AN ULTIMATE INSIDERS GUIDE TO NEW YORK’S MARVELLOUS MUSEUMS

Jane August had what seemed like a straightforward plan: She would travel to every single museum in the city, producing a short video log of each one. She figured it would take three years at most. But with 136 museums documented since 2021, she still has about 64 to go by her estimation. Here’s what she’s found, so far.

LISTENING IN: ‘Come from Away’ offers hope on the high seas

Canada’s beloved ‘Come from Away’ is hitting the high seas for the first time ever courtesy of Cunard, which is introducing the acclaimed theatrical production on the maiden Caribberan voyage of the Queen Elizabeth on Oct. 16 and continuing throughout the vessel’s winter season.

REWRITING RULES OF INHERITANCE: Boomers opt for living legacy through travel

With Canadians in the midst of a trillion-dollar wealth transfer, baby boomers are rewriting the rules of inheritance. A survey from Flight Centre conducted by YouGov reveals that some grandparents aren’t waiting to pass along financial assets; instead, they’re creating a living legacy by funding multi-generational vacations.

SANDALS BOSS SHARES ALL-INCLUSIVE VISION

Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals and Beaches Resorts, returned to the stage at the Skift Global Forum last week, sharing his vision for the future of all-inclusive hospitality with an audience of industry leaders, innovators, and travel executives from around the world.

FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: Contiki cuts prices in 2026

In a world where everything seems to be going up in price, Contiki says it is “flipping the script” to offer its 18-to-35 clientele lower tour costs, plus other benefits on its Europe 2026 roster of trips. The “bold new global pricing model” is designed to make travel more affordable, transparent, and accessible, says the company.

RETAIL ROUND-UP: Agent news, fams & incentives

This week: WestJet Vacations and Las Vegas hit a home run with TRAVELSAVERS Canada advisors at the Rogers Centre (even if the Jays didn’t win); Aqua Expeditions has introduced a new loyalty program for the travel trade; and there’s still time to register for Antigua’s Black Pineapple Awards.

GRACELAND SCHEMER GETS JAIL TIME FOR BIZARRE STUNT

It’s going to be a case of Jailhouse Rock for a Missouri woman has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for scheming to defraud Elvis Presley’s family by trying to auction off his Graceland home and property before a judge halted the brazen foreclosure sale.

CROSS-BORDER TRAFFIC POSTS RARE MILESTONE

Canadians might be shunning trips to the U.S. as the tariff war trundles along, but Americans are still heading north, so much so that July marked a milestone. Statistics Canada said Tuesday that more U.S. residents came to Canada that month than Canadian residents returned from the U.S. It’s a feat that’s only happened one other time in roughly the last two decades, if you exclude the COVID-19 pandemic outliers of August and September 2021.

CANADA MAKES KEY PALESTINE UPDATE – BUT STILL DON’T GO

After it formal recognition of the Palestinian state this week, Canada has updated it’s travel advisory for “Israel and Palestine,” though still warning visitors to avoid non-essential travel to the former and “all travel” to the latter.

RUSSIA FEARS AS DRONE FLYOVER SPOOKS COPENHAGEN AIRPORT

Several unidentified drones shut down airspace over Copenhagen Airport on Monday night, prompting concerns that Russia could be behind the flyover above Scandinavia’s largest airport. There was no indication that the operators of two to three drones intended to cause harm to anyone, police said, and the drones disappeared after several hours. But the incident caused a major disruption to air traffic in and out of the airport.

SEEING STARS: TDC celebrates ‘brilliance’ of travel advisors

Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) welcomed members from across Canada (except Quebec) at its annual flagship event, Rendez-vous, in Mississauga, Sept. 20-21. Held under the theme “Star Power. Lighting the way in a sky of choices”, the gathering brought together agency owners and managers, travel advisors, the TDC leadership team, and around 55 preferred partners.

FIRST RIVER SHIP DEDICATED TO SOLO CRUISING

By Wallace Immen/ Riviera Travel is taking a singular approach with one of its European river ships. Beginning in 2027, its MS George Eliot will exclusively sail solo departures on the Danube, Rhine and Moselle rivers, marking the first time a cruise ship has devoted its entire season to solo guests.

DIFFICULT DECISION: Spirit to furlough 1,800 flight attendants

Spirit Airlines plans to furlough 1,800 flight attendants before the end of the year, the cash-strapped budget carrier said Monday. The company said it made the “difficult decision” to put cabin crew members on temporary leave to match staffing needs with expected flight demand during Spirit’s second bankruptcy in a year.

