It’s Travel Advisor Day (the first Wednesday of May) – and month – and suppliers and friends of agents from near and far are showing the love with a host of special incentives designed to make their efforts feel more appreciated, and, better still, a little more lucrative. Here’s a sampling of some of the heartfelt sentiment, and offers, ranging from bonus gifts cards to resort stays and love letters to cruise trips.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Finnair celebrated the inauguration of a new direct flight from Toronto to Helsinki on Monday (May 4) with the arrival of Finnair flight AY 31 to a traditional water salute at Pearson airport in the early evening. The service marks a return of Finland’s national carrier to Canada after an 11-year absence.
With travellers increasingly prioritizing value when planning vacations, Visit Myrtle Beach is launching a new destination-wide promotion designed to help visitors get more from their getaway. Through the new “Make More Myrtle Moments” campaign, participating accommodations across South Carolina’s Grand Strand are offering complimentary lodging nights on qualifying stays, making it easier for travellers to extend their time at The Beach while keeping their trip budget-friendly.
To mark its 70th anniversary in 2026, Skål Toronto will host a special anniversary luncheon on May 26 at the Boulevard Club in Toronto. The event will bring together past presidents, industry professionals, political leaders, Skål members, and guests for an afternoon of recognition and reflection.
José Luis Amate López hasn’t had a customer in almost two weeks, not counting the scrawny brown kitten that slinks around the bodega where he works in central Havana. The shelves once laden with goods during his childhood sat nearly empty in late April, with barely anything to offer the 5,000 clients who depend on the state-run store for subsidized food.
According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of Canadian travellers, 57% of them report U.S. government policies, trade practices and political statements make them less likely to travel to the U.S. in the next 12 months.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ There’s no better time to be a travel advisor, says the head of one of Canada’s leading IC organizations, Trevello. In fact, it’s sexy, laughs Zeina Gedeon, who has seen both sides of the coin – as a top gun at Air Canada/ACV and now as CEO of the former TPI – which has been around for over 30 years in Canada, yet is still energetically building for the future.
A Dutch cruise ship with nearly 150 people aboard, including 17 Americans, was waiting for help off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday after a suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus killed three passengers and left at least three others seriously ill, the World Health Organization and the ship’s operator said.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Canadian travel to the U.S. may be down, but tourism types from the Big Apple regard the dip simply as a momentary “pause” in long-standing relationship between neighbours and friends that has withstood the test of time, and will withstand current circumstances.
This week: Trevello advisors convene in Belfast, Northern Ireland; Maritime Travel boosts its tech platform; Collette hosts its BDMs Down Under; Utah tourism’s three-city Canadian sales mission; and Visit Malta’s new agent training program.
Transat and Porter Airlines are taking another step forward in their commercial partnership by launching new Transat packages that combine Porter non-stop flights to Nassau, Grand Cayman, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. Packages feature a curated selection of hotels in each destination, with a mix of all-inclusive and European Plan offerings depending on the property.
Air Canada says it continues to see strong demand and bookings despite higher fuel-driven fare increases. The Montreal-based airline reported net income of $48 million during the first quarter, compared with a net loss of $102 million during the same period last year.
The federal government plans to quadruple to $1 million the maximum fine for airlines that repeatedly violate passengers’ rights. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon says fining airlines is a last resort, but the current system isn’t working.
Spirit Airlines, an impish upstart that shook the industry with its irreverent ads and deep discount fares, announced Saturday that it has gone out of business after 34 years.
Booking.com’s 11th annual research report into consumer attitudes and understanding of the social and environmental impact of travel reveals an unexpected generational paradox.
Porter Airlines is flying south next winter to four new destinations. In addition to new sun routes from Eastern Canada, the carrier will introduce its first international flights from Alberta. This includes over 40 warm-weather routes for the 2026-27 season.
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.
After weeks of delay, the U.S. House voted Thursday to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security and send the bipartisan package to President Donald Trump to sign, ending the longest agency shutdown in U.S. history. The funding will notably pay Transportation Security Administration and other agency airport personnel.
The federal government aims to outsource the air passenger complaints process to a third party in a bid to clear the massive backlog – nearly 100,000 complaints – at the country’s transport regulator.
Officers with bomb-sniffing dogs circled cars and searched bags of tourists filing into historic Teotihuacan pyramids outside of Mexico City just days after a lone gunman opened fire on tourists, killing one Canadian and injuring a dozen more.
Please fasten your seatbelt, make sure your tray table is in an upright and locked position, and prepare for delivery.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Victory Cruise Line is seeing a spike in new bookings for its Great Lakes cruises and owner John Waggoner knows why: “I hear it every day: There’s a stalemate in Middle East and the airlines are raising fares and cutting flights…”
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ The Gunter hotel in San Antonio, Texas, wears its musical heritage on its sleeve. So much so that every room in the 116-year-old property (part of the Marriott portfolio since 2018) is furnished with its own turntable and copy of a record album by Robert Johnson, “King of the Delta Blues.”
Five decades after entering a cruise business that operated on manual, paper-driven processes and communications, Micky Arison, the longtime chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc, says the fundamental formula for success remains strikingly simple: deliver a great experience that makes guests happy without breaking their budgets.
Air Canada reports that its Flight Operations Crew Schedulers and its In-Flight Crew Schedulers have approved a new collective agreement between the airline and the Unifor union. The four-year collective agreements are in effect until May 22, 2029.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Nexion’s first dedicated Canadian conference was a big hit this week – literally – as many of the approximately 125 attendees concluded the two-day event at the Toronto Airport Marriott by busing to the ballpark to see the Jays beat the Red Sox on Tuesday night.
TravelBrands has announced a new partnership with Intrepid Travel, strengthening its specialty tour offering through Exotik Journeys (a TravelBrands company) to bring premium, small-group travel experiences to Canadian advisors.
WestJet and Air India have announced a new interline partnership to boost connectivity between India and North America beyond Toronto and Vancouver.
Grenada may be known for its beaches, but the island’s natural side is what makes it unforgettable. Travellers can step away from the coast and discover a greener landscape where waterfalls tumble into natural pools, crater lakes sit quietly in the hills and hiking trails lead you to sweeping rainforest views.
Who will control travel 20 years from now: artificial intelligence, governments, or the travellers themselves? What will determine value in an AI-driven industry? And will travel remain accessible to all, or become a privilege?