Barbados is celebrating its 60th anniversary as an independent nation. I first visited in 2009 or so, and have been at least four or five times since. It’s one of my fave places in the world; beautiful and safe and relaxed, but with many elegant places to stay. This list is mostly about food and drinks, so here’s a link to a story I wrote after a great food tour of the island a few years ago. Barbados Food & Rum Festival – One of the Caribbean’s premier culinary festivals brings together renowned local and international chefs each year. Meet Award-Winning Read more
Canada
As Canadians face the peak summer travel season, new research from Intrepid Travel suggests they are looking beyond crowded hotspots and social media-driven hotspots in favour of local connection, human expertise and experiences that positively impact the people and places they visit. The company’s Meaningful Travel Index, based on a national survey of 2,000 Canadians conducted by Wakefield Research found nearly all Canadians (93%) would consider changing their travel habits to help reduce overtourism, while 84% say it is important that their travel positively impacts local people and places. More than seven in 10 Canadians (71%) say overcrowding at popular destinations Read more
Air Canada’s Aeroplan and World of Hyatt have teamed up for an attractive program that provides members more ways to earn and redeem rewards. Bringing together two of the travel industry’s top loyalty programs, the collaboration expands member benefits across a combined network of more than 1,300 destinations and 1,500 hotels. Whether flying with Air Canada or staying at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts, members will be able to earn, convert and redeem points across both programs when they link their accounts. “Hyatt is one of the world’s most admired hospitality brands, and we’re thrilled to bring World Read more
Hotel restaurants are playing an increasingly central role in how Canadians dine and travel. New OpenTable data shows hotel dining is on the rise across Canada, with dining at hotel restaurants in 2026 up seven per cent, year-over-year.² To help diners discover standout spots near and far, OpenTable launches its second annual Top 50 Hotel Restaurants in Canada for 2026.³ Alongside the list, OpenTable is spotlighting new insights into how Canadians are embracing hotel restaurants across travel, staycations or everyday dining experiences that feel like a getaway. The destination is dinner: Nearly half (49%) of Canadians have dined at a restaurant located in a hotel within the Read more
Canadian travel to the U.S. slowed in June of this year compared to May, but was still a fair bit higher than June of 2025. New figures released today (July 13) by Statistics Canada show that, for June of 2026, return trips to Canada from the U.S. were up 3.2% over June of last year. Return trips by car were up 5.2%, while returning trips by air were down 3.8%. Stats Canada said the June figures mark the third month in a row that return trips to Canada from the States were up over the previous year’s figures. For May, Read more
