INTO AFRICA: WestJet announces Kenya Airways interline

WestJet and Kenya Airways have announced a new interline partnership agreement that will enable WestJet guests to seamlessly travel to Nairobi, and beyond, with expanded access to 35 destinations across Africa.

TOO BUSY TO GET FIT?: Easy ways to work exercise into your packed schedule

You’re too busy to exercise, right? Your job consumes all your time. You’re strapped by professional and family demands. As you get more and more responsibility, your free time shrinks. Well, these blockers don’t have to be an excuse. Making time simply calls for creativity and a broader understanding of how to get in daily exercise.

A NICE TOUCH: Top London museum opens storerooms to public

A museum is like an iceberg. Most of it is out of sight. Most big collections have only a fraction of their items on display, with the rest locked away in storage. But not at the new V&A East Storehouse, where London’s Victoria and Albert Museum has opened up its storerooms for visitors to view – and in many cases touch – the items within.

GET OFF THE GRASS

A long-running experiment in green roofs is coming to an end. Like a growing A-list of Hollywood celebrities who have ripped out real grass and gone to synthetic greenery around their homes, Celebrity Cruises is phasing out the half acres of lawn on upper decks of its Solstice Class ships to install a high-tech artificial turf.

LISTENING IN: Remembering Ozzy Osbourne, the Blizzard of Oz

Ozzy Osbourne, the gloomy, demon-invoking lead singer of the pioneering band Black Sabbath who became the throaty, growling voice – and drug-and-alcohol ravaged id – of heavy metal, died Tuesday, just weeks after his farewell show. He was 76. In 2020, he revealed he had Parkinson’s disease after suffering a fall.

TOWER OF POWER: Canadian passport ranking among the best

Singapore holds the crown as the world’s most powerful passport, with visa-free access to 193 destinations out of 227 globally, according to the latest Henley Passport Index. Canada dropped one place on the list, holding relatively steady at eighth globally in 2025 and sitting only nine countries behind the leader (and five out of third place).

THE US IS LEAVING UNESCO – AGAIN

The Trump administration has announced that it will once again withdraw from the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO, dealing a blow to an agency known for preserving cultural heritage through its UNESCO World Heritage Sites program, which recognizes significant landmarks for protection, ranging from the Taj Mahal to Egypt’s pyramids of Giza and the Grand Canyon National Park.

NEW EXPEDIA TAAP TOOLS EMPOWER AGENTS

Expedia Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP) has launched several new platform enhancements designed to help travel advisors work more efficiently and better serve their clients. Shaped directly by feedback from travel advisors around the world, TAAP says the updates provide powerful tools that simplify trip management, expand payment flexibility, and offer new ways to increase revenue.

SIGH OF RELIEF: Air ticket cost a big boo-boo

Alex McConnachie couldn’t believe his eyes: When he checked Canadian North’s website Monday morning, it said the price of a one-way ticket from Ottawa to Iqaluit had more than tripled to approximately $2,000.

FIVE FAVOURITES FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO HIKE

Walking, hiking, and trekking offer a uniquely human way to experience and connect to a place. Whether following world-renowned routes like the Tour du Mont Blanc or detouring on day hikes through beautiful landscapes, the hiking holiday continues to grow in popularity among the North American traveller, according to the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), which also reports that hiking, walking and trekking continue to be the primary activities that adventure travellers undertake on guided trips.

LACK OF FUNDING THREATENS NEW BRUNSWICK HERITAGE SITES

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says there’s no new money for heritage sites despite the operator of an anchor tourist attraction in the Saint Andrews area saying it would fold at the end of the year without more funding.

BLAME CANADA: Trump calls Canadians ‘nasty’ for avoiding US travel

Most Canadians would be proud to be considered mean and “nasty” for standing up for their sovereignty and economy in the face of U.S. threats, B.C. Premier David Eby said Tuesday – a day after the U.S. ambassador said Canadians avoiding travel south of the border and banning American alcohol have raised the ire of President Donald Trump, and adding that such steps “don’t send positive signals” about Canada treating the United States well.

PORTRAIT OF AN INTERNATIONAL CRUISER: What motivates clients to plan, prioritize and book a cruise

A new international study of prospective cruisers reveals the segment’s prioritization of iconic destinations, bundled value and wellness-focused experiences. The comprehensive report examines the attitudes, motivations and behaviours of these travellers from Canada, the U.S., U.K., and Germany – countries that together represent more than two-thirds of the global cruise market.

