Canadian Travel to U.S. Remains Under Pressure
RBC Economics reports Canadian departures to the United States fell sharply, with 29.1 million trips in 2025—a 25.4% drop from 2024—and January 2026 travel down about 23% YoY. The decline persisted into March 2026, when air‑and‑auto return trips were 7.6% lower. Meanwhile, domestic tourism surged, reaching 90.6 million trips in Q2 2025 and generating $20.3 billion CAD (≈$14.8 billion USD) in spending, while overseas trips rose 7.1% to $6.9 billion CAD (≈$5.0 billion USD). U.S. hotel markets that depend on Canadian visitors, especially in border states and leisure destinations, are seeing occupancy pressure as Canadians redirect demand.
Watermark Beach Resort Achieves Biosphere Sustainable Certification
Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos, B.C. earned the globally recognized Biosphere Sustainable Certification and a 3 Green Key rating from Green Key Global. The Biosphere program, administered by the Responsible Tourism Institute, assesses performance across 17 sustainability dimensions, from climate action to cultural preservation....
Novotel and Ocean Wise Remove Waste From Toronto’s Cherry Beach
Novotel, Accor’s founding brand, partnered with Ocean Wise for a shoreline cleanup at Toronto’s Cherry Beach on April 17, removing 182 pounds of waste. Thirty‑four volunteers collected 428 cigarette butts, 104 plastic pieces, 114 bottle caps and 71 food wrappers....
Post Hotel & Spa Welcomes Chef De Cuisine
Post Hotel & Spa in Lake Louise has appointed Sebastian Brand as its chef de cuisine. Brand, classically trained in Berlin, previously led culinary operations at art'otel Berlin, the Park Plaza Hotel Group, and opened the flagship NH Collection Dresden...
Germain Hotels Releases Its 2025 Impact Report
Germain Hotels unveiled its 2025 Impact Report, showing all 19 Canadian properties earned 4‑Green Key certification, a globally recognised sustainability standard. The chain slashed single‑use plastic water bottle purchases by 95% and cut disposable cup use 25%, while mobilising more...
The St. Regis Toronto Earns Verified Responsible Hospitality Badge
The St. Regis Toronto has been awarded the Verified Responsible Hospitality badge from Forbes Travel Guide, signaling its leadership in sustainable luxury hospitality. The property also boasts a 5‑Green Key rating—the highest from Green Key Global—and ranks fourth among ten...
GTHA Partners with GreenStep
The Greater Toronto Hotel Association (GTHA) has partnered with GreenStep to launch EcoFund, a financing and reporting platform for hotels across the GTA. The initiative gives member properties access to vetted energy, water and waste‑reduction projects, transparent impact metrics, and...
KML Announces 2026 Green Award Winners
Kostuch Media Ltd. (KML) announced the 2026 Green Leadership Award winners—Compass Group Canada, Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada, and The Parkside Hotel & Spa. Compass highlighted its "Planet Promise" plan to reach net‑zero emissions by 2050 and carbon‑neutral Scope 1‑2 emissions by...
E59. An Epic Collection
The Epik Collection, a Montreal‑based network of independent boutique hotels, is redefining luxury hospitality by weaving art, local character, and personalized service into each property. In a recent "Checking In" podcast, editor Rosanna Caira spoke with vice‑president Daniel Gallant about...
May 2026 Digital Issue
Hotelier’s annual Hotel Investment Issue examines Canada’s hotel investment landscape, covering transaction volume, fractional ownership, and M&A activity. The report highlights how technology and revenue management are reshaping development and profitability. Released alongside the Canadian Hotel Investment Conference, the issue...
Travel + Leisure Names Rosemead House a Top New Hotel
Rosemead House in Victoria, B.C., has been named to Travel + Leisure’s 2026 100 Best New Hotels, a list that evaluated roughly 250 properties across 40 countries. The restored 118‑year‑old manor is one of only three Canadian hotels to make the...
