Canadian leisure travel to the U.S. down 40%: Flight Centre

Canadians travelling on leisure bookings to the U.S. is down 40% year over year for a variety of reasons, according to Flight Centre.

A low Canadian dollar, the Trump administration, and border issues are among the reasons for the startling drop, says Flight Centre spokesperson Amra Durakovic.

She added the findings align with recent research commissioned by Fight Centre in its  YouGov survey.

That survey found that 62% of Canadians say they are less likely to travel to the U.S. over the next year, while 8% say they are more likely to head south of the border.

“You have a number of pressures, specifically we’re looking in this recent YouGov survey: It cited political and cultural climate (57% as it influencing their travel decision), border process (53%), safety considerations (46%), currency exchange (44%),” said Durakovic.

“And it’s really just sort of making the U.S. not as stress-free as it used to be. So what we’re noticing is Canadians are looking towards locations that are frictionless. And I think also what is happening with our economy, the uncertainty.”

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The YouGuv survey also showed 37% of Canadians plan to travel within Canada, 63% plan to travel internationally, eyeing such destinations as Europe (26%), and Mexico (9%).

“At the same time, travel has remained steady,” said Durakovic. “Canadians, increasingly, they’re choosing destinations really that they view as predictable and good value. So we have seen increases in the Caribbean.”

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Travel to such destination as Turks and Caicos and Saint Lucia, for example, are up 350%, and 116% year over year.

Canadians are also looking “outside of their usual hotspots,”said Durakvoic.

“So they’re looking at Jamaica, I think that’s also impacted by Hurricane Melissa,” she added. “We are seeing growth in Turks and Caicos, Barbados. They’re also going to Europe and South America, like going to Colombia, even some bucket list destinations like Australia. Japan as well. So the reason is when you’re looking at our dollar, currency exchange, we’re on par with of those destinations, or our dollar holds really strong.”

But the main reason is a stress-free experience.

“There’s no stress to places like Germany or Switzerland or Japan or Columbia,” said Durakovic. “Not only do you have direct flights but you have easier access through border processing times and you don’t have any political or cultural tension right now.”

Here’s a list of destinations which have grown in interest to Canadian travellers:

— Turks and Caicos: Up 350%

— Saint Lucia: Up116%

— Japan: Up 88%

— Colombia: Up 75%

— Switzerland: Up 64%

— Barbados: Up 61%

— Vietnam: Up 56%

— Curaçao: Up 53%

— Germany: Up 43%

— Australia: Up 32%