Rising costs and ongoing economic pressures are not dampening the desire to travel this summer, according to Deloitte Canada's Summer 2024 Travel Outlook.
The survey, released Wednesday (May 22), finds that Canadians are eagerly making travel plans and are ready to make up for missed travel time and get away.
Overall, consumers plan to spend an average of $2,405 on transportation and accommodations for their major summer trips, with three in four (74%) planning to stay in the country and experience the best the country has to offer, the survey said.
“The evolving summer and leisure travel landscape presents significant growth opportunities for travel and hospitality industry participants as they prepare for increased demand for tourism in Canada, while keeping in mind that travellers remain price-sensitive,” said National Transportation Agency's Leslie Peterson, hospitality and services industry leader for Deloitte Canada, in a press release.
“Despite the unpredictable economic situation, Canadians are still prioritizing their travel plans for the upcoming summer and are more eager than ever to make the most of their time off. From lakeside getaways to big city escapes, Canadians are planning vacations across our beautiful country,” said Scott.
Canadians are ready to travel
The report explores Canadians' travel trends heading into the summer travel season and how this will impact Canada's tourism sector.
Key findings include:
Travelers from Central Canada (Ontario and Quebec) will spend more ($2,459 on average) than those from the rest of Canada. Nearly three in four Canadians (74%) plan to spend their big summer vacation in Canada, with most planning to stay in their own region rather than making long journeys. The trend of “shopping local, small shops” continues to impact tourism across Canada. Canadians would rather support local, independent, family-owned businesses (79%) than chains, multinationals, big box stores and large corporations (21%). Prince Edward Island is expected to see the highest proportion of visitors from outside the region, with 78% of visitors coming from Central or Western/Northern Canada. Canadians are craving Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) travel experiences, such as cultural workshops and traditional accommodations.
The report shows that Indigenous-owned and operated tourism is gaining momentum, creating opportunities for Indigenous tourism businesses and communities.
57% of Canadians are likely to participate in such an experience in the future, with Gen Z (75%) and Millennials (68%) the most likely to participate. Indigenous tourism organizations would benefit from partnering with national and state governments to increase visibility and offer new experiences to travelers.
Gen Xers plan to spend the most on travel this year ($2,671), while Gen Zers plan to spend the least ($2,100).
The report also found that Gen Z and Millennials are the biggest proponents of sustainable and renewable tourism, finding that their destinations and experiences have a lower carbon footprint, renewable energy sources, EV charging stations, and more. It is also shown that they say it is important to demonstrate environmental sustainability in some way.
They are the most willing to participate in such travel experiences and the most willing to pay for them.
“Demand for sustainable and regenerative travel is gaining momentum, but not all Canadians are willing to pay the price to leave places better than they found them,” Peterson added. “Tourism operators that can overcome greenwashing-related skepticism and explain the enduring value of sustainable travel by backing up their claims with facts will foster trust in eco-friendly tourism offerings and be at the forefront of this burgeoning trend.”
This outlook is based on an online survey of 1,064 Canadians aged 18 and over conducted between March 28 and April 3, 2024.
Read more about Deloitte Canada's 2024 Canadian summer travel outlook here.
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