Tourism Nanaimo Launches Updated Toolkit
Tourism Nanaimo unveiled an updated Meetings and Events Toolkit that aggregates venue options, accommodation inventory, delegate perks and local planning support in a single planner‑facing resource. The guide spotlights the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, which can host up to 1,300...
Château Okanagan Launches the Million Dollar Escape
Château Okanagan has introduced the Million Dollar Escape, a week‑long, privately bookable experience priced at over $1 million. The seven‑night program accommodates up to 24 guests and blends private‑jet arrivals, yacht and helicopter wine tours, and immersive culinary events. Evening programming...
Travel & Tourism Achieves Record Global GDP in 2025
The World Travel & Tourism Council and Chase Travel reported that travel and tourism generated a record $11.6 trillion in global GDP in 2025, representing 9.8% of the world economy and outpacing overall growth. The sector added 366 million jobs, accounting for...
Ontario to Raise Minimum Wage
Ontario’s government announced a minimum‑wage hike from $17.60 CAD ($13.02 USD) to $17.95 CAD ($13.28 USD) per hour, effective Oct. 1, 2026. The increase, tied to a 1.9% CPI adjustment, will affect more than 700,000 workers and add roughly $728 CAD ($540 USD) to a...
Inn at Laurel Point Named Sustainability Award Finalist
Victoria’s Inn at Laurel Point has been named a finalist for the British Columbia Hotel Association’s Sustainability Award, highlighting its long‑standing environmental leadership. The hotel, the province’s first carbon‑neutral property in 2009, operates under a 2030 Sustainability Plan and holds...
Beyond Staffing Shortages
Hospitality leaders are shifting focus from headcount to operational resilience as the primary driver of premium guest experiences. A 2025 OTS Canadian Journal study shows that clear workflows, empowered staff, and integrated technology deliver consistent service even amid labor shortages....
Rosanna Caira Honoured with HSMAI Ontario’s Industry Icon Award
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Ontario will host its second‑annual Hospitality Tribute Gala on April 29 at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York. The event’s top honor, the Industry Icon Award, will be presented to Rosanna Caira, editor‑publisher of...
Operto Launches GEO Consultant
Operto has introduced the GEO Consultant, a free AI visibility tool that lets hotels see how they appear in generative‑AI travel recommendations. By entering a website and chosen prompts, hotels receive a visibility scan, GEO score and specific recommendations within...
Hotel X Toronto Debuts Luxury Proposal Experience
Hotel X Toronto launched "X Ever After," a one‑day luxury proposal package priced from $2,500. The experience grants exclusive use of the hotel’s skyline‑view space for 1.5 hours, customized décor, champagne, and a 25% wedding‑room discount. The inaugural date is...
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Debuts “Special Happens” Experiences
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has introduced six curated “Special Happens” experiences across its global portfolio, grouped into After Dark, In the Wild, Around the Table and In the Spotlight categories. The lineup features a Great Wall helicopter tour in Beijing,...
Days Inns – Canada Recognizes 2025 Award Recipients
Days Inns – Canada unveiled its 2025 Awards of Recognition, honoring hotels and teams that excel in guest experience and operational excellence. The ceremony highlighted winners across categories such as Guest Choice, Property of the Year (both small and large...
Fairmont Pacific Rim Welcomes New Executive Pastry Chef
Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver has hired Chad Yamagata as its new executive pastry chef, bringing over 20 years of luxury hotel pastry experience. Yamagata previously owned SEE WHY Patisserie in Seoul and collaborated with high‑end fashion brands such as...
Unifor Members at Fairmont Empress Vote to Strike if Necessary
Unifor Local 4276 members at Victoria’s Fairmont Empress Hotel voted 99% in favor of strike action if a new contract isn’t reached this month. The union’s demands focus on higher wages, expanded mental‑health benefits, and stronger protections for workers who...
Canalta Hotels Expands Alberta Presence
Canalta Hotels has rebranded two former Ramada properties in Olds and Wainwright, Alberta, adding them to its portfolio with 98 and 83 guestrooms respectively. The hotels will receive immediate upgrades—new TVs, mattresses, bedding—and undergo comprehensive two‑year renovations that will modernize...
