENSINGTON TO BOLDY GO WHERE LUXURY TRAVEL HASN’T GONE BEFORE

From space to sea, and air to ice, Kensington says its new Expeditions collection is set to “push the boundaries” of luxury travel, blending highly customized travel experiences – such as curated visits to next-generation space stations – with immersive adventure across land, sea, air and space.

HILTON HIGH ON CANADA, PORTFOLIO PIPELINE SURGING

Hilton is celebrating a major milestone: more than 200 hotels now open in Canada. The achievement, highlighted by the most recent openings of Hôtel Vallea Bromont, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton Woodstock ON and Spark by Hilton Toronto Mississauga – reflects the hospitality company’s successful multi-brand growth strategy.

U.S. TO TAKE PHOTOS OF ALL TRAVELLERS AT BORDER

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is amending its policies to require that all non-citizens – including Canadians – be photographed when entering or leaving the United States.

CUBA CLOSES AIRPORTS AS MELISSA ARRIVES: Jamaica faces humanitarian crisis

The Cuba Tourist Board has confirmed the temporary closure of airports in Santiago de Cuba and Holguín on Tuesday and Wednesday (Oct. 28-29) as Hurricane Melissa – a category 5 storm that has tied for the strongest on earth in 2025 – approaches the island tonight and into Wednesday.

DON’T RELY ON AI FOR TRIP INSURANCE

With travellers increasingly turning to tools like ChatGPT as a quick way to plan their trips, an insurance expert is warning that users might not realize the potential travel disruptions they could face caused by misinformation the technology may provide, such as missed flights or incorrect visa information.

TRADE OUTREACH: Visit Scotland ready to Connect in 2026

Scotland is welcoming more international visitors than ever, making it the fastest-growing UK nation for inbound tourism, and VisitScotland is planning to continue the momentum at its Connect 2026 event in Glasgow in April. The annual trade event remains a vital platform for Scottish tourism businesses to connect with international tour operators and travel advisors while showcasing the country’s landscapes, culture, heritage, and welcoming experiences.

GLOBUS SURVEY: Guided travel aligns with next-gen travellers

The guided tour isn’t dead yet, according to Globus family of brands, which commissioned a new survey showing that three in four next-gen travellers still embrace the traditional means of travel as it continues to offer balance, value, and smaller group sizes.

MOVE OVER MONA LISA: Crown jewels gains celebrity through theft

The robbery at the Louvre has done what no marketing campaign ever could: It has catapulted France’s dusty crown jewels – long admired at home, little known abroad – to global fame. Over a week on, the country is still wounded by the breach to its national heritage –even as authorities have announced arrests tied to the haul.

INCLUSIVE TRAVEL GOES MAINSTREAM: Travel advisors can fill the accessibility gap

Accessibility is moving from the margins to the mainstream of Canadian travel. A Flight Centre survey conducted by YouGov reveals that 42% of Canadians place high importance on accessibility when making their travel plans. This figure outpaces even the most recent Statistics Canada data: that 27% of Canadians aged 15 and older – and a striking 40.4% of individuals 65 and older – are affected by disability.

CANARY IN THE COAL MINE: LAX flights halted due to air traffic controller shortage

The FAA issued a temporary ground stop Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport – one of the world’s busiest airports – soon after the U.S. secretary of transportation predicted that travellers would see more flights delayed and cancelled in the coming days as U.S. air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown.

VIKING CELEBRATES NINE NEW LIVES

Viking named its nine newest river ships – including the company’s 100th ship – during a simultaneous ceremony last week that spanned six countries. The main celebration took place in Basel, Switzerland, on board the Viking Honir, and was connected virtually to the eight other new ships located across five additional countries.

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