Belize has unveiled a new tourism strategy in a bid to ensure future success of its integral tourism industry. The landmark five-year plan was developed by the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and aims to address concerns that the country is not safe for visitors.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport’s award-winning ‘Girls Take Flight’ event will take off again on Oct. 4. While open to all young people, the free Saturday program is focused on inspiring young women to become the next generation of pilots, engineers, mechanics and scientists, as they continue to be underrepresented in the industry.
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.
Sunwing Vacations says it is reinforcing its commitment to the travel advisor community with the launch of its 2025-26 winter campaign. Last year, the tour operator launched the ‘Flynancial Advisor’ campaign, inspired by the expertise and value that advisors bring their clients. This year, Sunwing is doubling down on that commitment by featuring real travel advisors in the campaign creative to emphasize how advisors are “the true vacation heroes.”
Air Canada announced its international network for Summer 2026 with new destinations taking flight in Europe and Asia. Beginning next year, the airline will launch new routes from Montréal to Catania in Sicily, Italy and, as previously announced, Palma de Mallarco, Spain. From Toronto, Air Canada will re-establish non-stop flights to Shanghai and Budapest and increase flights to Prague.
Tracee Ellis Ross happens to be single and without children, but she doesn’t let either hold her back from travelling. When friends and family can’t join her, the actor best-known for her roles in shows like “black-ish” and “Girlfriends” – and who is now starring the new three-part docuseries “Solo Travelling with Tracee Ellis Ross” – says she will jet-set by herself and have a fabulous time doing it.
No destination does Halloween like Orlando. And while you may not be thinking about trick or treats yet, the Florida theme park capital has already launched into 80 full days of seasonal celebrations, culminating in Oct. 31, and in some cases even a few days beyond.
By Wallace Immen/ In a sign of surging demand for ultra cruising, Emerald Cruises is set to more than double its ocean-going luxury yacht fleet. Parent company Scenic Group has announced the inaugural season of Emerald Kaia, launching in April 2026. Meanwhile, it celebrated the start of construction for another yacht, Emerald Raiya, aiming to debut in June, 2027, and announced there’s another ship on the horizon for 2028 to sail in Asia.
By Michael Baginski/ Rick Davies, the lead singer and co-founder of British band Supertramp, has died after a long battle with cancer. Davies, who co-wrote the band’s music with Roger Hodgson, was the voice and pianist behind some of Supertramp’s most iconic songs, including “Bloody Well Right,” “Crime of the Century,” and “Goodbye Stranger.”
Amid an industry shortage of pilots and other skilled staff, WestJet and CAE have signed a 15-year training agreement under which the global leader in aviation training will establish the Alberta Training Centre of Excellence (the Centre) for Aviation and Aerospace – a cutting-edge facility in Calgary that will house eight full-flight simulators alongside cabin trainers and state of the art digital learning tools.
Transat has unveiled its brochures for the 2025-26 winter season, offering a wide variety of packages and tours for all types of travellers. From Mexico to the Caribbean, through Central and South America, North Africa, Florida and Europe, the options are varied. Allowing for easy consultation, the digital documents are designed to provide “simplicity, comfort and peace of mind in just a few clicks.”
By Michael Baginski/ VisitBritain’s flagship ‘Destination Britain Americas’ trade mission kicks off today as nearly 50 top trade buyers and media (including Travel Industry Today) arrive in Mexico’s Riviera Maya to connect with an equal number of British suppliers to facilitate and help grow tourism programs to Great Britain.
The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA) is reinforcing its presence in Canada with a seven-city roadshow in partnership with Air Canada. Running through Sept. 22, the SLTA team has called in Halifax, Calgary, and Edmonton, with stops still to come in Vancouver (Sept 12), Montreal (Sept 17), Toronto (Sept 19), and Windsor (Sept 22).
September ushers in crisp temperatures and a kaleidoscope of autumnal colours across the Quebec. Visitors can take in spectacular scenery at local festivals where Québec’s warm hospitality and vibrant fall foliage are on full display. Here a few to consider.
