Already a hotspot for French Canadians, the Guadeloupe Islands are ready to welcome more travellers with the launch of direct flights from Toronto this winter
ANN RUPPENSTEIN
The Canadian market is already key to the Guadeloupe Islands, but the archipelago is counting on even more Canadian visitors with the launch of nonstop flights from Toronto set to open up the market beyond Quebec.
On Dec. 20, Air Canada will launch weekly Toronto to Pointe-à-Pitre flights, with the service operating on Saturdays until April 11, 2026.
“The Canadian market is very important. We already attract French Canadians but we want to open the market even more because we want them to experience the French Caribbean art of living,” Rodrigue Solitude, chief executive officer of Guadeloupe Islands Tourism Board told Travel Courier during a visit to Toronto earlier this week. “French Canadians already know and love the destination, now we want to grow the market with English Canadians as well.”
“We are thrilled about this new partnership with Air Canada and the launch of the direct flight route between Toronto and Pointe-à-Pitre. We warmly invite you to visit Guadeloupe Islands and experience the Creole, French, and Dutch unique and authentic way of life. Our archipelago is a true gem, a haven of natural beauty and rejuvenation, now just a short journey away. From Dec. 20th, happiness is only 4 hours and 30 minutes away!”
–Rodrigue Solitude, Chief Executive Officer, Guadeloupe Islands Tourism Board
The new service is in addition to Air Canada’s existing year-round service from Montreal to Pointe-à-Pitre, which ranges from four-to-six flights per week depending on the season. The route is celebrating a milestone of 50 years in operation.
“We are thrilled about this new partnership with Air Canada and the launch of the direct flight route between Toronto and Pointe-à-Pitre,” Solitude shared, addressing the crowd. “We warmly invite you to visit Guadeloupe Islands and experience the Creole, French, and Dutch unique and authentic way of life. Our archipelago is a true gem, a haven of natural beauty and rejuvenation, now just a short journey away. From Dec. 20th, happiness is only 4 hours and 30 minutes away!”
Consisting of six different islands: Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, la Désirade, Marie-Galante and Terre-de-Haut & Terre-de-Bas (Les Saintes), the Guadeloupe Islands offer unique attractions and excursions like stunning waterfalls, scenic hiking trails, the impressive Soufrière volcano, culinary experiences and the opportunity to get a bird’s eye view of the destination by gyrocopter – an open air cross between a plane and a helicopter.
“It’s six different destinations in one trip,” he said. “It’s very easy to get around. And each island is unique. There’s culture, carnival, so much to see. We don’t want people to just stay in the hotel, we want people to go out and experience some of the other islands. Our richness is not only the beaches and nature, but the people, our locals, they interact with everyone. It’s the joie de vivre that we transmit to everyone.”
Accommodation options range from boutique properties to vacation rentals, hotels and all-inclusive resorts, with lots of options for high-end and luxury clients. As for new developments, the 102-room Pullman Royal Key Wellness Resort is set to open in Le Moule on Grande-Terre at the end of the year.
FAM trips for travel advisors will take place in 2026.
“Travel advisors are important because they’re the ones who have direct contact with clients. If they believe in the destination and they’ve experienced it firsthand, they can easily promote it and make the Guadeloupe Islands more visible,” he said. “After the flight is officially launched, we will do FAM trips to discover the destination.”
Notably, Vox International will be leading strategic public relations efforts, alongside travel trade and consumer marketing initiatives in Canada.
