With the 36th staging of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) takes place in Ocho Rios last week (Sept. 14-17), Jamaica sent a “powerful signal” that it has nearly overcome the impact Hurricane Melissa and is ready and eager to welcome the world to its shores.
The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) together with partners from the Belize Hotel Association, Best Western Plus Belize Biltmore Plaza and Darah Travel, recently completed a successful Canada Roadshow across Toronto, Montreal and Calgary from Sept. 9 to 11, engaging with hundreds of Canadian travel industry professionals ahead of the busy fall and winter travel season.
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.
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.
Appeals from American tourism organizations seem to be everywhere. Billboards and banners proclaimed a state or city’s love for Canada. Online and social media ads offered special deals for travellers from north of the border.
Tim Hortons’ coffee is cleared for takeoff. As Canadian brands increasingly search for ways to differentiate themselves in a crowded retail marketplace, the café giant is teaming up with WestJet.
For a quarter-century, ‘Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants’ has traversed coast to coast, mapping Canada’s culinary hotspots to uncover what’s new and next, establishing its place as a leading voice in food worth flying for.
As Canadians continue to embrace digital payments at home, experienced travellers know that carrying local currency remains one of the smartest ways to prepare for international travel. In a new travel guide, ICE Exchange Corporation Canada explores why cash still plays an essential role in many destinations around the world despite the rapid growth of digital payments.
By WALLACE IMMEN/ Cruises lines are now expecting the Persian Gulf is going to be a no-go zone for a long, long time. Explora Journeys has just scratched 2028 Middle East itineraries for two of its ships. They join Norwegian Cruise Line, which cancelled its entire 2027-28 Gulf season.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Who knew that a throwaway line in Blue Rodeo’s 1993 song “Hasn’t Hit Me Yet” would resonate so deeply some 33 years later?
Cuba’s tourism declined by 62% from January to July of this year compared to the same period in 2025, according to official figures that highlighted the enormous drop in the island’s strategic sector.
Canadian passport holders will continue to have visa-free entry to Thailand for tourism stays of up to 30 days under an updated entry framework that comes into effect this week, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ About 30,000 Canadians a year visit Wales, or 2% of those who travel into the UK overall – numbers that are sure to rise with the launch of new Toronto-Cardiff flights this summer by WestJet (already renewed for 2027). Nevertheless, most UK travel trade observers in Canada agree that limited output could – and should – grow.
Tourism Ireland celebrated its vibrant film industry – and the profile it affords the Emerald Isle –at the 51st annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) at a star-studded gala that included Liam Neeson.
The Trump-aligned Kennedy Center board voted this week to close most of the iconic Washington D.C. performing arts venue just hours after a federal judge blocked the institution from returning Donald Trump’s name to the building.
travelbrands has introduced Nicole Mathias as its new Business Development Manager for the GTA to Fort Erie, Southwestern Ontario, and Atlantic Canada. She brings nearly two decades of travel industry experience to the role.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he wants to see private investors take over operations at Canada’s four largest airports – Toronto Pearson, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.
Travel advisors can now book flights on Flair Airlines through Sirev and earn a 7% commission on base fares. 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.
The Atlantic is quiet – record quiet – this hurricane season thanks to an enormous El Nino that crushes storms before they get going.
The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), together with key destination partners, reaffirmed its commitment to the Canadian market, connecting with 54 Canadian luxury travel advisors during an intimate trade event in Toronto on Sept. 10 to hear key destination updates.
This week: Ensemble in China; Maritime Travel earns top employer recognition; TRAVELSAVERS Canada adds agencies; Granite Travel Trade Expos opens registration for its fall series; and Park’N Fly has launched its new Travel Agent Hub.
travelbrands’ 11th Annual Charity Golf Classic returned to Eagles Nest Golf Club on Sept. 9, raising more than $644,000 in support of SickKids Foundation, making 2026 its biggest fundraising year yet, with the help of a match that doubled every dollar raised.
As Dubai hosts Arabian Travel Market this week, the city is reporting sustained performance growth in its hotel sector with hotel occupancy having reached 66% in August, representing 89% of the city’s occupancy levels in August 2025, and continuing a steep climb from 36% occupancy in March 2026, according to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
In August, the preliminary number of international arrivals to Canada (Canadian-resident return trips, combined with US-resident and overseas-resident arrivals) by air and automobile totalled 6.9 million, up 4.3% from the same month in 2025, according to Statistics Canada.
Germany’s ‘Feel Good Cities’ are made for travellers who enjoy city life without the usual rush. Short walking distances, reliable public transport and compact historic centres allow sightseeing at a relaxed pace.
Intrepid Travel’s small-group adventure trips are now available through Air Canada Vacations’ booking platform and website. With eight Canadian itineraries on offer at launch, the partnership gives Intrepid an important new distribution channel through ACV’s established vacation booking platform and network of travel advisors, while further amplifying its purpose-led travel ethos to a mainstream audience.
Germany’s ‘Feel Good Food’ regions are all about tasting a place, not just visiting it. Vineyards, orchards, forests and rivers shape what ends up on the plate – ideal for clients who want to be active and then sit down to something that clearly belongs to the landscape they have just explored.
Guests booking packages with Sunwing Vacations can now earn WestJet 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.
Germany’s ‘Feel Good Crafts’ regions are made for travellers who like their culture hands-on. Instead of just looking at museums from the outside, visitors step into workshops, historic gardens, spa towns and festival grounds where traditions are still part of daily life.
Tourism officials are asking visitors to steer clear of – for a little while – one of Hawaii’s most picturesque islands as residents and businesses work to recover from the latest tropical storm to thrash the state.