By Michael Baginski/ More than a hundred travel advisors turned out Monday night in Toronto for a gala event hosted by the Moroccan National Tourist Office (MNTO), clearly demonstrating enthusiasm for a destination that is growing in stature for Canadians.
Building on a period of expansive growth, Carnival Cruise Line has outlined a strategic plan for the next five years, including new ships, fleet enhancement deployment and exclusive destinations.
Air Canada Vacations has launched its first-ever ‘Travellers’ Top Picks Awards’ in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary. The awards give Canadians a chance to vote for their favourite global destinations – and enter the Travellers’ Top Picks Contest for a chance to win $5,000 in Air Canada e-gift cards towards a future vacation.
This week: A Western Canada road show, first FAM, conference gathering, and more from the likes of Ensemble-Virgin Voyages, Travel Nevada, Virtuoso-Jamaica, and Travel Edge.
The Canadian government has warned would-be travellers they may face more scrutiny at the United States border – including the search of electronic devices. Though immigration lawyers say there’s no change in the law for Canadians travelling to the U.S., existing rules may be applied more strictly, as indicated by recently updated advisory from Global Affairs Canada.
Three Sunwing Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft (tails 395, 396 and 393) have begun service for WestJet, flying both WestJet and Sunwing Vacations guests as the two brands prepare to fully integrate on May 29.
Trevello says it is “rewriting the rules of the travel host agency model” with a bold, new commission program the company says delivers “better compensation, better recognition and better opportunities to thrive” to travel advisors.
With the prominent Seatrade cruise show taking place in Miami this week, news from the sector is coming fast and furious. Among the first off the mark was Emerald Cruises, part of the Scenic Group portfolio, which unveiled a major multi-ship expansion for 2027 and revealed that the cruise line will make its first-ever appearance on the Seine River, offering curated itineraries from Paris through Normandy
Ontario will spend $35 million to help the Shaw Festival rebuild the Royal George Theatre.
Venice has confirmed it will host the wedding of multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos and fiancée Lauren Sanchez but denies reports the Italian city will be invaded by hundreds of celebrities causing disruptions for citizens and tourists. No date has been given for the event, however Italian media have reported it will be between June 24-26, with a few days of celebrations.
Canadians travelling to the U.S. should be prepared for greater scrutiny by U.S. border agents, including the possibility of having phones and laptops checked, according to a new travel update issued by the Canadian government.
MSC Cruises inaugurated the world’s largest and most advanced cruise terminal on Saturday (April 5) at PortMiami. Aiming to set sets a global benchmark for cruise infrastructure, the new MSC Miami Cruise Terminal as the first in the industry to implement a complete biometric journey with digital identity verification for a seamless embarkation experience.
To promote its new tourism branding initiative “TAIWAN – Waves of Wonder,” a Taiwan Tourism Administration roadshow literally rolled through Toronto last week with TTA execs and partners for a gala trade event that included unveiling the linchpin of the campaign – a branded streetcar that will cross the city hourly for the next six weeks promoting the destination.
While Greenland is experiencing a surge in global interest – no doubt due to the prominent takeover ambitions of Donald Trump – the real transformation of the northern destination is happening through tourism, claims Intrepid Travel, which says it has seen enquiries about the autonomous territory of Denmark jump 94% in recent weeks.
Mark the calendar, Vancouver will welcome a Le Germain Hotel to the heart of city in 2029.
Few are as intimate with the names of hurricanes than those in the travel industry – except, of course, those afflicted by them. Nevertheless, both groups will no doubt be pleased to know that the names Beryl, Helene, and Milton – all of them particularly nasty storms – are being retired and won’t be used again.
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.
By Michael Baginski/ Virgin Atlantic celebrated its arrival in Toronto on Thursday with its founder Sir Richard Branson at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The route marks Virgin Atlantic’s return to Canada after more than a decade, linking Toronto and London. It is also the third attempt by the British carrier to fly the lucrative YYZ-LHR route.
In the northwest corner of Washington state lies a quirky US exclave so dependent on Canada’s goodwill – and vacation home residents – that the strain of President Donald Trump’s tariff war is inescapable, including in the sole grocery store, at any of the three eateries, and for the many residents who never voted for him.
Nestled among tulip fields not far from Amsterdam, the world-famous Keukenhof garden has opened for the spring, welcoming camera-wielding visitors to its increasingly selfie-friendly grounds. On a sunny day, the paths, park benches and cafés are crowded with tourists taking photos and selfies with one of the Netherlands’ most iconic products – the tulip.
Since when did finding a spot to lay down a beach towel on an island made of sand become a competitive sport? We’re about to find out on a day docked at the only cruise port in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Global beer brand Heineken has launched a worldwide recruitment campaign to help an independent Irish pub owner find a new successor. Joseph ‘Josie’ McLoughlin owns McLoughlin’s Bar on the rural Achill Island. Situated at the “edge of the world,” the pub rests against the backdrop of the wild, beautiful landscape of West Ireland where ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ was filmed.
By Michael Baginski/ Billy Joel was supposed to perform in Toronto in March, marking his first tour date in this country in a decade. Alas, an unexpected surgery forced the Piano Man to cancel the show and several more during his recovery period and he won’t get back to T.O. until next March.
Anger over the Trump administration’s tariffs and rhetoric will likely cause international travel to the U.S. to fall even further than expected this year, an influential travel forecasting company says. Tourism Economics said this week it expects the number of people arriving in the U.S. from abroad to decline by 9.4% this year. That’s almost twice the 5% drop the company forecast at the end of February.
After gathering data and insights from its network of travel advisors, preferred partners and high-net-worth clientele, Virtuoso says it has its finger on the pulse of what’s cool and emerging in travel for the remainder of the year. From the “White Lotus Effect,” to travelling with the pooch, and summer’s hottest destinations, here are some key insights shaping the industry.
Service to Air Canada’s newest destination in Asia – Manila – took flight Wednesday from Vancouver, marking the start of three times weekly year-round service (increasing to four times weekly on May 1) linking Canada and the Philippines.
Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, the lovable landmark that towers over the Drumheller skyline in the heart of the Canadian Badlands, is facing an extinction-level event. The 25-metre-high attraction – billed as the World’s Largest Dinosaur, and the backdrop to hundreds of thousands of tourist photos over a quarter of a century – is set to become history by 2029.
Universal Orlando Resort has shared an official first look inside Universal Epic Universe – the destination’s fourth theme park, which will celebrate its grand opening on May 22, 2025. The attraction will feature five distinct worlds: Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe, each designed to spark guest’s “wildest imaginations.”
When travelling the world, oftentimes the most authentic experiences are found through food. Aruba is a beautiful melting pot of over 100 nationalities whose culinary scene reflects its rich cultural diversity, making it one of the most dynamic in the Caribbean.
On a day that Air Canada celebrated the resumption of flights between Ottawa and London Heathrow, the carrier confirmed that its cross-border flight bookings for the next six months have decreased about 10% – though considerably less than some industry suggestions that traffic has dropped by up to 70 percent.