London has been ranked the ‘World’s Best City’ for the 11th year in new research released at WTM London (World Travel Market). The World’s Best Cities 2026 report scores global cities for their liveability, loveability and prosperity. Toronto topped out five Canadian entries in the top 100 at No. 17.
With less than 100 days to go until the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, new data from Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA) finds a surge in flight bookings and ticket purchases for the Winter Games (Feb. 6-22) made with Visa across Italy’s host regions.
Travellers in 2026 will put their passions first, according to a survey of affiliated advisors conducted by TRAVELSAVERS Canada, whether it’s bucket-list adventures, all-inclusive luxury, or immersive journeys. From Europe to Asia, clients are pursuing purposeful trips in far-flung destinations, treating themselves to upscale, personalized experiences that provide deeper meaning in their travels.
The Japan National Tourism Organization hosted a dedicated travel trade event, ‘Japan: Delve Deeper,’ at Toronto’s Chelsea Hotel last week. Designed to facilitate direct engagement between Canadian tour operators and Japanese travel suppliers – including DMOs, DMC, transportation providers, and accommodation partners – the event also notably introduced compelling, lesser-known regions of the country that align with JNTO’s ongoing efforts to promote rural tourism.
The WestJet Group has named Lyne Chayer Vice-President, Québec Guest Experience & Vacations. In the expanded role, Chayer will continue to oversee Québec tour operations while also “serving as the voice of the guest within the province – ensuring that the unique needs and preferences of Québec travellers are well represented across the organization.”
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.
Citing “43 days of chaos” that resulted in more than $6 billion in lost travel spending and unnecessary pain for travellers and federal workers, U.S. Travel blasted Congress for its “self-inflicted crisis” and “foolish path” in sustaining the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Flight reductions at 40 major U.S. airports will remain at 6% – albeit instead of rising to an “extraordinary” 10% – by the end of the week because more air traffic controllers are coming to work, U.S. officials said as Congress took steps to end the longest American government shutdown in history after the president signed a funding bill to end the closure.
Air Transat is expanding its 2026 summer program with two new non-stop routes from Montreal to Dakar (DSS), Senegal, and Reykjavik (KEF), Iceland. The airline is also increasing the frequency of its flights to Valencia (VLC), Spain, due to the popularity of this destination, which was launched in the summer of 2025.
For nearly 40 years, a tiny town in Vermont has attracted hordes of “Beetlejuice” fans eager to visit where the whimsical horror movie’s most famous scenes were filmed. With a population hovering just around 1,500, “Beetlejuice” mania has helped put East Corinth on the map not only for fans of the movies but also those looking for a spooky-themed road trip.
By Wallace Immen/ Crescent Seas, a start-up company planning to sell condos on cruise ships is backing out of a high-profile charter of two well-known ships pushing plans for homes at sea far into the future.
By Michael Baginski/ Melissa Etheridge’s stunning ballad “You Can Sleep While I Drive” has been a favourite for fans since it appeared on her second album in 1989, “Brave and Crazy” – a disc that reached No 5 in Canada. The song got a further boost in ’95 when it was covered by Trisha Yearwood, but it’s a tune that has always innately belonged to the introspective Kansas singer-songwriter.
Nathalie Morisseau leapt at the chance for a last-minute sun vacation with her 23-year-old daughter – as long as it wasn’t in America. “With my father being Haitian, there’s a certain fear around being able to go to the United States,” she said, citing concerns around immigration enforcement and attitudes toward perceived outsiders.
The Martinique Tourism Authority (MTA) brought a welcome dose of tropical sunshine (even if imagined on a snowy, downcast day) and French-Caribbean flair (not imagined) to Toronto for ‘Martinique Sensation’ 2025 Tuesday, which welcomed dozens of tourism professionals, media members, and travel agents at the Malaparte Event Space for a celebration of all things Martinique ahead of the winter travel season.
Last year, Black Friday emerged as the busiest shopping day of the year in Canada, edging out Boxing Day and other pre-Christmas sales. With this year’s bargain-fest set for Nov. 28, many travel retailers have already launched savings events leading up to the frenzied Friday, some of which extend into Cyber Monday (Dec.1), Travel Tuesday (Dec. 2), and beyond. In reality, it should be called Black November.
At last week’s WTM London, British TV stars Bettany Hughes and Maisie Adam took to the stage at WTM London to share their tips about marketing travel and holidays, the latter as part of a marketing summit panel titled “Comedy Sells.”
Flights from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., to cities like Ottawa or Chicago could one day take off under a newly approved $195-million, 20-year master plan to expand and modernize the Niagara District Airport.
Cuban cuisine combines Spanish colonial traditions, indigenous Taíno ingredients and African culinary techniques, creating a range of unique dishes. These unique dishes reflect the island’s culinary history. Vacationers visiting Cuba on an all-inclusive vacation can experience the culture first-hand with these three iconic meals.
It’s not only the U.S. that is tightening border security. European countries are rolling out a border management system to register people for short stays and, starting late next year, many visitors will need to obtain electronic travel authorizations in advance.
Travel agents are celebrating Beijing’s decision to resume group tourism to Canada after a five-year halt, hoping for the return of big-spending Chinese visitors who were a dominant presence for the industry before the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Michael Baginski/ Adam Scott is in Toronto and complaining about the cold. At the same time, the founder and CEO of BermudAir – a Canadian himself – couldn’t be happier because he knows “that’s when we start booking (to go to places like Bermuda).”
As the U.S. government shutdown leads to thousands of cancelled flights, some Canadian travellers might be caught up in the stateside travel chaos. But there’s a chance that even those who bought travel insurance might be left holding the bag.
Ensemble recently hosted its annual Summit at the iconic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac in Quebec City, welcoming more than 200 attendees from across North America for three days of learning, leadership, and collaboration under the theme “Reimagine the Future.”
From transatlantic crossings to a permanent berth in Dubai, the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) retains a legacy as one of the greatest ocean liners of all time. Now a floating hotel under the Accor flag, the public at large can step aboard and rediscover its remarkable legacy through guided QE2 Heritage Tours.
The flight cancellations at airports across the U.S. are expected to worsen this week and continue to persist even after the government shutdown ends. The U.S. Senate took a first step toward ending the shutdown Sunday, but final passage could still be several days away. However, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made clear last week that flight cuts will remain in place until the FAA sees safety metrics improve.
Concerns about safety, politics, and border treatment now rank ahead of cost or exchange rates as the top reasons Canadians are cutting back on travel, according to a new poll by Angus Reid. That said, experiences at the border for those who have travelled are no more difficult than they were in previous iterations of this survey.
From already “open for business” to “closed indefinitely,” there is no one-size-fits-all template for hotel re-openings in Jamaica as the island recovers from the effects of devastating Hurricane Melissa. It is clear, however, that much of the island, and many of its resorts, are ready, willing and able to receive guests again after the late October storm.
With this year’s successful GX Summit in the books, G Adventures has announced the return of its ‘Change Makers’ global incentive program, which will give 15 Canadian travel advisors the chance to earn their way to the next year’s fourth annual Summit event in Morocco.
Despite falling short in the World Series in dramatic fashion, the Blue Jays hit a home run for Toronto, giving the city a big economic boost, with more visitors and more spending at local businesses. According to Destination Toronto, the four home games of the World Series saw a 15% average increase in hotel demand compared to the same nights last year, adding a total of more than 11,000 room nights.
A car explosion near the historic Red Fort in New Delhi on Monday killed at least eight people and injured at least 19 others. No tourists were reported harmed, nor the UNESCO site damaged. The 17th-century Red Fort monument is one of India’s most high-profile tourist attractions.