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
The U.S. Travel Association released its updated Travel Forecast, indicating a significant decline in international inbound travel. The association said, “outdated systems, excessive visa wait times and new travel deterrents are driving global visitors elsewhere.”
The St. Kitts Tourism Authority has announced the launch of its first-ever Travel Advisor Board with eight members from key markets including Canada. The initiative aims to strengthen ties with the travel agent community by providing professionals the opportunity to share direct feedback, offer insights and contribute to the destination’s ongoing tourism strategy. Selected members will receive a range of benefits, including financial rewards and other incentives. To apply, submit the linked application form along with any required materials to traveladvisorboard@stkittstourism.kn. Deadline for applications is Oct. 31. Find the form HERE.
BY THE NUMBERS
Statistics Canada says total tourism spending in the country in the second quarter totalled $26.5 billion, marking a marginal 0.9% increase based on a rise in domestic travel that was offset in part by fewer visitors from the U.S. Statistics Canada says overnight travel to Canada by international visitors dropped 6.9% in the second quarter, while overnight travel from the U.S. fell 10.2%.
AIR
A new codeshare partnership between Porter Airlines and American Airlines will see Porter place its code on select American transborder and domestic flights, giving passengers seamless access to more U.S. destinations including connections through American’s key hubs at Charlotte, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas Fort Worth and Philadelphia. The Canadian carrier’s code will also be placed on American’s southern network, extending access to destinations in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. American will put its code on select flights operated by Porter from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).
Air Canada will continue its Ottawa to London Heathrow non-stop flights through the Winter 2025-26 seasons, with departures on Wed-Fri-Mon from Nov. 2 to March 27.
Canadians can now book trips in Economy or Business Class across all Emirates destinations using Flex Pay and pay in installments with 0% interest over 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. The offer is valid on all tickets purchased through Dec. 8 for travel between Oct. 12 and March 31, 2026.
TOUR OPERATORS
More than 170 tours worldwide, including 20 new tours, are on tap from Collette in its just-released 2026 travel season (photo). Operating under the new tagline “By Travelers. For Travelers,” Collette is entering its 108th year promising to continue to “redefine guide travel with a premium experience designed for the modern traveller – featuring industry-leading service, innovative itineraries, and meaningful connections with people and cultures that go far beyond the guidebook. See the brochure at Collette’s travel advisor portal.
The NexusTours Agent Portal has now been fully integrated into Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, and WestJet Vacations Quebec. This provides new earning opportunity for travel advisors, with 10% commission available on all excursion bookings in more than 3,850 destinations worldwide. To receive their commission and access the portal, agencies will need to complete a one-time registration through the NexusTours Agent Portal. Also, through Oct. 29, every excursion booking made via the integrated portal automatically enters travel advisors for a chance to win a seven-night all-inclusive stay for two at Riu Dunamar in Cancun, Mexico, with private NexusTours transfers and a CDN$200 NexusTours gift card to spend on an excursion of their choice.
DEALS
Throughout October, Viking is offering reduced fares across itineraries; up to free international airfare; and $25 deposits on new bookings.
Sunwing Vacations is giving travel advisors weekly savings opportunities for their clients to experience RIU Resorts and Hotels across Mexico and the Caribbean. RIU October kicks off this week with up to 40% off select resorts for bookings made before Oct. 7, for travel until April 30. Travel advisors will also earn up to 3x RIU Partner Club Points on eligible bookings at select resorts. Further weekly spotlights will feature Family Fun properties, RIU Parties destinations and Canadian Favourites. Details in the Sunwing Travel Agent Portal.
CRUISE
Quark Expeditions has introduced a new addition to its advisor learning platform, PolarPRO. The Groups and Charters specialization module has been designed to help travel advisors unlock new revenue opportunities by delivering in-depth knowledge on how to sell and customize group and charter experiences in the polar regions. It also offers AI-driven support and robust training tools. The new module is available through the Quark Expeditions Partner Portal.
Beginning in 2027, Margaritaville at Sea‘s newest flagship vessel Beachcomber will offer 4- to 8-night itineraries from PortMiami to a variety of Caribberan destinations, including St. Maarten, St. Thomas, the ABC islands, Puerto Plata, and San Juan. Miami will mark the cruise line’s third homeport in Florida after Palm Beach and Tampa.
