More Canadians Expected to Turn to Staycations in Coming Months

Domestic travel is anticipated to hit new highs in the coming months as Canadians consider holidays in their own backyard due to ongoing border closures. 

According to Travelweek’s recent COVID-19 Consumer Survey, which garnered over 3,000 responses from consumers across the country, an overwhelming 42.7% of respondents said that Canada would be their destination of choice should global travel resumed tomorrow, compared to the next most preferred destination of Mexico/Caribbean/South America (20.5%).

This is particularly significant considering that an increasing number of destinations have announced plans to ease lockdown measures in the coming weeks, including The Bahamas, Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. 

Though borders are on their way to reopening, Canadians still face such daunting challenges as mandatory quarantines upon their return home (and in some cases, in destination), plus the federal government’s advisory against non-essential travel outside Canada. Issues surrounding travel medical insurance amid the pandemic are also a factor.

It’s no wonder then, with all these challenges and uncertainties, that domestic travel within Canada is set to increase, says Gloria Loree, Senior Vice President, Marketing Strategy & Chief Marketing Officer at Destination Canada.

In anticipation of domestic travel trends, Destination Canada announced last month a $30 million investment made in collaboration with provinces and territories to support the recovery of Canada’s tourism sector, which has been devastated by the pandemic, over the next 18 months. 

According to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), at the end of 2018, one out of every 11 jobs in Canada was directly tied to travel. This past April, the unemployment rate in the tourism sector spiked to an astounding 28%.

Destination Canada’s groundbreaking investment, therefore, aims to provide a lifeline to the struggling sector just in time for the peak summer season. Historically, Canadians have spent over $31.2 billion annually in Canada on travel, both within and outside their own province. Significantly more has traditionally been spent abroad, about $36 billion.

A growing number of travel suppliers and major retailers are also shifting their focus to domestic options, including Transat Distribution Canada (TDC), which announced earlier this month a new partnership with RV company CanaDream.