Hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler Podcast Newsletter, our monthly newsletter designed to compliment our weekly travel podcast, offer additional travel tidbits and tips. As always, your feedback is welcome.

Quotes from last month's podcast:

If you haven’t heard this month’s podcast episodes yet you can find the full interviews HERE. Some notable quotes include:

“it's a reminder that travelers should be proactive in protecting their themselves. And some of the precautions that experts recommend is take photos of your luggage before checking it”

“as travel continues to rebound and technology becomes more sophisticated, scammers are becoming more creative than ever. So they're creating fake websites, fake vacation rentals, fake customer service numbers, and even using AI to make their scams look incredibly um convincing.”

“so all the credit card car rental insurance coverage is a collision damage waiver. So what that covers you for is, to the your rental vehicle, if there was an accident, vandalism or theft of the car that you're renting. It's not third-party liability or property insurance for third-party insurance.“

^{3 Things I Learnt this Month}

Ever wonder where your money goes when you pay for a cruise?

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Qantas Airways plans to launch the world’s longest direct flight next year, a service of up to 22 hours nonstop between London and Sydney. The Sydney-based airline unveiled the first of its specially modified Airbus A350-1000 jets that will regularly make the 17,015-km. journey from October next year. The flights between cities on opposite sides of the world are expected to take between 19 and 22 hours.
The current longest regularly scheduled direct flight is Singapore Airline’s route between its city-state base and New York City. The distance of 15,349 km is flown in under 19 hours. Would you ever fly on a 22 hour flight?

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As of June 2026, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded approximately 2 to 3 gastrointestinal (GI) illness outbreaks this year
. This is a significant decrease compared to last year, where a record-setting 23 total GI outbreaks were reported throughout 2025. 
Note: Cruise lines are mandated by the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program to report any gastrointestinal illness that affects 3% or more of passengers or crew.

Looking at the Month Ahead 

Calgary Stampede – Calgary, Alberta, Canada - July 3 - 12, 2026
Touted as ‘The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’, the Calgary Stampede is a ten-day event that takes place in Calgary, Alberta. The Calgary Stampede is a celebration of the cowboy heritage and culture of North America. It was first held in 1912 and has been a major event for over 100 years. The event attracts more than one million people from all over the world each year, which makes it one of Canada’s largest festivals.

Just for Laughs Comedy Festival – Montreal, Canada - July 1 - 31, 2026
In 1983, a small group of comedy lovers in Montreal got together to create an event, the “Just for Laughs Comedy Festival”, that would become the largest comedy festival in the world. It takes place every year in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Reggae Sumfest – Montego Bay, Jamaica - July 12 - 18, 2026

Reggae Sumfest, is held during summer every year in mid-July in Montego Bay, Jamaica. It is not only the biggest music festival in Jamaica, but one of the greatest reggae festivals in the world. The Reggae Sumfest was first held back in 1993, and has featured some of the best reggae artists in the world including Jimmy Cliff, Damian Marley, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, and Toots & The Maytals, just to name a few.

Travel Tip of the Month

Taking a photo of your luggage before checking it in is a good idea for several reasons:
The photo serves as evidence of the luggage's condition before it was checked in, which can be helpful if it is damaged while in the airline's possession. If your luggage is lost, having a photo can help differentiate it from others, providing specific details like color, brand, size, and unique identifiers. In case of disputes regarding damage or loss, having a clear photograph can expedite resolutions and provide a stronger case.