Leisure travel to the U.S. dropping off; Canadians urged to book winter break trips

Industry experts say now is the time to book a trip for winter break and spring break as flights nationwide and overseas slowly fill up, adding that there is one country Canadians are dodging.

It’s the U.S.

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Whether it’s because of the political climate, ongoing trade war, or U.S. President Donald Trump’s constant threats to make Canada the 51st state, people on this side of the border are avoiding going to the U.S. for fun.

Bookings to American destinations are down sharply, by as much as 40 per cent year-over-year.

Flight Centre’s Head of Communications, Amra Durakovic, tells 1130 NewsRadio if you are looking to get away at the end of the year, now is the time to save money on your trip.

“That’s because we have the most inventory. And when I speak about inventory, I mean there are more seats on planes. There are more accommodation options, so if you wait until the last minute, as you can imagine, you have less seating available and you have less accommodation options, which means the prices will be increased.”

She adds that it includes prices for car rentals.

“We noticed over the summer, for example, with all Canadians travelling domestically, car rentals were really hard to find on the East Coast because so many Canadians, instead of travelling to the U.S., they decided to travel domestically. But of course, they waited last-minute, and when you whenever you wait last-minute, you’re going to pay more.”

Durakovic says business travel to the U.S. remains steady, explaining people have to go for work purposes, but otherwise, it’s dropped off.

A sluggish economy also factors in, she says, and Canadians want to travel to places where the loonie is stretched furthest.

“So, if you look at the U.S. right now, their prices have gone up. Yes you will be able to get a much cheaper flight right now from Canada to the U.S., but when you’re there and you’re booking your accommodation, you’re paying for food, you’re paying for your airport transfer, everything has gone up. And on top of that, a lot of these tourist destinations in the U.S. right now are charging gratuities of 18 per cent. Then you have to add on the currency exchange.”

Flight Centra data shows Canadians are instead going to places like Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, New Zealand, Argentina, Japan, Denmark, Curaçao, Australia, Aruba, Portugal, London, Paris and the Czech Republic.

“While your ticket or airfare might be more expensive than a ticket to New York City or Las Vegas, by the time you actually factor in the exchange and everything, that price gap narrows and you have a different experience in a completely different culture.”

Durakovic says Canadians are also travelling increasingly to Europe — a move that’s being supported by homegrown airlines.

“You’re seeing a lot more connectivity just outside of the U.S. specifically. The airlines are really adjusting to the market right now, and what we’re seeing is a lot more connectivity.”

For those not leaving the country, she says domestic travel is also up, with Victoria, Banff and Halifax leading the way.

“We’re not sure how long this will last, but what we are seeing right now is definitely, month-to-month, we are seeing more Canadians travelling domestically. It’s anywhere between five to 10 per cent month over month from last year.”

She points out that American travel organizations are trying to entice Canadians to return, but many aren’t biting.

If you want to save money and avoid crowds, she suggests travelling during off-peak months, like November, and not December.

Flight indications are supported by the lack of B.C. plates heading south over land borders.

For the seventh straight month, the number of British Columbians driving to the U.S. is down. In August alone, there was a drop of 39 per cent. The decline started in February, according to the number crunchers in Whatcom County.

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