Cardiff, Wales is emerging as Canada’s hottest trending travel destination, with flight searches skyrocketing by nearly 1,046 per cent year-over-year, according to Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2027 report. With 80% of Canadians planning to travel as much or more in 2027, travellers are increasingly looking beyond traditional hotspots for destinations that offer memorable experiences and greater value.
Bryan Batista, CEO of Skyscanner, comments on the emerging travel trends: “Travel is entering a new era. As people become more intentional about how they spend their time and money, they’re making different choices about where they go, how they book and what creates lasting value.”
Top 10 Trending Destinations for Canadians in 2027
Based on the largest year-over-year increases in flight searches, Skyscanner has identified the destinations seeing the biggest surges in interest among Canadian travellers*:
Cardiff, Wales, UK. Taylor Floyd Mews/Unsplash Photo
- Cardiff, United Kingdom: +1,045.91% (I was there for a golf visit many years ago and loved it)
- St. George’s, Grenada: +156.39% (Planning a visit next February!)
- Tivat, Montenegro: +148.84% (I keep reading about Montenegro, and the photos look amazing)
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: +139.00% (I love the food in Malaysia)
- Penticton, Canada: +137.38% (great base for outdoor activities and wineries)
- Salzburg, Austria: +119.28% (a truly magnificent city, and not just for Sound of Music fans)
- Bergen, Norway: +118.82% (haven’t had the pleasure)
- Olbia, Italy: +116.83% (beautiful spot I got to visit on a trip to Sardinia 10 years ago)
- Podgorica, Montenegro: +115.90% (see above)
- Tofino, Canada: +82.60% (Be sure to check out the incredible Wickaninnish Inn)
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*Source: Destinations seeing increase in flight searches between January 1, 2026 and June 30, 2026 for travel throughout 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 |
Where Canadians Can Find the Biggest Flight Savings
For travellers prioritizing value, Skyscanner has also identified the destinations with the largest year-over-year airfare decreases**:
- Cardiff, United Kingdom: 63% decrease
- Nagoya, Japan: 50% decrease
- Florence, Italy: 25% decrease
- Nantes, France: 24% decrease
- Okinawa, Japan: 22% decrease
- Busan, South Korea: 20% decrease
- St. George’s, Grenada: 19% decrease
- Thessaloniki, Greece: 19% decrease
- Hanoi, Vietnam: 16% decrease
- Krakow, Poland: 16% decrease
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**Based on per cent price drop for economy class return flight booked between January 1, 2026 and June 30, 2026 for travel throughout 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 |
A CHAT WITH ZEMI MICHES PUNTA CANA
I found time last week to have a coffee with Hairo Galindez, who represents the Zemi Miches Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic.
Canada is the second largest market for the hotel and for the Dominican Republic as a whole, Galindez said. Which is he was spending some time in Toronto in October to tap with advisors, tour operators, airlines and the media.
The resort, an all-inclusive property that opened in June of last year and operates as part of the Curio by Hilton collection, is just southeast of Samana and only 90 minutes from the Punta Cana airport.
“Miches is the hidden treasure of the Dominican Republic,” Galindez said. “There are only a few hotels, and there’s a beautiful beach protected by a large sandbar. The area is surrounded by lush mountains, as well.”
Galindez said it had to be an authentic experience at the resort to be allowed into the Hilton Curio collection. The resort features of tons of works from local artisans, and Toa restaurant focuses on local cuisine inspired by the indigenous Taino people, as well as dishes from around the D.R.
Zemi Miches Punta Cana
There are 496 rooms and suites, as well as 16 bungalows. Four of the bungalows are beachfront.
The resort appeals to couples and families alike. There’s a kids’ club and a teen club, as well as four pools and waterslides. They offer art classes so you can learn to make bracelets and try your hand at pottery.
The resort features 17 bars and lounges, including a hidden speakeasy.
Zemi Miches also is an ideal spot for weddings and meetings/conventions.
If you want to upgrade, Club Azure features 148 rooms in a club-like setting, with pre-arranged check in and out, concierge service, upgraded liquor and bath amenities, a rooftop pool, and more.
Zemi Miches Punta Cana
Club Azure bungalows (they have studio and two-bedroom units) have private plunge pools and doors that open directly onto the beach. Bungalow guests also get VIP airport transfers, dedicated butler service and other benefits.
