More than nine in 10 visitors to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto said they are likely to return to Ontario for a leisure trip within the next two years, according to a visitor intercept study released today (Sept. 2) by Destination Ontario. Conducted in partnership with Destination Toronto and Context Research Group Inc., the study surveyed visitors during the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Toronto and found high visitor satisfaction, positive perceptions of Ontario and strong intent to return. It remains to be seen if those opinions translate into actual visits, but it’s quite encouraging to see numbers like Read more
world’s best cities
Travel and Leisure has come out with its annual list of top destinations, hotels and resorts around the world. It’s a list I always enjoy reading, so here are some highlights to help you make your next travel decision. Travel and Leisure is a pretty high-end publication, so keep in mind that you’re not finding many casual, mom and pop places on the hotel and resort lists. The cities are another story. Below you’ll find highlights for the world, the U.S.A. and Canada, as well as specific areas I love, including Hawaii and Australia. BEST WORLD CITIES San Miguel de Read more
Japan rules the tourism world. A new look at the world’s best cities gives the top spot on the podium to Osaka, with Kyoto in the bronze medal spot and five Japanese destinations/cities in the top 12 in the world. Yanolja Research recently published its Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index, which it says “objectively measures the attractiveness of global tourism cities from the perspective of tourists—the actual demand side of tourism.” This index directly reflects how tourists perceive and evaluate the appeal and popularity of tourism cities. It is derived through sentiment analysis and the measurement of positive and Read more
London, New York City and Paris made the podium in the newest list of the world’s top cities. Resonance Consultancy, which has been analyzing world cities for 11 years, looked at everything from livability to education, parks and public transit to come up with its list, which I think is always one of the strongest in the biz. London came out on top (it has won the award 11 years in a row), followed by New York City and Paris. Toronto was the top winner in Canada, coming in at number 17, while Los Angeles was the top US city Read more
One of the world’s best beaches is getting bigger. Much bigger. I recently caught up with Brian Lowack, president and CEO of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater; one of the top destinations in Florida. He told me a beach renewal project that stretches from Sand Key on Clearwater Beach to St. Pete Beach will add 2.5 million cubic yards of sand, with roughly 200 feet of width. “It’s already great, but it’s going to be the most beautiful beach in Florida,” he told me in Toronto, where Visit St. Pete/Clearwater hosted media and travel agents at a Blue Jays-Yankees game. The cost Read more
