By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ The Gunter hotel in San Antonio, Texas, wears its musical heritage on its sleeve. So much so that every room in the 116-year-old property (part of the Marriott portfolio since 2018) is furnished with its own turntable and copy of a record album by Robert Johnson, “King of the Delta Blues.”
Five decades after entering a cruise business that operated on manual, paper-driven processes and communications, Micky Arison, the longtime chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc, says the fundamental formula for success remains strikingly simple: deliver a great experience that makes guests happy without breaking their budgets.
Air Canada reports that its Flight Operations Crew Schedulers and its In-Flight Crew Schedulers have approved a new collective agreement between the airline and the Unifor union. The four-year collective agreements are in effect until May 22, 2029.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Nexion’s first dedicated Canadian conference was a big hit this week – literally – as many of the approximately 125 attendees concluded the two-day event at the Toronto Airport Marriott by busing to the ballpark to see the Jays beat the Red Sox on Tuesday night.
TravelBrands has announced a new partnership with Intrepid Travel, strengthening its specialty tour offering through Exotik Journeys (a TravelBrands company) to bring premium, small-group travel experiences to Canadian advisors.
WestJet and Air India have announced a new interline partnership to boost connectivity between India and North America beyond Toronto and Vancouver.
Grenada may be known for its beaches, but the island’s natural side is what makes it unforgettable. Travellers can step away from the coast and discover a greener landscape where waterfalls tumble into natural pools, crater lakes sit quietly in the hills and hiking trails lead you to sweeping rainforest views.
Who will control travel 20 years from now: artificial intelligence, governments, or the travellers themselves? What will determine value in an AI-driven industry? And will travel remain accessible to all, or become a privilege?
By MIKE FOSTER/ Few topics create as much quiet discomfort among travel advisors as fees. It’s not because advisors don’t believe their work has value. Most do. The discomfort comes from something subtler: uncertainty about how to describe that value in a world where information feels free, tools feel powerful, and clients sometimes arrive convinced they already know the answers.
Statistics Canada has confirmed what most of us already know: that airfares are rising. Triggered by energy shocks resulting from the warn in Iran, the agency says ticket prices not only rose 2.9% compared with March 2025, but marked a reversal in the nearly two-year trend of annual decreases in airfares.
Canadian travel industry veteran and, until recently, president of Sunwing Vacations Group Andrew Dawson, has joined Royalton Hotels International as Chief Financial Officer. The Canadian-based all-inclusive hospitality brand operates more than two dozen luxury properties across the Caribbean and Mexico.
This week: 2026 ACTA Awards nominations are open; Uniglobe Travel top performed convened in Cancun; Ensemble takes stock ahead of its Horizon event next week; TRAVELSAVERS founder Rick Mazza received a prestigious CLIA award; Virtuoso held its annual Symposium in Seoul; Saint Lucia’s agents months return; and Utah is offering Canadian travel advisors a chance for a FAM.
United Airlines’ CEO confirmed Monday that he approached rival American Airlines about a potential merger – his first public acknowledgment of his proposal – saying it would benefit travellers despite American’s refusal to engage in talks.
Iran has offered to end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the U.S. lifting its blockade on the country and an end to the war, while proposing that discussions on the larger question of its nuclear program would come in a later phase, two regional officials said Monday.
Flight Attendants at WestJet, represented by CUPE 8125, have issued a formal notice of dispute following more than seven months of ongoing negotiations that the union says has not produced sufficient progress on key issues.
In a complex global political and economic climate, the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance is calling on airlines to adopt a more transparent and collaborative approach to airline-imposed surcharges – especially as it pertains to travel professionals, who are increasingly relied upon as travellers face fluctuating costs and disruption.
By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Air Canada has wrapped up its first season of flying to Guadeloupe from Toronto, but that hasn’t stopped us dreaming about returning when the flights resume next winter. But what we’d really like is to be there right now. Enjoy this photo essay:
Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts has refreshed its visual identity and brand architecture with the aim of strengthening its position in the all-inclusive segment and enhancing the booking experience. The new customer-centric structure simplifies the experience by organizing sub-brands into clearly defined adults-only and all-ages categories.
Milan has added the title of Olympic city to its long-held monikers as Italy’s fashion and finance capital, a legacy that crowns two decades of growth that reshaped the skyline and boosted investment, tourism and cultural life.
A small army of Secret Service agents are mandated by Congress to keep the American president, his family, cabinet members and various dignitaries safe. The American president is arguably the world’s most protected person, but the job is proving to be tricky. “I can’t imagine that there’s any profession that is more dangerous,” Trump said of his job, just hours after the incident.
Adventure travel is no longer niche – it’s a trillion-dollar force shaping the future of tourism, according to the Adventure Travel Trade Association. In a recently released report, the ATTA says that globally, the majority of international travellers now fall into the “Open to Adventure” category. So, where do Canadians fit in?
Italy continues to hold the world’s highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites – 61 in total – with Italian cuisine added to the list of intangible heritage in 2025. Its standing as a leading global cultural destination is firmly established. The deeper story lies in how travellers are interacting with that heritage: which cities are strengthening their appeal, how demand is redistributing geographically, and whether growing visitor volumes are affecting experience quality.
As AI becomes an everyday part of travel planning, one thing is increasingly clear: while the technology may be global, how travellers use it is anything but uniform. New data from TripGenie, Trip.com’s AI travel assistant, reveals that three years of real-world usage have surfaced new patterns in how travellers plan, decide and navigate their journeys.
Hilton has announced an agreement with YOTEL that will see the UK-based hotel chain known for it’s tech-centric urban vibe become the first the first brand in the newly established Select by Hilton portfolio.
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.
For digital nomads, logging on to work from a cafe, co-working space, hotel lobby or airport lounge is a way of life. Remote working has been made possible by reliable high speed internet and turbocharged by the pandemic. For some remote workers, for various reasons that includes working from somewhere other than their home.
Airports Council Int. (ACI) World, trade association of world airports, in partnership with SITA, recently announced the winners of this year’s ASQ Airport Experience Awards – considered the benchmark for excellence in airport customer experience as determined exclusively by passengers. This year three Canadian airports made the prestigious list.
VoX International Inc. has been reappointed as the agency of record for the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) in Canada, effective April 1, 2026, marking the official return of in-market representation following a temporary pause.
Rome’s Colosseum has a bright new look following a restoration using the same travertine marble of ancient Rome to recreate parts of columns from 2,000 years ago. Thousands of Romans once flocked to this arena to watch gladiators battle each other and wild animals. The structure still captures the public’s imagination; it is Italy’s most popular tourist destination, with 9 million visitors in 2025 alone.
When it comes to fantasy travel companions, most travellers want expertise and conversation over glitz and glamour, according to a recent survey by Global Rescue. Among the top celebrity dream companions were Rick Steves, Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, and Robert De Niro.