By MIKE FOSTER/ Few topics create as much quiet discomfort among travel advisors as fees. It’s not because advisors don’t believe their work has value. Most do. The discomfort comes from something subtler: uncertainty about how to describe that value in a world where information feels free, tools feel powerful, and clients sometimes arrive convinced they already know the answers.
Statistics Canada has confirmed what most of us already know: that airfares are rising. Triggered by energy shocks resulting from the warn in Iran, the agency says ticket prices not only rose 2.9% compared with March 2025, but marked a reversal in the nearly two-year trend of annual decreases in airfares.
Canadian travel industry veteran and, until recently, president of Sunwing Vacations Group Andrew Dawson, has joined Royalton Hotels International as Chief Financial Officer. The Canadian-based all-inclusive hospitality brand operates more than two dozen luxury properties across the Caribbean and Mexico.
This week: 2026 ACTA Awards nominations are open; Uniglobe Travel top performed convened in Cancun; Ensemble takes stock ahead of its Horizon event next week; TRAVELSAVERS founder Rick Mazza received a prestigious CLIA award; Virtuoso held its annual Symposium in Seoul; Saint Lucia’s agents months return; and Utah is offering Canadian travel advisors a chance for a FAM.
United Airlines’ CEO confirmed Monday that he approached rival American Airlines about a potential merger – his first public acknowledgment of his proposal – saying it would benefit travellers despite American’s refusal to engage in talks.
Iran has offered to end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the U.S. lifting its blockade on the country and an end to the war, while proposing that discussions on the larger question of its nuclear program would come in a later phase, two regional officials said Monday.
Flight Attendants at WestJet, represented by CUPE 8125, have issued a formal notice of dispute following more than seven months of ongoing negotiations that the union says has not produced sufficient progress on key issues.
In a complex global political and economic climate, the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance is calling on airlines to adopt a more transparent and collaborative approach to airline-imposed surcharges – especially as it pertains to travel professionals, who are increasingly relied upon as travellers face fluctuating costs and disruption.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Air Canada has wrapped up its first season of flying to Guadeloupe from Toronto, but that hasn’t stopped us dreaming about returning when the flights resume next winter. But what we’d really like is to be there right now. Enjoy this photo essay:
Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts has refreshed its visual identity and brand architecture with the aim of strengthening its position in the all-inclusive segment and enhancing the booking experience. The new customer-centric structure simplifies the experience by organizing sub-brands into clearly defined adults-only and all-ages categories.
Milan has added the title of Olympic city to its long-held monikers as Italy’s fashion and finance capital, a legacy that crowns two decades of growth that reshaped the skyline and boosted investment, tourism and cultural life.
A small army of Secret Service agents are mandated by Congress to keep the American president, his family, cabinet members and various dignitaries safe. The American president is arguably the world’s most protected person, but the job is proving to be tricky. “I can’t imagine that there’s any profession that is more dangerous,” Trump said of his job, just hours after the incident.
Adventure travel is no longer niche – it’s a trillion-dollar force shaping the future of tourism, according to the Adventure Travel Trade Association. In a recently released report, the ATTA says that globally, the majority of international travellers now fall into the “Open to Adventure” category. So, where do Canadians fit in?
Italy continues to hold the world’s highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites – 61 in total – with Italian cuisine added to the list of intangible heritage in 2025. Its standing as a leading global cultural destination is firmly established. The deeper story lies in how travellers are interacting with that heritage: which cities are strengthening their appeal, how demand is redistributing geographically, and whether growing visitor volumes are affecting experience quality.
As AI becomes an everyday part of travel planning, one thing is increasingly clear: while the technology may be global, how travellers use it is anything but uniform. New data from TripGenie, Trip.com’s AI travel assistant, reveals that three years of real-world usage have surfaced new patterns in how travellers plan, decide and navigate their journeys.
Hilton has announced an agreement with YOTEL that will see the UK-based hotel chain known for it’s tech-centric urban vibe become the first the first brand in the newly established Select by Hilton portfolio.
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.
For digital nomads, logging on to work from a cafe, co-working space, hotel lobby or airport lounge is a way of life. Remote working has been made possible by reliable high speed internet and turbocharged by the pandemic. For some remote workers, for various reasons that includes working from somewhere other than their home.
Airports Council Int. (ACI) World, trade association of world airports, in partnership with SITA, recently announced the winners of this year’s ASQ Airport Experience Awards – considered the benchmark for excellence in airport customer experience as determined exclusively by passengers. This year three Canadian airports made the prestigious list.
VoX International Inc. has been reappointed as the agency of record for the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) in Canada, effective April 1, 2026, marking the official return of in-market representation following a temporary pause.
Rome’s Colosseum has a bright new look following a restoration using the same travertine marble of ancient Rome to recreate parts of columns from 2,000 years ago. Thousands of Romans once flocked to this arena to watch gladiators battle each other and wild animals. The structure still captures the public’s imagination; it is Italy’s most popular tourist destination, with 9 million visitors in 2025 alone.
When it comes to fantasy travel companions, most travellers want expertise and conversation over glitz and glamour, according to a recent survey by Global Rescue. Among the top celebrity dream companions were Rick Steves, Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, and Robert De Niro.
Building on record performance, Holland America Line plans a $500-million investment to reimagine six ships. Holland America Evolution is the most ambitious guest experience update in the company’s 153-year history, to deliver a comprehensive bow-to-stern revitalization and add popular features of its Pinnacle Class ships across most of the fleet, the company says.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ It’s hard to believe that its been almost 20 years since Robert Plant and Alison Krauss first collaborated on the album “Raising Sand” (2007), uniquely pairing the Led Zeppelin icon with the bluegrass goddess icon (Union Station).
Soaring jet fuel prices have forced yet another Canadian airline to cull its schedule, with Transat A.T. Inc. announcing it will axe hundreds of planned flights thanks to energy shocks triggered by the war in the Middle East.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire is blaming the Trump administration’s “insulting” rhetoric for the collapse of Canadian tourism in her state.In a Senate hearing, she asked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about his recent comments on Canada’s trade strategy.
With Toronto set to host six matches of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, new research from Destination Ontario highlights significant opportunities for the tourism industry across the province to entice visitors beyond the city around the June 12 to July 2 game window.
The global pet relocation market is now valued at approximately US$2.4 billion and projected to reach US$3.9 billion by 2030, reflecting a growing trend in international mobility: employees are increasingly unwilling to travel for long periods for work without their animals.
Grenada delivers the beach escape vacationers picture when they think of the Caribbean, with a safe, welcoming atmosphere and enough variety to keep every day feeling exciting. The island’s coastline ranges from iconic, postcard-worthy stretches to quieter and secluded bays with warm water and laid-back energy that makes it easy to stay a while.
Travel advisors with river cruise clients know the challenge: What comes next after guests have sailed the world’s great rivers, like the Rhine, Danube, Douro and Mekong? Windstar Cruises aims to answer that question with a new category of travel: river-to-ocean cruising that connects both experiences in a single journey. No changing ships. No interruptions. Just a seamless way to move beyond the river and into a much broader world of exploration.