Looking at current booking trends for Europe, Air Canada Vacations’ Diana Rodriguez isn’t surprised to see Portugal emerging as the top selling destination for Canadian travellers so far this year.
“In tandem with this, the No. 1 selling tour is Portugal North to South,” Rodriguez, director of international products, cruise & partnership marketing, tells Travel Courier. “Being such a compact country, the North to South itinerary allows passengers the opportunity to visit a lot of the key areas in one visit — Lisbon, Porto in the north and the Algarve in the south.”
Notably, the tour has been so successful that ACV worked in tandem with their DMC partner to develop a premium version of the itinerary to “elevate the experience.”
Similarly, Ron Lonsdale, vice president of Collette Canada, noted that “Portugal was incredibly popular last year, with Italy and Ireland also ranking among the top destinations.”
As for this year, he believes there will be a shift toward destinations like Switzerland and Norway.
“In Norway or Scandinavia, there are so many different itineraries to explore, during every season of weather. It’s a chance to see the Northern Lights or spend time on Norway’s coast at sea,” he adds.
Meanwhile at CIE Tours, chief commercial officer Rosanne Zusman notes that bookings from Canada are building steadily and numbers for 2026 are already tracking well ahead of expectations.
“Within that growth, our top-selling tour continues to be Taste of Ireland, a 5-, 6-, or 7-day itinerary that delivers Ireland’s highlights in a compact timeframe, ideal for first-time visitors or those with limited vacation time. Another standout is the 12- or 13-day Irish Classic, which travels the entire coastline of the island from north to south and is perfect for travellers seeking a more in-depth, comprehensive experience,” she says. “A highlight of the Irish Classic is a visit to the Marine Bar, where nothing feels staged and the music is a family affair, with owner Christy O’Neill often performing alongside his son.”
As it’s not a stop that most tour companies include, she says the stop makes the experience feel especially personal.
“Guests regularly tell us it’s one of the places Ireland feels most real, and it’s why the Marine Bar has repeatedly earned our Award of Excellence for Best Tour Feature, based entirely on customer satisfaction,” she adds.
When it comes to Britain, ACV’s Rodriguez says Scotland is exceeding expectations.
“We are thrilled to see how the interest is surpassing even our own expectations with Edinburgh ranking No. 1, with the Classic Scotland itinerary garnering the most interest,” she says. “As it relates to Edinburgh, the biggest appeal are the self drive itineraries, allowing the passenger to focus on what appeals to them most, including the full city experience as well as the countryside. So much so is the popularity of this destination that Air Canada added a flight from Montreal.”
Over at Collette, Lonsdale notes that their Explorations line is growing rapidly in Canada.
“We’re noticing a strong trend toward deeper local connections and slower travel—spending more time immersing in local experiences rather than simply checking off the usual sights,” he adds.
On a similar note, CIE’s Zusman points out that the tour operator has many repeat guests who started out on larger group tours, who are now seeking something more intimate.
“They are now returning to try our small-group departures for a deeper, more immersive experience,” she says. “The result is a more cross-generational travel community that values camaraderie, connection and stress-free planning.”
While CIE’s core audience is travellers over 55, Zusman says interest is growing among younger travellers with, “Gen X couples and multigenerational families drawn to the social nature of group travel.”
Back at ACV, Joe Couto, manager of product, says wherever possible with Air Canada’s flight schedules, they’ve extended tour availability to include shoulder/off-peak seasons, which has been a popular move with travellers.
“We were very cognizant of the fact that not everyone can or even wants to travel during high season in Europe and not just because of the crowds but also to be cost effective,” Couto shares. “Let’s not forget Northern Europe, which includes Iceland and the Scandinavian countries, another emerging trend for those wanting a more relaxed vacation experience away from the larger destinations.”
With many new Air Canada routes announced for the year ahead, including Palma del Mallorca Spain, Catania in Italy, Ponto Delgada in the Azores, Portugal and Nantes in France, Christine Chiang, manager of product development says ACV will be offering a carefully curated selection of tours. ACV options include winter long stays and multi-country tours in many destinations.
“In addition to this, we will be offering transfers in both Palma de Mallorca and Catania should we have passengers who would like to opt for Air and Hotel versus booking a tour,” she says.
Notably, Irma Berlingieri, Manager of Product, highlights that ACV also has many cruise options available aligning with their flight schedules.
“This includes itineraries with the major ocean liners as well as river cruising,” Berlingieri states.
While Europe cruises focus mainly on the Mediterranean, there are also British Isles cruise itineraries that focus on key ports like Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Liverpool, Cork and the Shetland Islands, departing from ports such as Southampton or Amsterdam.
“Several major cruise lines are securing broadcast rights to show all 104 FIFA World Cup soccer matches fleet wide, offering uninterrupted viewing on stateroom tv’s and in public venues like pool decks/theatres,” Berlingieri notes.
This year, CIE is also launching all-new small-group walking and hiking tours in Ireland.
“This new collection adds another dimension to our existing Irish portfolio, which already includes guided coach tours, small-group departures, private driver vacations, custom group travel, and self-drive options,” she says. “We believe these walking and hiking tours will resonate with Canadian travellers who value active experiences paired with cultural immersion, allowing them to experience Ireland’s landscapes and communities at a more personal pace.”
Increasingly, Lonsdale notes that travellers are also looking for spots that aren’t as popular.
“Travellers are savvy and want to go off-the-beaten-path,” he says. “We’re excited to continue to hone in on creating experiences by travellers, for travellers, where in destination experts spend the time connecting with locals to find the best for our guests.”
Overall, across all tours, Zusman says guests are looking to go deeper when they travel.
“Travellers are increasingly seeking meaningful moments; connections with local people, culture, and music that stay with them long after the trip ends,” she says. “Experiences like the Marine Bar are a perfect example of how those authentic moments can become the highlight of an entire journey.”
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