RETAIL ROUND-UP: Agent news, fams & incentives

This week: Air Transat and partners were Berlin bound; the world’s largest AI summit for the travel industry is set to return in October; and Fora Travel has put down roots in British Columbia.

HOW TURKISH TV IS DRIVING TOURISM BOOM

Under the sweltering Turkish sun, tourists wander through sets that recreate Ottoman and Byzantine-era castles, take selfies with actors in traditional costumes and watch horseback stunt performances. The global popularity of Turkish TV dramas – or dizi in Turkish – has greatly bolstered the nation’s international image and is drawing millions of viewers and tourists worldwide to its historical and cultural sites which are backdrops to many of the shows.

BLEISURE GOES MAINSTREAM: What’s fueling blend of business and leisure travel

Bleisure travel is no longer just a Gen Z trend; it’s booming across age groups, including among Canadians in the Gen X age bracket. New data from Corporate Traveller Canada, based on a national survey conducted by YouGov reveals that 24% of Canadian business travellers ages 45 to 60 are mixing work with pleasure all or most of the time – just slightly less than their Gen Z counterparts (28%).

NEW PARK TRANSFORMS TORONTO WATERFRONT

Toronto’s largest park in a generation has opened on the city’s newest island, Ookwemin Minising. Biidaasige Park is the island’s marquee attraction along the re-naturalized Don River on the city’s east side, offering a natural space within the urban environment that boasts recreational trails and cycling paths, fishing, slips for non-motorized boats, and the Don Greenway wetland for birdwatching.

WELL THERE GOES THE SUMMER HOLIDAY

North Korea is banning the entry of foreign tourists to a recently opened mega beach resort, a move that dims prospects for the complex that leader Kim Jong Un hailed it as “one of the greatest successes this year.”

CANADIAN ADVISORS EARN TRIP TO SEATTLE

Visit Seattle has announced the three Canadian travel advisors who have won a spot an upcoming FAM trip to the Emerald City in October.  By registering and completing the new Seattle specialist program by the July 1 deadline, all “Seattle Certified” agents were entered into a draw to win one of three spots.

DISNEYLAND CELEBRATES 70 YEARS OF JOY AND INSPIRATION

Disneyland Resort is officially celebrating 70 years since it first opened and introduced the world to a new concept in family entertainment. The Anaheim, Ca., theme park was dedicated by Walt Disney on July 17, 1955, with the hope that it would be “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

HOW CANADIANS ARE KEEPING TRAVEL ALIVE

Despite facing growing economic uncertainties, trade wars and many other moving pieces, Canadians are finding alternative ways, including how they travel and making lifestyle trade-offs, to sustain their ability to travel, according to a recent survey for FlightHub.

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS: Would lifting liquid restrictions cause more havoc?

When limits on liquids were introduced at airport checkpoints across North America in 2006, bins overflowed with bottled water, toothpaste, shaving cream and so much more. Nearly two decades later, travellers are much more accustomed to the regulations governing the size of the liquids they’re flying with, but scenes of passengers guzzling a beverage before putting their bags through the screening machines are still common.

BAHAMAS NAMES NEW CANADIAN AGENCY OF RECORD

Citing its ongoing commitment to deepening engagement with one of its fastest-growing international markets, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation has announced the appointment of Siren Communications as its agency of record in Canada, effective immediately.

G ADVENTURES DROPS ANCHOR IN SRI LANKA

G Adventures is relaunching sailing adventures along Sri Lanka’s southern coastline after a five-year pandemic pause. The catamaran trips are designed to combine adventure and relaxation in a destination dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean,’ and known for its natural beauty, cultural richness, and marine wonders. With first departures in December, the seven-day ‘Sri Lanka Sailing – South Coast’ trip can also be combined with land-based trips to create an extended two-week Sri Lanka experience.

ROUND-UP: July 14-18, 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.

TRAVELLER’S ULTIMATE ISLANDS: Expedia reveals 2025 Hot List

Expedia has released its first-ever Island Hot List, a definitive guide to island travel based on verified data and traveller insights. The inaugural report for 2025 reveals global interest for islands is up on average 30 percent.

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