Cambodia on Tuesday opened the capital’s new Techo International Airport (KTI) as officials welcomed an inaugural flight to great fanfare, with the hope of boosting tourism. Fire trucks crisscrossed streams of water over the Air Cambodia flight from China as it taxied to the terminal in the new $2-billion facility located about 20 kilometers outside of Phnom Penh.
French authorities are deploying 80,000 police and gendarmes backed by helicopters, drones, and armored vehicles on Wednesday to keep order during a planned action by tens of thousands of “Bloquons Tout” (Block Everything) protesters who are heeding online calls to disrupt the country after the government collapsed Monday.
Calling the introduction of its new Airbus A321XLR (extra-long-range) aircraft in early 2026 nothing short of “game-changing” growth, Air Canada has announced that the first route for its new aircraft will be from Montréal to Palma de Mallorca.
A new national survey reveals that in 2025, Canadians are travelling differently, driven by economic uncertainty and a desire to make their vacation budgets go further. With nearly half (46%) choosing to stay within Canada and 22% saying the Canadian dollar doesn’t go far abroad, travellers are getting creative to avoid rising costs – and for many, that includes rethinking where they stay.
This week: Sandals hosted Canadian home-based agents in Jamaica; Quark Expeditions took a group of travel advisor sweepstakes winners in a different direction – to the Arctic; and TRAVELSAVERS Canada elite agents were off to Greece and Turkey.
Greenland is open for tourism. Whale-watching tours, excursions to the iconic puffin island and guided charters through remote settlements are just the beginning of what the mineral-rich Arctic island has to offer visitors, say locals, who are eager to show what makes the island unique beyond a recent diplomatic dustup with U.S. President Donald Trump.
In honour of National Grandparents Day this week (Sept. 7), Outrigger Resorts & Hotels has unveiled ‘The Grandparent Guarantee’ – designed to tap into the “skip-gen travel” – a niche the company says “has moved from niche to the mainstream in recent years.”
The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has released its most comprehensive analysis of the global outbound international traveller landscape since 2018. The 2025 Adventure Travel Market Sizing Report examines the rapid expansion of the adventure travel market, which has surged to nearly US$1 trillion in value and attracts a wider and more diverse audience than ever before.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says it is sending a team of investigators to St. Maarten to investigate the rough landing of a WestJet plane on Sunday. The board says it will gather information and assess what happened to flight WS2276 from Toronto that experienced a hard landing upon arrival at Princess Juliana International Airport at around 1 p.m. ET.
Beyond the shores and irresistible Junkanoo beats, Nassau & Paradise Island in the Bahamas offer a dynamic array of sports and leisure suitable for both accomplished athletes or those looking for just a little exercise and fun. Moreover, from golf to water sports and hiking to pickle ball there’s something for everyone. And here’s where to find it.
VisitBritain continues to raise the curtain on its ongoing international ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ marketing campaign this week at the Toronto International Film Festival. Launched earlier this year, the campaign is using the powerful draw of film and TV locations and places seen-on-screen to inspire visitors to discover more of Britain.
The federal government says the Canada Strong Pass it introduced this summer succeeded in boosting rail travel and visits to museums, historic sites and parks. The Canada Strong Pass, which took effect on June 20 and was available until Sept. 2, offered free national museum admission to children 17 and under, and a 50 per cent discount for those aged 18 to 24.
TravelBrands BDM for Alberta and Saskatchewan Farole Kikkert is retiring, effective Oct. 31. The 25-year-plus travel industry veteran rejoined TravelBrands in February, 2024, but boasts connections with the company back to the Fun Sun Vacations era, where she spent nine years in the same role supporting the Alberta market.
Air Canada says there will be no strike or lockout after the airline’s flight attendants massively rejected the employer’s wage offer following a vote on a new contract that ended Saturday. Close to 10,000 flight attendants almost unanimously (99.1%) voted down the airline’s wage offer, which included a 12% salary increase this year for most junior flight attendants and an 8% bump for more senior members, followed by smaller raises in subsequent years.
The Trump administration said it is abandoning a Biden-era plan that sought to require airlines to compensate stranded passengers with cash, lodging and meals for flight cancellations or changes caused by a carrier.
Some rare rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of TravelBrands and its partners last week as the travel company wracked up a record-breaking donation tally for the SickKids Foundation at its 10th Annual Charity Golf Classic.