Issue Date: Jun 08, 2026
As the industry gears up for the summer of 2026, Sebastien Benedict is in an optimistic mood. Benedict, the President & CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), sat down with Canadian Travel Press during Rendez-vous Canada 2026 in Toronto at the end of May and talked about the outlook for the summer season, TIAC’s soon-to-be-launched Emergency Preparedness Initiative and the association’s strategy to deliver its message about the importance and impact of tourism to all levels of government. “We’re pretty optimistic,” Benedict said of the outlook for the summer season, pointing out that there have been some positive signs from the U.S. recently. Said Benedict: “Obviously, travel from the U.S. has been in decline every month since [January 2025], so last month [April 2026] was the first net positive month we’ve had since [then], so, for us, this is very encouraging.”
MSC Cruises reinforces the value proposition of cruising In a wide-ranging conversation, Ian Patterson, Canada Country Manager, MSC Cruises Canada, talks about the performance of the Canadian market and the cruise company’s strategy here; observing: “Travel advisors should really focus on understanding what type of experience the client wants and then position cruising as one of the most flexible and comprehensive vacation options available.” Finding Treasure in Turks and Caicos The newly opened Treasure Beach Village, a US$150 million expansion at Beaches Turks and Caicos, marks the beginning of a new era for Beaches Resorts. “This new village is what we call Beaches 2.0,” Adam Stewart, executive chairman of Sandals Resorts International … “This is a great indication of where we are going ….” Fort Lauderdale turns up the heat at IPW 2026 “IPW 2026 was an incredible opportunity to showcase the energy, accessibility and continued evolution of Greater Fort Lauderdale to travel professionals and media from around the world,” said Stacy Ritter, president/CEO of Visit Lauderdale. “The connections made throughout the week will continue to drive meaningful business and visitation to our community.”
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