Buoyed by both surging international arrivals and elbows-up domestic tourists, a record 28.2 million visitors came to Toronto in 2025, generating a record $9.1 billion in spending in Canada’s most-visited city.
Intrepid Travel signed a landmark partnership agreement with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), committing $500,000 over the next five years to support the growth and promotion of Indigenous tourism across Canada.
With the FIFA World Cup set to kick off in June and Summer Olympics on the horizon (after February’s Winter Olympics), the growth and popularity of once-in-lifetime sports travel is sure to continue for Canadians, even as fans continue take in all manner of annual sports, from hockey to baseball, football, basketball and golf in roadtrip excursions across the continent.
Tourism in Cuba is plummeting at a time when the island desperately needs that revenue, with the number of visitors dropping by more than half since 2018. For almost two decades, a steady stream of visitors sparked a boom in tourism, only for the COVID-19 pandemic and severe blackouts to hit, coupled with increased U.S. sanctions.
For decades, guided travel was framed as niche – something travellers “aged into” later in life. However, new data and market indicators show that perception is not only outdated, but also wildly off base, says the globus family of brands.
G Adventures has announced that Cambodia will be the new host for its 2026 GX Summit in Septmeber. Having originally been set to take place in Morocco, the Toronto-based tour operator says the decision to change location reflects GX’s core mission to use travel as a force for good by supporting destinations where community tourism can have the greatest positive impact.
This week: Ensemble helps with hotel groups; Friesen Travel Group celebrates success; MSC Cruises Canada recognizes “excellent” agents; Encore Cruises launches an air booking solution; and the Selling the USA 2027 incentive from Canuckiwi and partners.
Air Canada Vacations has launched its inaugural ‘Europe, Asia, Oceania, South America and Beyond, 2026 Travel Agent Toolkit,’ bringing together several continents and cruises in one place.
Tourists visiting the Trevi Fountain are now going to pay more than just the legendary coin toss over their shoulder to get a selfie in front of one of the world’s most celebrated waterworks. Starting Feb. 1, the city of Rome is imposing a 2-euro ($3) fee for tourists to get close to the fountain made famous by Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” during prime-time daylight hours.
Canada’s biggest airlines are opposing a court challenge to rules that advocates say prevent travellers from sharing the outcome of passenger complaints made to the country’s transport regulator.
Canadian airlines continued to cancel flights by the hundreds following a record-breaking snowstorm that blasted southern Ontario and Quebec on Sunday and Monday before whirling farther east.
China’s ambassador in Ottawa said late last week that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s claim that Beijing is about to lift its visa requirement for Canadians is not yet official, suggesting the move is still under consideration.
By Michael Baginski/ It’s a love affair that’s been going on for 65 years. That’s how long Myrtle Beach has been hosting – and Canadians attending – Can-Am Days in the coastal South Carolina city. Of, course, Canadians were acquainted with the Grand Strand long before the 1961 festival launched, but that’s when the relationship got serious.
Goway is leaning into excitement for the FIFA World Cup this summer and consumer demand for special event experiences with new packages that combine a U.K. Premier League football (soccer) match with a theatrical show in London’s West End.
Long lines beneath I.M. Pei’s glass pyramid in Paris have become as much a part of the experience as the “Mona Lisa” itself. Now the Louvre has put a higher price on that pilgrimage, raising admission prices for most non-European visitors by nearly half last week as it tries to shore up finances after repeated strikes, chronic overcrowding – and a brazen French Crown Jewels heist that shook the institution.
While much of the country has been hit with bone-chilling cold, Toronto was seeing heavy snowfall Sunday into Monday morning, causing severe flight chaos at both of the city’s airports. Up to 40 cm (16 inches) of snow were forecast for some areas of the GTA.
While Prime Minister Mark Carney continues to make entreaties with the rest of the world, it seems Canadian travellers are as well, with Statistics Canada reporting that Canadian residents returning from overseas in November rose 13.6% compared with the year before to 1,099,750.
Outraged critics accused U.S. President Donald Trump of “whitewashing history” on Friday after the National Park Service removed an exhibit on slavery at Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park in response to his executive order “restoring truth and sanity to American history” at the nation’s museums, parks and landmarks.
Sunwing Vacations is extending its “heartfelt thanks” to travel agents across the country for their exceptional commitment and support, which made possible a $210,000 donation to aid communities in Jamaica impacted by Hurricane Melissa.
American rock climber Alex Honnold ascended the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Sunday without any ropes or protective equipment. The daring ascent was livestreamed on Netflix, and was sanctioned by the tower as well as Taiwanese officials, who revelled in the exposure it provided for the destination.
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.
As Ontarians prepare for their own winter wallop on the weekend, millions of Americans from New Mexico to the Carolinas are bracing for a potentially catastrophic ice storm that could crush trees and power lines and knock out power for days, while extreme snow is forecast to make travel very difficult or nearly impossible in cities like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Boston.
By Ed Smith/ When Laura Edell entered “Havana” into Toronto Dominion Bank’s (TD) Expedia-powered travel booking portal, the response was not a warning, a policy notice or legal explanation. Instead, the screen displayed a single message: “Sorry, it seems we have taken a wrong turn.”
Calling Elon Musk an “idiot” and X a “cesspool,” the CEO of Ryanair on Wednesday dismissed Musk’s idea of buying the budget airline and shrugged off insults from the billionaire, in a war of words that erupted over installing Starlink systems on aircraft.
Weddings are meant to be celebrations of love. They also may require invited guests to make a financial commitment that brings them stress. Whether it’s paying for hotels and flights to attend a destination wedding or different outfits and gifts for multiple pre-wedding events, friends and extended family often feel pressure to spend a large amount of money before the couple gets married.
By Wallace Immen/ Atlas Ocean Voyages has revealed it’s building a state-of-the-art luxury expedition sailing yacht with sails and an eco-friendly hybrid propulsion system that can run almost silently.
By Michael Baginski/ Rob Hirst, the drummer for Midnight Oil, died this week at age 70, but the great Aussie band had already been in the back of my mind for awhile now. In these crazy days of Trump, wars, kidnappings, wild weather and “cats and dogs living together” (as Bill Murray said in “Ghostbusters”), it really does seem like our “beds are burning.”
Travel search engine Kayak has dropped its 2026 ‘What the Future’ Report – cheekily dubbed “WTF,” though more seriously offering a look at the destinations and travel behaviours that will shape the year ahead for Canadians.
Air Canada has announced the only non-stop flights from North America to Sapporo, Japan, will begin in December – just in time for travellers to take advantage of a wide range activities in the well-known cold-weather hotspot, which came to prominence after hosting the Winter Olympics in 1972.
From local roundtables to its golf summer tournament, and cross-country Summits to the annual international destination conference, ACTA has released its 2026 calendar of events, while encouraging members to save the date(s) for the association’s busy roster of educational and networking activities.