Visiting China is about to become a lot easier for many Canadians.
As of tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026), holders of Canadian passports can travel to China without having to pay for a visa. A China travel visa currently costs about $140 CAD, so this would mean a savings of almost $300 for a couple and more than $550 in savings for a family of four.
The CBC reports Canadian passport holders will be “exempted from visa to enter China and stay for up to 30 days for business, tourism, family/friends visit, exchange and transit purposes.” The policy also applies to U.K. passport holders.
Shanghai, China. Jim Byers Photo
The move, which is valid through the end of this year, comes as the governments of Canada and China move to make more trade deals and warm what has been a cool relationship over the past few years.
Canadian passport holders currently don’t need a visa to visit Hong Kong or Macau, but they need one to visit mainland China.
A recent Flight Centre Canada study found that nine per cent of Canadians list Asia as their preferred destination for 2026. I also noted in a recent post that the Chinese city of Shanghai, which has amazing food, incredible culture and terrific hotels, recently set a tourism record.
TORONTO NOW THE NUMBER ONE AIRPORT FOR ARRIVALS TO CANCUN
As I’ve noted in past blog posts, Canadians are increasingly turning away from trips to the U.S. in favour of visits to Europe, the Caribbean and Mexico. Now comes a report that Toronto Pearson Airport has become the number one source for incoming flights to the tourist mecca of Cancun.
Citing figures from the Mexican Civil Aviation Agency, Mexico News Daily says that, for the first time ever, the Cancún-Toronto route ranked as the busiest of any international flight to Mexico.
Of 10 air routes with the most international traffic to the Mexican Caribbean last year, six connecting with the U.S. showed downturns while two Canadian flights experienced significant passenger surges.
Cancun, Mexico. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Mexico News Daily said a study conducted by the Center for Advanced Research in Sustainable Tourism at Anáhuac University’s Quintana Roo campus revealed that travel from Toronto last year climbed 26.1% compared to 2024, displacing the two flights from Texas (Dallas-Cancún and Houston-Cancún) at the top of the annual list.
The website also said Toronto-Cancun is the busiest international air route into Mexico, with Madrid-Mexico City coming second. It said that of the ten busiest air routes into Mexico, five are flights into Cancun.
Cancun and the Mexican Riviera have seen an explosion of new hotels, not only all-inclusive family resorts but also uber-luxury properties with celebrity chefs.
THAT AND THIS: Historic Hawaii Hotel, Aeroplan Deals, Caribbean Resort Costs and More
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Agustin Diaz Gargiulo/Unsplash Photo
Congratulations to the staff at the wonderful Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa on Waikiki Beach on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, as they celebrate the hotels’ 125th anniversary. I had the good fortune of staying there a dozen years or so ago, and had dinner on the patio with my Dad and sister in 2018. The hotel is a beauty, and the rocking chairs on the front porch are a highly coveted spot for relaxing and watching the world go by … I noticed a nice item in the Globe and Mail the other day about Canada not having its own trusted traveller program for frequent fliers. Canadians (like me) can get a Nexus pass, but that’s a joint US-Canada program. I agree that it’s time Canada had its own program … It’s a good time to be a member of Air Canada’s Aeroplan program, as they’ve just launched their Aeroplan eStore Redemption Days promotion. You can save up to 20% on must‑haves like gift cards, phones, luggage, and small kitchen appliances from top brands. Don’t have enough points? You can still get it and save using Cash + Points. The offer ends Feb. 26, 2026 … Interesting story from CTV News on the weekend, quoting travel expert Marty Firestone as saying that Caribbean resorts may increase prices given the sudden lack of flights to Cuba and the demand for Caribbean holidays … Another thought-provoking travel story comes from the BBC, which notes that some surprising regions of the world saw the strongest tourism growth rates for 2025. “hile Europe remained the world’s most visited region, welcoming nearly 800 million arrivals and posting a solid 6% growth over 2024, the destinations recording the fastest growth were not the usual headliners. Brazil saw arrivals surge by 37%, Egypt by 20%, Ethiopia by 15% and Bhutan by 30%. Even the Seychelles, a tiny archipelago off East Africa, recorded a 13% increase.” …