“It’s the perfect place for people who’ve seen the D.R. and want something different.”
There’s whale watching at certain times of the year, and visitors often spot nesting sea turtles on the sand.
MONTREAL: A GREAT CANADIAN DESTINATION FOR 2027
For Canadians looking for a getaway that feels a world away without leaving the country, Montréal is making a compelling case for 2027.
Fresh off a series of international accolades recognizing everything from its food scene to its overall appeal, the city is gearing up for a landmark year of cultural celebrations, major festival anniversaries, new attractions and hotel openings.
Whether it’s a long weekend built around restaurants and neighbourhood discoveries, a music-filled summer escape or a winter city break, Montréal offers plenty of reasons to put it back on the travel list.
A colourful street in Montreal. Benoit Debaix/Unsplash Photo
A city getting global recognition
Montréal’s international reputation continues to grow:
- Montréal ranked ninth out of 81 destinations in the 2026 Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index, entering the Top 10 for the first time with a score of 86.59%, and ranking first globally for destination management with a score of 98%, the highest ever recorded in this category
- The city was named one of the world’s happiest cities in 2026 by Time Out, earning recognition as the only Canadian destination on the list.
- Lonely Planet named Québec one of its 50 Best in Travel destinations for 2027, recognizing the province as the best destination in North America for Francophone culture.
- It also ranked sixth among the world’s best cities with populations over 500,000 in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
- USA TODAY readers placed Montréal second in its Best NHL City category.
- Google Maps’ first Fan-Favorite Dining List also included Montréal as its only Canadian city among 10 cities spotlighting the dining trends attracting attention around the world.
- Montréal was named one of North America’s Best River Cruise Destination at the 2026 World Cruise Awards, highlighting the city’s appeal as a gateway to St. Lawrence River cruises and its growing profile among cruise travellers.
Together, these accolades reinforce what visitors have long appreciated: a city with a distinctive personality, an exciting food culture and an atmosphere that deserves exploration.
The Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal. JIM BYERS PHOTO
A landmark year for culture and festivals
In 2027, Montréal will mark the 60th anniversary of Expo 67, the landmark world’s fair that helped shape the city’s modern identity. The anniversary offers an opportunity to revisit the legacy of this defining moment through icons such as Habitat 67, the Biosphere and La Ronde, as well as the STM, the city’s Metro system, which transformed how residents and visitors move around Montréal.
The city’s festival calendar will have milestones of its own. OSHEAGA celebrates its 20th edition, bringing another chapter of major music performances to Montréal’s summer, while MURAL Festival marks its 15th edition, continuing the city’s transformation into an open-air gallery of contemporary urban art. Food lovers can also look forward to the 15th edition of MTLàTable, an ideal opportunity to explore Montréal’s restaurant scene and discover the culinary creativity behind its growing international reputation.
St-Viateur Bagel marks its 70th anniversary in 2027, offering another reason to seek out one of the city’s most iconic bagel shops and savour a taste of Montréal’s culinary heritage.
New experiences you can only get here
Montréal is also preparing to welcome a series of major attractions in 2027.
Ancestra Lumina, created by Moment Factory, invites visitors on a nighttime journey through Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery. Spanning nearly two kilometres and featuring eight stations of sound, light and imagery, the experience celebrates life, memory and the people who helped shape Québec.
Meanwhile, the Montréal Tower at Olympic Park is set to reopen in spring 2027 following a transformative renovation. Known as the world’s tallest inclined tower, it will offer rooftop access, a new glass funicular and reimagined visitor spaces, giving travellers a fresh perspective on the city and its surroundings.
Montréal will also welcome a brand-new Cirque du Soleil world-premiere production in its hometown with the launch of Finding Utopia/L’Éveil d’Utopia, adding another reason to experience the extraordinary circus artistry for which the city is known.
A new museum dedicated to Salvador Dalí will bring another major cultural draw to Old Montréal in 2027. The Musée des archives de Salvador Dalí (MASD), set to open in the historic Commissioners Building, constructed in 1875, will explore the surrealist master’s work beyond his famous paintings, including drawings, engravings, illustrations and archival materials. With plans to bring art together with music, projections, lighting and live performances, the museum aims to offer a contemporary, immersive perspective on Dalí’s creative imagination.