Fairmont Tremblant to Debut Presidential Suite in September
Fairmont Tremblant will launch a 1,200‑sq‑ft Presidential Suite in September 2026, aligning with the resort’s comprehensive guest‑room renovation. The ultra‑luxury suite targets dignitaries and high‑profile guests, offering a master bedroom, spa‑inspired bathroom, private pantry, and sustainable high‑end finishes. Its debut...
Now Open: Hyatt Regency Niagara Falls Fallsview
Hyatt has launched the Hyatt Regency Niagara Falls Fallsview, its first property in Niagara Falls, Ontario, joining the World of Hyatt Classics portfolio. The 42‑floor tower houses 611 premium rooms and suites that deliver unobstructed views of the Horseshoe and...
Custom Travel Solutions Launches RouteStack.ai
Custom Travel Solutions (CTS) unveiled RouteStack.ai, an AI‑native infrastructure that lets large‑language‑model agents like ChatGPT and Perplexity pull real‑time hotel inventory and generate instant booking links. Built on a proprietary Model Context Protocol, the platform translates conversational queries into structured...
Unifor Members at Two GTA Hotels Vote to Strike if Necessary
Unifor Local 112 members at Toronto's Novotel North York and Delta Mississauga have voted to strike if their employer, Vrancor Group, does not present a fair wage offer. The union says the current proposal fails to keep pace with inflation...
Accent Inns and Hotel Zed Strengthen Executive Team
Accent Inns Inc., the parent of Accent Inns, Hotel Zed and ROAR, announced two senior hires: Rachel Johns as Vice‑President of Marketing, Sales and Revenue, and Jeff Hope as Vice‑President of Finance. The new VP, Marketing, Sales and Revenue role consolidates...
Luxury Hospitality Brand Beckons Launches
Beckons, a new experiential luxury hospitality brand, has launched with nine lodges across Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Canada, merging the Baillie Lodges and Tierra Hotels portfolios. The brand is led by CEO Michael Crawford, whose background includes Four Seasons and...
ORHMA Hosts Safety & Crime Prevention Symposium
The Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association partnered with Peel Regional Police to host a Safety & Crime Prevention Symposium for hospitality operators in Mississauga. Speakers addressed emerging threats, including human‑trafficking indicators, a surge in organized auto‑theft, and practical crime‑prevention...
The Sunset Hotel in Vancouver Re-Launches
The Sunset Hotel in downtown Vancouver has reopened under independent local management after Sonder’s 2025 wind‑down. The 50‑suite, apartment‑style property offers nearly 600 sq ft. suites with full kitchens and private balconies. Situated about 2.5 km from BC Place, it aims to capture demand...
Fairmont Le Château Montebello Available for Sale
Colliers is marketing the Fairmont Le Château Montebello, a 210‑room luxury resort on roughly 925 acres along Quebec’s Ottawa River, for sale. The historic property, the world’s largest log structure and former G7 summit venue, includes an 18‑hole Stanley Thompson...
Azuridge Estate Hotel Welcomes Mark Beattie as General Manager
Innovation Hospitality has appointed Mark Beattie as general manager of the Azuridge Estate Hotel in Priddis, Alberta. Beattie brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience in luxury and full‑service hospitality, having overseen multi‑department operations, revenue growth, and property...
Hilton Launches Hilton AI Planner
Hilton has introduced the Hilton AI Planner, a generative‑AI digital concierge that assists travelers in discovering and booking stays across its global portfolio. The tool uses conversational intelligence to guide users through destination selection, property comparison, and amenity exploration, delivering...
March / April 2026 Digital Issue
Hotelier’s March/April 2026 digital issue spotlights International Women’s Month, featuring profiles of female trailblazers reshaping hospitality. It also highlights the Housekeeping Awards winners, examines solo‑travel trends targeting female guests, and details hotels’ proactive safety and staff‑training initiatives. Additional coverage includes...
