CANADA: WestJet's Sunflower Program, 2025 Pacific Nations Cup, Tourisme Montréal's Summer Tourism Promotion, and More

NATIONAL: WestJet launched its participation in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, enhancing its commitment to providing a welcoming and comfortable experience for all guests. The Sunflower program allows guests with non-visible disabilities to discreetly signal that they might require more assistance while traveling, including extra time, patience, and support. Sunflower lanyards are now available upon request at WestJet check-in counters across Canada. Guests are also encouraged to reuse their Sunflower lanyards on future flights or wherever the Sunflower is recognized and helps them receive the assistance they need.

CALGARY: Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team will open the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup, the team’s first opportunity to earn direct qualification for the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup, against the U.S. in Calgary on Aug. 22. The match will take place at McMahon Stadium, home of the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders and the University of Calgary Dinos. This will be the team’s third match in Alberta this summer following two in Edmonton, as well as the second Canada vs. U.S. matchup on home soil in 2025, with Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team taking on the Eagles in Ottawa.

MONTREAL: Espace pour la vie invites visitors to kick-start their gardening season with the Great Gardening Weekend at the Jardin botanique, taking place May 23-25. For more than 25 years, the end of May at the Jardin botanique has been synonymous with horticultural tips, exchanges between horticulture enthusiasts, and discovery of a host of products to grow a garden or brighten up a balcony. The Great Gardening Weekend is organized in collaboration with the Friends of the Montréal Botanical Garden.

Tourisme Montréal is launching its 2025 summer season under the banner of stability, market diversity, and the richness of its tourism offering. Montréal's summer will be energized by a series of major festivals and conventions, boosting both tourism traffic and urban life. Hotel occupancy between June 1 and Sept. 30 is forecasted at 80%, with peaks reaching 85% during key events such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Through its summer promotional campaign, Tourisme Montréal encourages both visitors and locals to "unleash their inner fun."

VANCOUVER: Fairmont Vancouver Airport announced the appointment of Rudi Heider as hotel general manager. Heider is a seasoned hotelier who has successfully led teams across international borders, earning both regional and global recognition. As director of operations at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, he continued to elevate guest experiences and operational excellence at one of Canada’s most renowned resorts.

BizBash Buzz is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

Feed the Sheet: [email protected] 

Subscribe: bizbash.com/bizbashbuzz

Advertise with BizBash: [email protected]