BUSINESS AS USUAL: But corporate travellers taking U.S. precautions

Despite political tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, economic uncertainty stemming from tariffs and fears of treatment at the border, data from SAP Concur suggests Canadian business travel to the U.S. during the first half of the year has remained stable compared with last year’s levels, even if it means some companies are taking more precautions at the border. 

THE FLORIDA KEYS: And now for something completely different

By Michael Baginski/ The Florida Keys isn’t your typical Florida (or U.S.) destination. Sometimes quirky, always laid back, the Keys stretches for 200 km south from Miami over the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay, and Gulf of Mexico, boasting great year-round weather and a feeling of being in the Caribbean without leaving the North American continent.

WESTJET VACATIONS, SUNWING INTEGRATE SALES TEAMS

A recent West Group team-building workshop marked the official integration of WestJet Vacations trade sales team members with the existing Sunwing Vacations. Travel advisors will continue working with their established contacts at both brands, which will maintain their distinct identities and product offerings.

GOWAY GALAS REVEAL MICRO FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS

Goway Travel has officially concluded its first-ever Micro Film Festival, celebrating the creative power of short-form storytelling. Launched earlier this year in celebration of Goway’s 55th anniversary, the festival invited travellers, travel advisors, and professional creators to share their globetrotting journeys in a compelling 55-second film.  

WHAT’S NEW AND UPCOMING IN THE FLORIDA KEYS & KEY WEST

Fall in the Florida Keys & Key West is an ideal time for outdoor activities and new endeavours. While Canadians start of fall with pumpkin-flavoured treats and jackets, the Keys islands, at the foot of Florida, remain infused with the subtropical flavours of Key lime, mango and coconut and are enveloped by warm, salt-sprayed breezes.

AIR CANADA FINE-TUNES REGIONAL, DOMESTIC ROUTES

Air Canada has announced changes to its regional network that include new flights connecting Ottawa to both Fredericton and Moncton beginning Dec. 15 and non-stop flights from Vancouver to Fort McMurray starting Dec. 2. The airline is also increasing flights from Toronto to Sudbury as of Feb. 1, 2026.

FLORIDA KEYS FOR THE TRAVEL TRADE

By Michael Baginski/  From comprehensive travel trade training to a myriad of individual incentives by partners in destination, Canadian travel advisors will find plenty of tools and opportunities to help increase their sales to the Florida Keys, and discover the destination for themselves.

CYBERATTACK SNARLS EUROPEAN AIRPORTS

Fallout from a cyberattack that affected check-in systems at several European airports extended into a second full day on Sunday, as passengers faced dozens of cancelled and delayed flights and airport teams scrambled to limit the damage to travel plans. At press time, one airport official had admitted it was unclear when operations would return to normal.

BEST IN CLASS: ACV reveals inaugural Travellers Top Picks awards

Air Canada Vacations announced the winners of its first-ever ‘Travellers’ Top Picks Awards’ at the tour company’s gala product launch event in Toronto late last week – an event that saw a close to a thousand travel advisors be the first to learn the winners as voted on by 100,000 Canadians across the country.

ACTA MAKES WAVES IN WESTERN CANADA

The ACTA Western Canada Travel Industry Summit in Richmond, B.C. welcomed an audience of 300 travel advisors and 75 exhibitors – making it the largest ACTA event in Western Canada to date.

PERU SAYS MACHU PICCHU BACK ON TRACK AFTER PROTESTS

The Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Export and Tourism (PROMPERÚ) says that train services to Machu Picchu, as well as tourist activities within the Inca citadel, have officially resumed after local protests halted visits to the UNESCO World Heritage Site last week, affecting thousands of visitors.

ROUND-UP: Sept. 15-18, 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.

LATE TO THE PARTY: Why hurricane season has been uncommonly calm

Not a single named storm has formed in the Atlantic Ocean in nearly three weeks, even though it’s the peak of hurricane season. “Where the heck are the Atlantic #hurricanes?” Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University, wrote recently on X.

AIR CANADA REVEALS TOP RESTAURANT FINALISTS

Air Canada has revealed the finalists for the 2025 Best New Restaurants list, spotlighting 31 trailblazing establishments shaping Canada’s dining culture today. From St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, BC, the finalists reflect the talent, diversity, and creativity fuelling the country’s culinary scene, says the airline.

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