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.
NEWS
A new study from Blue Cross says 81% of Canadian travellers have changed their travel habits due to rising costs – a 12 percentage-point increase from last year. Notably, many young travellers are forming habits in an economic landscape that demands adaptability. According to the study, most (90%) Gen Z respondents report adapting to increased prices, compared to 70% of Boomers.
A Winnipeg firm that owns several northern airlines has announced plans to buy Canadian North, the airline that serves the Arctic. Exchange Income Corp. said it made a deal to buy Bradley Air Services Ltd., which operates as Canadian North, for $205 million from the two Inuit organizations that own the airline. The closing of the sale is expected to occur later this year.
A small group of foreign tourists – including a Canadian – visited North Korea in the last week, making them the first international travellers to enter the country in five years except for a group of Russian tourists who went last year. Beijing-based travel company Koryo Tours said it arranged a five-day trip of international tourists to the northeastern North Korean border city of Rason, where the country’s special economic zone is located.
AIR
WestJet is enhancing its rewards program with changes to include WestJet points replacing WestJet dollars at a rate of one WJ dollar converting to 100 points. Among the other enhancement, members will earn points on carrier surcharges and extras such as seat selection, checked bags and upgrades; and Teal members will see their earn rate on flights double. Additionally, members may now redeem for the entire fare, including all extras and taxes, entirely with points.
Air Canada plans to resume flights to Israel in June, a year and a half after it halted trips to the region amid the Israel-Hamas war. With a fragile truce in place, the airline said in a travel update that four direct round-trip flights per week from Toronto to Tel Aviv will begin on June 8. Another once-a-week return flight out of Montreal is slated to start in August.
An interline agreement between Air Transat and Air Europa is set to expand connectivity between Canada and Spain, further strengthening the former’s presence in the Spanish market. The partnership will give Canadian travellers seamless single-ticket access to several Spanish hotspots, including Bilbao (BIO), Ibiza (IBZ), La Coruña (LCG), Las Palmas (LPA), Palma de Mallorca (PMI), Tenerife (TFN), and Vigo (VGO), via Air Europa’s hub in Madrid (MAD). Bookings are now open for the Saturday service, which begins June 7 and joins four-times weekly Transat flights from Oct. 25 to make the route year-round.
BY THE NUMBERS
VisitBritain’s 2025 inbound tourism forecast for 2025 shows that international visits overall and visitor spending to the UK are set to increase on 2024 levels. A record 43.4 million visits are forecast, up 5% on the 41.2 million expected in 2024, while spending by international visitors in the UK in 2025 is expected to reach £33.7 billion, up 7& on the spending predicted in 2024.
DEALS
With ‘Flash Sale’ fares starting at $625 from Ontario and $689 from Quebec, there has never been a better time to explore Paris and Porto, says Air Transat. Reservations must be made between by March 5 for travel from that date through Oct. 31.
Through March 31, the ‘Solo Passenger Discount’ from Quark Expeditions offers solo travellers a reduced solo supplement, saving up to CDN$10,000. The offer is combinable with ‘Triple Bonus Event,’ a pre-voyage package worth up to $5,000, and is available for all Svalbard Arctic 2025 itineraries, including Arctic Saga, Svalbard Explorer, Spitsbergen Highlights, and the Ultimate Arctic Voyage. Additionally, travel advisors booking Arctic 2025 voyages can take advantage of the Sell Six, Sail Free incentive. By booking six or more guests on the same voyage, advisors will earn a complimentary berth on that departure. This offer can also be combined with The Triple Bonus Event Advisor incentive, enabling advisors to earn a $125 gift card for every passenger booked.
TOURS
TravelBrands is setting sail with Shore Excursions Group, the world’s largest shore excursion provider. The collaboration brings a portfolio of over 4,000 tours in 300-plus ports worldwide, providing travel agents and their clients with high-quality, lower-priced excursions that enhance their travel experiences. Travel agents can now easily book shore excursions for their clients via a co-branded website with 10% commission on all sales. To register for bookings, complete the registration form HERE.
G Adventures is launching its first trips to Pakistan in 2025 with three tours: Pakistan: Lahore & Hiking the Karakoram Mountains; Pakistan: Hike the Karakoram Mountains; and Pakistan: Karakoram Highway, Local Eats & Village Life.
ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS
Universal Orlando Resort’s newest hotel, Universal Stella Nova Resort, recently opened to guests. Co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels & Co, the new hotel joins Universal Orlando’s current collection of themed hotels and offers 750 rooms, cosmic-inspired dining options and “out-of-this-world” amenities. The resort is adjacent to the Universal Epic Universe theme park opening this summer 2025 and located minutes away from the other Universal Orlando existing theme parks.
