CHANGES IN ATTITUDE, CHANGES IN LATITUDE: Canadians thinking twice about travel choices
Canadians remain passionate about exploring new destinations, but changing global dynamics are reshaping how and where they travel. According to CAA’s Travel Wise National survey, more than half of Canadians (51%) now say geopolitical and economic factors, such as instability abroad, a perception of the U.S. as being less welcoming, and rising travel costs, are influencing where Canadians choose to travel.
CANADIAN AIRLINES EXTEND CUBA FLIGHT SUSPENSIONS
WestJet and Air Transat are extending their suspension of flights to Cuba, which was struggling with an island-wide blackout this week amid a ballooning energy crisis.
PASSENGER DEMAND TO DOUBLE, SAYS IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its Long-Term Demand Projections (LTDP) for air travel, showing that global air passenger demand is expected to more than double by 2050.
WICKED WEATHER, STAFF SHORTAGES, SNARLS U.S. TRAVEL
Travel disruptions continued south of the border as airlines worked to recover from a powerful storm system that had already snarled flight schedules earlier in the week while the partial government shutdown continued to fuel long lines at security checkpoints.
DO YOU BELIEVE?: Disney reveals details about next cruise ship
The next ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet will be named the ‘Disney Believe’ – named to honour “the dreamers and doers who dare to pursue their own happily ever after.”
MODERN TECH REVEALS ANCIENT ROME: Livestream tour allows hidden home to ‘open’ to tourists
Perhaps signifying a new trending in touring, one of the best-preserved ancient Roman homes on the Palatine Hill is now open to the public for the first time, albeit via a livestreamed tour of its hard-to-reach underground frescoes and mosaics.
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‘IMMINENT ACTION’: Trump renews Cuba threats
Donald Trump turned away from Iran long enough on Tuesday to pledge imminent action against Cuba’s socialist government as his moves against the island bring the U.S.’s longtime opponent deeper into crisis.
GEN Z MOST OPTIMISTIC ABOUT FUTURE OF BUSINESS TRAVEL
Business travellers believe travel for work will get easier over the next five years with optimists (44%) outnumbering naysayers (17%) by more than two to one. And they expect AI to play a key role in improving the business travel experience and trust AI to streamline expense management, according to new research from American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT).
PAY AVIATION WORKERS, URGE AIRLINE BOSSES
The CEOs of American Airlines, Delta, Southwest and JetBlue, are imploring U.S. Congress to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security and embrace a bipartisan solution to pay federal aviation workers including airport security officers during the partial government shutdown.
RETAIL ROUND-UP: Agent news, fams & incentives
This week: TTAND tunes in to luxury; Virtuoso unveils 21 Canadian cruise “icons’; KVI Travel also “evolves” with enhanced luxury offerings; Uniworld University introduces a new course; and Coconut Bay Resort & Spa in Saint Lucia has a bonus for advisors.
READY FOR SOME SUNSHINE: DR lays out the welcome mat
By JEN SAVEDRA/ 2026 is proving to be an exceptional year for the Dominican Republic, with official data showing that an amazing 1.22 million visitors arrived in January alone. This “unprecedented surge” represents an 8.7% increase over the previous year, and a 61% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
SUNWING SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON FAMILY-FRIENDLY CANCUN
With family travel continuing to trend for spring and summer vacations, Sunwing Vacations is spotlighting some of its favourite family-friendly all-inclusive resort options in Cancún available to book now.