While trade disputes have continued to shift travel patterns away from the U.S., with Canadians rethinking cross-border trips and redirecting some of the demand either domestically or elsewhere, airfare increases are making travel more expensive overall, forcing households to be more selective about how and when they travel.
Therefore, as Canadians begin to plan their vacation itineraries for summer 2026, analysts are expecting domestic travel to remain strong, similar to 2025 which saw the tourism sector generate almost $60 billion between May and August, a six per cent year-over-year increase and one of Canada’s strongest tourism years on record according to Destination Canada.
One area that will certainly benefit from a surge in domestic interest will be the Niagara region, which is ready with new attractions such as Niagara Takes Flight at Niagara Parks’ Table Rock Centre at the brink of Horseshoe Falls. The attraction features Ontario’s first flying theatre, combining a 180-degree domed screen with motion seating and environmental effects to simulate a journey over Niagara’s landscape.
The ride uses a 56-kilometre aerial visual route of the region and footage combined with projection technology, highlighting key sites across the Niagara corridor. Alongside the flight experience, pre-show spaces guide visitors through themes related to the area’s geology and history, including Indigenous perspectives and the industrial development of the region.
Designed as part of the broader redevelopment of Table Rock Centre, the attraction reflects a wider push to enhance tourism offerings in Niagara.
Niagara Takes Flight is a flying theatre experience by Brogent Technologies that begins with a pre-show exhibit conceptualized by Toronto-based design firm FORREC and constructed by Merit Contractors of Burlington, Ont.
Across three immersive rooms, guests can explore 13,000 years of Niagara’s history, including environments that move from industrial-era imagery in the Transporter Room, to Indigenous storytelling in the Ancestors Room developed with Niagara’s Indigenous Working Group, and geological formation narratives in the Eons of Erosion Room. A Waterfall Room also presents cultural, geological, and industrial themes through large-scale projected media.
The Transporter Room features brass accents, rich colours, reclaimed wood flooring, and vintage themed patterns that represent the industrial age and give guests the sensation of descending in a massive industrial elevator.
The Ancestors Room, led by Landscape of Nations principals Tim Johnson and Phil Davis, enables guests to gather around digital fires to view an animated Indigenous creation with the artwork of Indigenous artist Sarah General and the voices of community Elders and children.
The Eons of Erosion Room tells the story of how the falls began and how humans and wildlife followed the water to where it is today. Guests pass through a cave-like entrance beneath a glowing three-dimensional replica of the Rainbow Bridge and an immense digital waterfall. The rockwork throughout was fabricated by Great Lakes Scenic Studios to match the geology of the falls.
In the Waterfall Room, guests are invited to discover the cultural, geological, and industrial forces that have shaped Niagara Falls. These stories flow over a massive digital waterfall made up of a series of screens. This room is intentionally dark, making the media the focus.
Conceptual design and media production planning began in January 2024, with construction starting that September. Filming for Niagara Takes Flight took place between September 2024 and January 2025, at sites across the Niagara River corridor. Drones were used to capture perspectives of landmarks including the Niagara Parks Power Station, Niagara Whirlpool, Landscape of Nations Memorial, Old Fort Erie, and the Horseshoe Falls. Hundreds of extras participated in the production.