HOTELS & RESORTS
Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris (photo) has completed a three-year transformation project that saw all its 243 rooms completely renovated. Now redesigned as a collection of private residences, each space exudes an intimate ambience designed to offer guests the feeling of truly living in Paris. The newly refurbished spaces feature the largest guestroom layouts of any hotel in Paris, with personal workspaces, curated libraries and private dining rooms. Every detail has been carefully designed in a blend of classic Louis XVI-style furniture and contemporary artworks. The integration of discreet, intuitive technologies are meant to ensure that guests feel both fully connected and completely at home.
RIU Hotels & Resorts has opened its first hotel in Canada: the Riu Plaza Toronto. The newly built four-star hotel has 352 rooms and is located at 30 Widmer St. in the bustling Entertainment District, walking distance from the Rogers Centre, the CN Tower and other downtown attractions. The project comprises two twin skyscrapers, each with 49 floors. RIU’s new hotel covers 23 floors in one skyscraper, with the rest of the building to be used for housing.
ATTRACTIONS
Strøm Old Quebec has been named Canada’s Best Day Spa at the internationally recognized World Spa Awards for the second year in a row. Founded in 2009, Strøm Nordic Spa has five locations across Québec (Old Quebec, Nuns’ Island, Saint-Sauveur, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, and Sherbrooke).
FAMS & INCENTIVES
Luxury villa rental company Rental Escapes has extended a bonus offer for travel advisors throughout October. Agents can earn an Amazon gift card of up to $5,000 on all bookings made during the promotion window for travel by Dec. 31, 2026.
The ACV&Me 50th Anniversary Game invites travel advisors to play to win simply by making a booking. With over $50,000 in prizes up for grabs, prizes include a grand prize $10,000 travel voucher, $10,000 in cash, 10,000 Aeroplan points, air-only tickets to Mexico and the Caribbean, free land stays, ACV&Me points, and complimentary lounge passes.
EVENTS
Webinars in both English and French are being conducted for agents who missed Air Canada Vacations’ recent product launch events. The webinar will be recorded and made available afterwards. In addition, participating agents will have the chance to win prizes through a giveaway. Sessions will be held:
- French: Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. EST; to register, click HERE.
- English: Thursday, Oc. 9 at 1 p.m. EST; to register, click HERE.
Emerald Cruises & Tours and Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours are set to embark on a cross-Canada series of 24 in-person information sessions from Oct. 14 to Nov. 14. The events provide a look into the world of river cruising and the cruise lines’ full 2026 river cruise collections, with a peak at 2027. Travel advisors are encouraged to bring their clients to the complimentary sessions and as an added bonus, exclusive offers will be available for those who attend and make a new booking. Note that both Scenic and Emerald Cruises will host their information sessions on the same day and location and guests can attend either or both. For dates and locations, and to attend, go to www.scenic.ca/riverevents and/or www.emeraldcruises.ca/riverevents.
PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS
Joseph (Joe) Adamo is retiring from Transat A.T. effective Dec. 31. He spent 14 years at the company, having held several key positions, ultimately serving as Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Transat and President of Transat Distribution Canada (TDC). Following his departure Renée Boisvert will become VP Product and Tour Operator Sales and President of TDC. And Xavier Szwengler will be VP, Marketing and Distribution.
Montreal-based Rental Escapes, a full-service luxury villa company specializing in private villa experiences worldwide, has announced today the appointment of Vonda Keeler as director of travel advisor partnerships as well as the promotion of Willie Fernanez to chief sales and marketing officer. Keeler is responsible for strengthening relationships across the advisory community and boosting sales through hands-on efforts.
DESTINATIONS
Britain’s Great West Way has released its latest digital Travel Trade Directory, a one-stop-shop for intermediaries seeking to curate market-ready experiences along or within easy reach of the Great West Way – a multi-modal tourist route running west from London to Bristol, and all points in between. The new 7th edition offers information on destinations, attractions, accommodation and refreshment stops, 400-plus trade focussed attractions and accommodation listings, new ideas for bookable experiences, activities and specialist tours and new highlights looking ahead to 2027. Download a pdf copy HERE.
The National Geographic Museum of Exploration will open in mid 2026 as a major new attraction at Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. This immersive 9,000-sq.-m. museum will bring explorers’ journeys to life through photographs, augmented reality, tactile exhibits, a 400-seat theatre, educational spaces, and a nighttime audio-visual courtyard experience. Also, in July, an Immersive Museum beneath the Lincoln Memorial will open with a subterranean exhibit under the memorial’s undercroft that reveals its construction history and highlight its role in civil rights movements through dynamic storytelling and multimedia presentation.
LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY
In 1816, stagecoach service started between Toronto and Niagara.
In 1967, the transatlantic British liner “Queen Mary” docked – for the last time – at Long Beach, Ca., and became a floating hotel and museum.
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