Air Canada and Global Tourisme, a Canadian destination management company with 30 years of experience, have joined a joint strategy led by VBRA, a business, communications, and marketing consultancy with 25 years of experience in the tourism market, recognized as a Canada specialist, and supported by the Brazilian Tour Operators Association (Braztoa).

The result is the Extraordinary Canada Consortium, which currently includes Ontario Tourism, the Laurentides region, Tremblant Mountain — both from the Province of Quebec — and VIA Rail Canada, the country's leading passenger rail company, in addition to the tour operators Abreutur, BeFly, BRT, CT Operadora, Diversa Turismo, Flot Operadora, Lusanova, Orinter, Personal Canadá, and Trade Tours.

Other operators and partners are in the process of confirming their participation in the second phase of the project, which will include exclusive sales conditions for unique itineraries prepared by Global Tourisme, as well as for flights with Air Canada.

The consortium also benefits from the support of Braztoa, which spearheaded the initial engagement with its members, validating the project's necessity and importance.

In addition to daily São Paulo–Toronto flights and the four-times-weekly São Paulo–Montreal service (which will become daily from late November 2025 to March 2026), Air Canada will launch a new three-times-weekly Rio de Janeiro–Toronto route starting December 5 of this year.

Luzana Rada, CEO of Global Tourisme, comments:
"Our entire team speaks Portuguese, our tours are in Spanish or Portuguese throughout Canada — including the Rockies and the Northern Lights — and we tailor our experiences to offer excellence in the Brazilian market, including individual travelers and private groups. Our investments are long-term, and we will lead Canada's entry into Brazil through our expertise, which also extends to all Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking markets. We are here to stay — and to lead."

"We have increased seat availability and are investing in our relationship with the market, ensuring better tour operator fares and flexible group conditions. We are the only airline offering direct flights from Brazil to Canada, we have been named the Best Airline in North America by Skytrax, and we are ready to expand our presence in the national market," says Giancarlo Takegawa, Air Canada's General Manager in Brazil.

"We are working together on this consortium project with VBRA and Air Canada. We are pleased to see the success of this initiative, which benefits several of our members — and even non-member operators. This demonstrates Braztoa's relevance and the importance of more operators joining the association," says Fabiano Camargo, President of Braztoa.

Sheila Nassar, CEO of VBRA, explains:
"Our track record in managing large cooperative projects like this one led us to bring the market together with shared objectives that strengthen Canada's relationship with Brazil. We are closely connected to all stakeholders — both in the strategy, which follows our proprietary Living Strategy™ methodology, and in the execution, which focuses on short-, medium-, and long-term results."

About Global Tourisme

Headquartered in Quebec City, in the province of Quebec, Canada, Global Tourisme is a receptive tour operator and travel agency specializing in customized individual tours as well as group travel. Operating since 1994, it is one of Canada's largest inbound operators.

Website in Portuguese:
https://www.globaltourisme.com/pt

Learn more about Global Tourisme's history:
https://www.globaltourisme.com/pt/info/10/Historia

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada's largest airline and the country's flag carrier. It is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive airline network. With scheduled flights to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States, and international destinations, the airline serves six continents and holds a Four-Star rating from Skytrax.

Recently, Air Canada announced the largest expansion of its network in Latin America, introducing four new destinations, 13 new routes, and a 16% increase in capacity compared to the same period last year. The only airline offering direct flights between Brazil and Canada, Air Canada has brought new options to the Brazilian market: in addition to its current São Paulo–Toronto and São Paulo–Montreal routes, the airline will launch a new direct Rio de Janeiro–Toronto service available from December 2025 to March 2026.

Aeroplan, Canada's premier travel loyalty program, allows members to earn and redeem points within the world's largest network of partner airlines. Air Canada Vacations offers more travel options than any other Canadian tour operator. Its cargo division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight transportation and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents, using both passenger and dedicated freighter aircraft.

Air Canada is firmly committed to sustainability, with a goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For more information, refer to the airline's climate report, prepared in accordance with TCFD recommendations. Air Canada's shares are publicly traded on the TSX (Canada) and OTCQX (United States).

About Braztoa

Braztoa (Brazilian Tour Operators Association) brings together tour operators and industry partners. In 2024, its members generated R$ 22.09 billion in revenue and carried 19.81 million passengers. That same year, the association became carbon-neutral, committing to measure, reduce, and offset its emissions, reinforcing its leadership in sustainable tourism practices.

With nearly four decades of operation, Braztoa is a non-profit organization that promotes sales-support initiatives, represents the sector institutionally, and advocates for its members' interests with government bodies, the press, and the market. Its work focuses on innovation, the appreciation of tour operators, and the sustainable development of tourism.

About VBRA

VBRA is a strategic consultancy for destinations and tourism projects, combining intelligence and experience to build businesses and develop brands with clarity, consistency, and significant impact, transforming strategy into action in marketing, communications, and business optimization — always with a human-centered approach.

Over the past two decades, VBRA has operated in various economic and geopolitical contexts, navigating complexity with consistency and clarity.

VBRA created the unique Living Strategy™ methodology, which drives significant evolution.

Living Strategy™ is not a rigid framework; it is an adaptive mindset that aligns identity, action, and impact in real time.

VBRA was founded in the 2000s as Vertebratta. Brands that have benefited from its methodology include Air Canada, Global Tourisme, VIA Rail Canada, Alterra Mountain Company, Destination Canada, Tourism Toronto, YVR – Vancouver International Airport, McArthurGlen Designer Outlets, Switzerland Tourism, Austria, numerous tour operator pools, and others.

Learn more:
www.vbra.co