With less than a year to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, political tensions and U.S. policy threaten to pose problems as Canada, the United States and Mexico prepare to co-host tournament. With millions of fans expected to cross borders to attend the games, U.S. President Donald Trump’s harsh immigration policies – which include travel bans on some countries, immigration raids and mass deportations – are generating anxiety.

School’s out for summer, and a growing number of Canadian adults want to be where the kids aren’t. According to a Flight Centre survey conducted by YouGov, 57% of Canadian travellers are prioritizing adults-only travel, while 75% would consider taking a booze-free trip this year.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

An uptick in last-minute bookings has travel advisors at TRAVELSAVERS Canada encouraged that summer and fall travel is still in the cards for many clients as they navigate economic circumstances and misgivings about travelling to the U.S.

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.

The Trump administration has imposed new restrictions on flights from Mexico and threatened to end a longstanding partnership between Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico in response to limits the Mexican government placed on passenger and cargo flights into Mexico City several years ago.

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%).

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.”