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Monday, April 6, 2026
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As Playa’s portfolio becomes integrated into Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection, some key team members have stepped into newly-elevated roles. Amanda Morris, previously director of sales for USA and Canada at Playa, has been named director of retail sales, overseeing the same countries, for Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection in the Americas. Brian Joseph, meanwhile, has been named senior sales manager for Canada.
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Air Canada has added new sun destinations for its winter 2026-27 season, including the only non-stop flights from North America to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The airline has also added Roatan, Santo Domingo, Merida and Mazatlan, plus several new non-stop flights to Caribbean and Mexico destinations, all of which are available for purchase now.
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Amid rising fuel costs, WestJet is making temporary changes to its WestJet Rewards loyalty program. Starting April 8, the airline will introduce a fuel surcharge of $60 on all bookings made with a companion voucher. “This will be reflected in the “Other ATC” portion of companion voucher bookings, and we will continue to assess the surcharge and adjust as conditions allow,” said airline spokesperson Julia Kaiser.
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Finnair, Finland’s national carrier, will bring Canada’s first and only direct connection to Helsinki to Toronto Pearson (YYZ) on May 4. The transatlantic flight will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. It’s also the first time Finnair has flown to Canada since 2015.
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Toronto-based advisor Chelsea Salsberg has spent seven years building a business rooted in global travel planning. She shares what clients are booking now, why safari itineraries stand out and the mindset behind her growth. “Success in this business doesn’t happen overnight,” she says in today's Monday Minute.
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Destination Ontario says the FIFA World Cup 2026 could drive travel beyond Toronto, with new research showing strong interest in regional destinations such as Niagara and Ottawa. The study also points to longer stays, especially among European visitors, and interest in food, drink, sightseeing, shopping and parks.
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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is celebrating the 40th anniversary of connecting Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS). "We are proud to have connected families, fostered cultural exchange, and encouraged tourism in both directions across the Atlantic,” says Jean-Eudes de La Bretèche, country manager, Air France KLM Canada.
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Emerald Cruises & Tours has unveiled its 2027 Europe River Cruises brochure, unveiling more choices, new ships and itineraries, and an extended season on Europe's rivers. Emerald Nova will join Emerald Radiance on Portugal’s Douro River while Emerald Lumi will debut on the Seine River. An extended sailing season introduces departures in February, March, October, November and December.
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Holland America Line is marking its 153rd anniversary with a monthlong sale, offering up to 30 per cent off fares, onboard credits, reduced deposits and free kids fares on select sailings. The cruise line is also expanding onboard programming with new tea experiences led by Culinary Ambassador Steve Schwartz.
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Atlas Ocean Voyages is reclassifying all guest accommodations as suites across its fleet beginning April 2, 2026. The move introduces a new three-tier suite structure, adds perks through a new Concierge Collection and launches an updated Explorer’s Choice offer with options such as air credits, hotel stays and Wi-Fi.
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Europe’s new Entry/Exit System is causing longer wait times at border control, with some delays reaching up to three hours. A new Travel to Europe app, now in use in Sweden and Portugal, may help travellers move through faster as industry groups urge the EU to review the rollout.
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Oceania Cruises has launched The Floating Pastry Academy, a three-year training program for more than 200 onboard pastry and bakery chefs. Developed with The Butter Book, the initiative combines digital learning and practical assessments as the cruise line expands culinary programming ahead of Oceania Sonata’s debut in 2027.
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Intrepid Travel is offering 15 per cent off select Short Break itineraries for bookings made April 1–13, 2026. The sale applies to travel through Dec. 14 and includes shorter, four-to-six-day trips that can be paired with cruises, business travel and longer vacations, giving advisors another flexible product to sell.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
An internal document suggests that air traffic controller staffing at LaGuardia Airport on the night an Air Canada Express plane struck a fire truck may have breached the facility’s procedures by combining positions before midnight.
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“What inspired you to become a travel advisor?” Each week in PAX’s “Monday Minute” column—a Q&A feature written by front-line advisors—we ask this question, and the answers often spark stories as unique and inspiring as the journeys travel professionals create. Here, we share some standout stories from advisors explaining what drew them to the travel industry.
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Ottawa pushed for rules that gave airlines more leeway to avoid paying passengers compensation, even as Canada’s transport regulator resisted, the Canadian Press has found.
Following legislation to reform the Air Passenger Protection Regulations in 2023, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) had proposed rules that would prevent airlines from using technical issues as a reason to deny compensation for flight disruptions.
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