Dear Colleagues & Friends,
Today I’ll share my thoughts on where we are headed as our industry continues to evolve. In 2026, several destinations are poised to become the next big thing, driven by new flight routes, sustainable tourism initiatives and a growing demand for authentic, immersive travel experiences. Looking ahead, it’s becoming evident that our industry will undergo a significant transformation.
For over four decades, I have always focused on unique and interesting destinations, most of them beyond North America, the Caribbean and Mexico. Recently, we designed a trip to Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan for a special interest group wanting to learn about the rise of Zoroastrianism. And I’ll let you in on a little secret. .. I’m also researching Mongolia as it is an up-and-coming destination mainly for those seeking a digital detox and a different cultural immersion. Mongolia’s nomadic lifestyle offers a unique experience, and I want to introduce such an amazing immersive opportunity in this vast and almost untouched land. Stay tuned for more information.
Two weeks ago, I visited the Czech Republic courtesy of Czech Tourism and Air Canada. We started off in beautiful Cesky Krumlov, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its second-most visited city. Next up was Prague which I’ve always believed to be historically, architecturally and culturally one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Exploring its castle complexes, walking across its stunning 14thC Charles Bridge, visiting the Clementinum that houses the world’s most beautiful library of some 27,000 printed works, and strolling through the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter, was indeed a memorable experience. Our hosts also took us to the UNESCO-listed, medieval town of Kutna Hora to see the breathtaking St. Barbara’s Cathedral and the hauntingly unique Sedlec Ossuary, adorned with thousands of human bones. Our trip ended in the picturesque region of Moravia, where we had a tasting session of delicious Czech wines. A big thank you to our hosts for such a beautiful and outstanding journey that will certainly be reflected in some of the itineraries we will be promoting.
Now, in all the years that I’ve been writing Fridays with Firdosh and sharing my thoughts about travel and the wonderful experiences I’ve had touring our amazing world as well as offering up fun, creative and different ideas for unique journeys, I NEVER thought I’d find myself talking about politics. But here we are, because we’re certainly living in interesting times! Like all of you, my friends and colleagues from around the world, I’m following the daily news and watching in astonishment and, I confess, with some trepidation at how the world has changed in the past 3 months. The global impact of President Trump’s policies cannot be ignored, no matter how much I’d like to pull a blanket over my head and pretend I’m dreaming, and it is particularly unsettling for us here in Canada with the on-again, off-again threats of tariffs, let alone the idea that we might become the 51st State! But I’m a great believer in looking for the positive and as crazy as this sounds, there is a theory that when things get broken, there’s an opportunity to ‘build back better’, which former President Bill Clinton famously said at the United Nations in his role as the UN special envoy for the 2005 Tsunami Recovery. You may think I’m grasping at straws, but in Canada, for example, we have come together as a nation like never before and what we are seeing is a pivot towards re-thinking out-of-date domestic trading policies, investing in made-in-Canada products and looking to not keep all our eggs in one basket by expanding our export markets. All positive and often, long-overdue ideas. So where does that leave the travel industry?
Sadly, there’s been a significant drop in travel to the United States and if this trend continues, it will have a devastating effect on the American tourism industry. Statistically, Canadians represent the largest number of visitors to the US with as many as 20 million of us crossing the border annually. On average, we spend up to a staggering $20.5 billion, so even a 10% drop in visitors would cause serious job and income losses, especially in those states where Canadians spend their winters. As a result of this shift in travel patterns, Canadians are not only planning ‘staycations’ but are also looking abroad and we, in the travel business, need to be prepared to handle an expanding global market in positive and creative ways. This is the time to truly work together, to share ideas and to reach out to one another in both friendship and partnership.
And, finally, I do believe with all my heart, that the world will find its balance again and while I don’t know how that will play out, the idea of fixing what is broken and doing so with love and respect may be part of the answer. As Leonard Cohen, one of Canada’s greatest creative artists, sang: “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
Until next time,
Firdosh
0 Comments