HOTELS & RESORTS
An ideal base for visiting neighbouring Blenheim Palace in England’s Cotswolds (guests can walk five minutes to enter the park to the place spectacular site, where Winston Churchill was born, The Feathers hotel in charming Woodstock has reopened following a multi-million pound renovation. Each of the Grade-II listed hotel’s 23 rooms and suites has been reimagined and the ground floor is home to The Nest, a new relaxed brasserie that extends out onto an expansive terrace. The restaurant is open to both hotel guests and the general public.
Now open is Paraiso de la Bonita, a Luxury Collection Resort, Riviera Maya, Adult All- Inclusive. This boutique, adult all-inclusive retreat marks a significant milestone in the collaboration between Playa Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International. Located 20 minutes from Cancun International Airport and perched between a mangrove reserve and the Caribbean Sea, the resort underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation and features 100 oceanfront suites, multiple bars and restaurants, expansive spa, and a myriad of activities for guests.
CRUISE
Viking has announced its new 2026-27 World Cruise itineraries, including the Viking World Voyage III, which will journey around the world in 170 days, visiting 41 countries with 82 guided tours and overnight stays in 18 cities. Setting sail on Viking’s 930-guest Viking Sky from Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 22, 2026, the itinerary will include ports of call across six continents before its final destination of Stockholm on June 10, 2027.
Costa Cruises will introduce Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic as a new embarkation option for the ship’s Caribbean itineraries in the 2025-26 season. From December through March 2026, Costa Fascinosa’s eight-day Caribbean itineraries will cruise roundtrip from Santo Domingo calling at a combination of islands, including Barbados, Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Most of the cruises include a call at Catalina Island, Costa’s private island.
INSURANCE
Travel Guard has unveiled a comprehensive student travel safety campaign designed to increase awareness of the preparations students should take before embarking on study abroad or school-sponsored trips to international destinations. The campaign features a dedicated microsite with videos depicting common safety scenarios and advice, as well as safety-focused tips around topics such as travel choices, beach trips and nightlife. Check it out HERE.
FAMS & INCENTIVES
Through March 12, Carnival Cruise Line’s ‘Book More, Earn Big’ promotion – part of the company’s Travel Agents Rock! advisor loyalty program (photo) – offers agents one-of-a-kind rewards like a chance to win an Early-Access Giveaway Trip for an exclusive first look at Celebration Key, Carnival’s newest private destination opening in July. Carnival is also offering up to 1,000 Loyalty Rocks! bonus points, which can be redeemed for travel incentives, gift cards and Carnival swag. The more bookings made, the more points travel advisors receive, as well as additional entries entered for the Celebration Key trip giveaway. For more info, go to www.GoCCL.com.
EVENTS
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) have announced the theme for the PATA Annual Summit 2025, “Timeless Wisdom for a Sustainable Future.” Scheduled to take place at the CVK Park Bosphorus Hotel İstanbul April 21-23, the Summit will provide a stage for industry leaders to discuss how these insights can be applied to tackle current challenges and seize new opportunities.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
The Globus family of brands’ (GFOB) has refreshed its leadership structure in Canada. Denise Harper has been promoted to managing director, Canada sales, overseeing national and regional partnerships at the head office and consortia levels. At the same time, Billy Stewart has been named national trade sales manager, taking full accountability for Canada’s Business Development Manager (BDM) team. Two, new inside sales account managers have been appointed as well: Joanne Fillion (Central & Western Canada) and Danielle Friel (Ontario, Quebec & Atlantic Canada).
DESTINATIONS
The MICHELIN Guide is expanding its selection in Florida with three new destinations being added in 2025. In addition to Miami, Orlando and Tampa, the 2025 selection will include restaurants in Greater Fort Lauderdale, The Palm Beaches and St. Pete-Clearwater. Beginning in 2026, the selection will grow further to become a state-wide selection covering all of Florida.
Belmond has unveiled the Britannic Explorer, A Belmond Train, the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales. Set to debut in July 2025. The Britannic Explorer will depart from London, offering three-night journeys with a choice of three evocative routes through the spectacular natural landscapes of Cornwall, The Lake District, and Wales. The routes are scheduled to allow travellers to combine two regional journeys into one trip: The Cornwall and Lake District routes run from Friday to Monday, while the Wales route runs from Monday to Thursday.
LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY
In 1964, the Toronto International Airport terminal building was opened.
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