Flight Centre Canada: Canadians Cool on U.S. Travel
Recent years have seen a large number of Canadians canceling trips to the United States, including to states with casinos, such as Nevada and New Jersey.
Canadians Are Choosing to Travel to Europe More
With more than 200 sites around the nation, Flight Centre Canada is one of the top travel agencies in the nation, providing services like flights, cruises, holiday packages, excursions, hotels, and car rentals.
The corporation released a research last week that only strengthened the perception of Canadians and tourism to the United States.
Bookings to places like California, Florida, and New York fell for the seventh consecutive month, according to Flight Centre Canada. A Statistics Canada report from July also noted this change in travel.
“Canadians are swapping quick trips for lifestyle-driven travel choices,” says Amra Durakovic, Flight Centre spokesperson. “From Lisbon to Tokyo, we’re seeing familia U.S. favourites take a backseat.”
A factor is Trump's tariffs
This is closely related to events in Las Vegas, where a four-month decline came to a stop in June when Strip casino revenue turned a profit for the first time since January. In June, however, there were 11.3% fewer tourists to Las Vegas than the year before. Steep pricing hikes everywhere have contributed to the tourism decline, with tourists objecting about exorbitant resort fees, $100 buffets, and $9 coffees.
"[Las Vegas] has long been a go-to for celebrations, entertainment and convenience. But with 76% of Canadians saying they’d consider less-crowded destinations, travellers are now spending their dollars more thoughtfully—sometimes swapping long-time favourites for somewhere new,” she said.
The declining value of the Canadian dollar and trade uncertainty, exemplified by a trade tariff dispute, are among the factors contributing to fewer Canadians visiting the United States, but Durakovic also said that there is a growing need for something new. A recent YouGov survey for Flight Centre found that Canadians are emphasizing meaningful experiences: 58% of respondents travel to de-stress, 52% for nature-based getaways, and 56% to discover new cultures.
Travelers want to feel that their time and money are well spent, whether they are taking a lengthier foreign trip or a beach vacation at home. Durakovic.
More People Making Cruise Reservations
Europe continues to be a popular destination worldwide, with Athens, Dublin, London, and Paris at the forefront. Due to improved air connectivity and a stronger Canadian dollar relative to those currencies, Durakovic added, Flight Center is also witnessing an increase in demand in trips to Argentina, Australia, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea.
Cruises are also becoming more popular; 42% of Canadians say they plan to take a cruise this year. The British Isles, the Galápagos Islands, and the South Pacific continue to gain popularity, while Mediterranean sailings—particularly those via Greece, Italy, Morocco, and Spain—are in great demand.
Durakovic argues that it's more important to venture outside of the conventional favorites than to distance oneself from the United States.