Global Hotel Industry Shows Signs of Two-Speed Recovery
The global hotel industry is undergoing a two‑speed recovery. Luxury hotels are seeing about 3% RevPAR growth and record ADRs above $1,200, while economy hotels posted over 4% decline. Midscale and economy segments face slower demand due to cost pressures...
Show Coverage: Hotels Canada Conference 2026
The Hotels Canada conference unveiled a rebranding that unites over 8,300 properties under a modern identity, highlighting the sector’s $74 billion in assets, 300,000 jobs and $12 billion in annual government revenue. New strategic pillars focus on stronger advocacy, partnerships, future‑focused leadership...
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Welcomes New GM
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver has appointed Cole Millen as its new general manager. Millen, a Vancouver‑born hospitality professional, brings an MBA and extensive Fairmont experience, most recently leading the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald to its first Michelin One Key and Condé Nast Readers’ Choice...
Global Hotel Development Pipeline Remains Active
The global hotel development pipeline remains robust, with hundreds of thousands of rooms in various stages across key regions. Despite higher construction costs, rising interest rates and tighter financing, developers in the Middle East, Asia‑Pacific and North America continue to...
Hotel Association of Canada Re-Brands as Hotels Canada
At its annual conference, the Hotel Association of Canada announced a rebrand to Hotels Canada, unveiling a new name and visual identity. The organization now represents more than 8,300 hotels, accounting for over 300,000 jobs and $12 billion in annual government...
Botanist Bar Launches Experiential Cocktail Series
Botanist Bar at Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim has introduced the third edition of its Experiential Cocktail Series, titled “Exploration of Microclimates.” The collection draws on shells, apples and mushrooms to mirror the Pacific Northwest’s coastal, valley and rainforest environments. Creative...
Hotelier’s Housekeeping Forum Returns to Toronto
Hotelier’s 10th‑annual Housekeeping Forum convened over 100 housekeeping leaders at Toronto’s Chelsea Hotel, spotlighting the department’s strategic role. Speakers shared practical tips, from Brian Nam’s ten‑point efficiency guide to Hanan Haddad’s career‑advancement advice. Innovative solutions like virtual‑reality onboarding were showcased,...
Encore Expands Its Studio & Broadcast Capabilities
Encore Canada has rolled out its Presentation Stage service to Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, adding full‑scale studio facilities across three key Canadian markets. The expansion delivers a unified, broadcast‑grade environment with cameras, lighting grids, green‑screen and LED wall options, plus...
$8.1B Traveller Spend Projected for FIFA World Cup 2026
Expedia Group has teamed with PredictHQ to embed event‑driven demand forecasts into its Partner Central platform, giving lodging partners forward‑looking insights. The joint model projects total traveller spending of more than $8.1 billion across accommodation, transport and food‑and‑beverage in North America’s...
Sara Anghel Elected to ISHA Board of Directors
Sara Anghel, president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, has been elected to the International Society of Hotel Associations (ISHA) Board of Directors, becoming its only non‑U.S. member. Her appointment brings a Canadian viewpoint to ISHA’s leadership team,...
The Parkside Hotel & Spa Elevates Corporate Retreats
The Parkside Hotel & Spa launched the Parkside Retreat & Wellness Guide, a planning tool that frames corporate off‑site meetings around restoration and purpose. The guide highlights naturally lit meeting rooms, a private theatre, rooftop garden terrace and a suite...
E58. The Dealmaker
In a special “Checking In” episode honoring International Women’s Month, Hotelier Magazine’s editor Rosanna Caira interviews Patricia Phillips, CEO and Chair of the PBA Group of Companies. Phillips, one of the few female CEOs in the hospitality sector, has steered...
Atlific Hotels Adds Oak Island Resort & Conference Centre to Its Portfolio
Atlific Hotels announced it will assume management of Nova Scotia’s Oak Island Resort & Conference Centre effective February 17, 2026. The coastal property features 119 nautically inspired guestrooms, ocean‑front chalets, suites, and villas, complemented by extensive amenities including indoor/outdoor pools,...