TORONTO — TravelBrands is celebrating a major milestone in 2026, marking a combined 145 years in business across its portfolio of brands while unveiling a sweeping rebrand designed to position the company for the future.

The anniversary recognizes the longstanding history of several brands that now make up the TravelBrands family, including Holiday House and FunSun Vacations, founded in 1956, Intair, launched in 1986, and Encore Cruises, which began operations in 1991. Together, those milestones add up to 145 years of travel industry history.

Speaking during the company’s anniversary celebration, CEO Nathalie Tanious said the milestone reflects not only the company’s longevity, but also the enduring support of the travel advisor community.

“We’re here because of travel agents and we continue to grow because of travel agents,” said Tanious. “Travel agents will always be our number one focus.”

PIVOT & GROW

Tanious acknowledged the current challenges facing the industry, from geopolitical instability to shifting travel patterns and operational pressures, but emphasized the company’s ability to adapt.

“Canadians love to travel and the world is a big place to be, so we have been managing our famous words within our walls – we’re pivoting,” she said. “We’re constantly pivoting to other destinations and other places to see.”

She pointed to growing demand for long-stay European vacations as one example of how TravelBrands has responded to changing consumer sentiment.

“We knew a year and a bit ago that Canadians were not wanting to go, for example, or less so to the U.S., so we had to find alternatives for snowbirds,” she said. “We made a really strong focus on long stays in Europe, particularly in Spain and Portugal where long stays are affordable and achievable.”

NEW BRANDING

The company also used the event to formally introduce a new visual identity and brand positioning. Sam Youssef, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Partnerships, said the refreshed branding reflects the company’s evolution under parent company H.I.S., which acquired TravelBrands in 2019.

“For years, our tagline was focused on giving you ‘access to the world’, but today we evolved that vision,” said Youssef. “Today, we become your ‘window to the world’, a window that inspires Canadians to dream bigger, to travel further and to experience more of what this incredible world has to offer.”

Youssef described the new branding as modern, globally connected and designed to unify all divisions under one cohesive identity. The redesigned logo features overlapping shapes inspired by airline windows, representing destinations, departures and arrivals.

“At the heart of the brand are two overlapping windows inspired by airlines, symbolizing the magical moment of looking out at the world just before the journey begins,” he said.

The rebrand extends across all TravelBrands divisions and touchpoints, including marketing assets, advisor tools and customer communications.

“Branding and advertising are all about consistency,” said Youssef. “All our products, all our divisions, all come together under one brand, TravelBrands, with the new look and feel.”

TECH TOOLS

Tanious also highlighted the importance of technology investments paired with advisor support, noting that the company continues to expand self-serve capabilities while maintaining strong call centre operations.

“Even though customer service is key, in addition, we tie it in with the tools that we keep putting into the market,” she said, pointing to the recent launch of chatbot functionality and expanded self-serve options.

During the celebration, executives repeatedly emphasized the resilience of the travel trade and the importance of supplier and advisor partnerships throughout the company’s history.

STRONG SUPPORT

“We’re strong and we’re resilient,” said Tanious. “Thank you to our travel agent partners who continue to support us.”

Looking ahead, the company says the rebrand represents not just a new look, but a broader strategy centred on global scale, product diversity and continued investment in the advisor channel.

“With the H.I.S. global presence,” said Tanious, “we’re going to be sure to always offer you service from the minute you provide us with the trust of booking a client to the minute that they’re in destination.”