This is the second in an ongoing series of posts on the FUTURE OF TRAVEL. I listened in on a couple of very good webinars, but I want to instead today talk about a great study that really hits the Canadian market.
Abacus Data, which has offices in Toronto and Ottawa, did a survey of more than 1,000 Canadians the other day and came away with some very interesting stats that should be encouraging for folks in Canadian tourism.
The study, conducted April 2 to 7, posited the following question:
“Assuming travel restrictions are lifted at the end of June, thinking about future travel plans, how long will it be before you feel comfortable travelling?”
The answers were broken down into four categories, with respondents talking about travelling “as soon as possible,” “three months,” “six months” or “twelve months or more.” There also was a category for “not something I’m interested in.”
Abacus also asked those surveyed where they might want to travel, with the following categories “within the province,” “within the country,” “within North America,” and “internationally.”
In the “as soon as possible” category, 28% said they’d want to travel within the province, followed by 16% within the country, nine per cent within North America and five per cent internationally.
Things change a bit over time, and would-be travellers appear to be more adventurous over the long term.
In the category of “three months,” 18% said they wanted to travel within the province, 19% within the country, 12% within North America and six per cent internationally.
In the category of “six months,” 15% said they wanted to travel within the province, followed by 19% within Canada, 19% within North America and 16% internationally (a big jump from the three-month international travel response).
In the longer term, the interest in getting out and exploring the world really starts to take off. In the category of 12 months or more, 15% said they’d travel within the province, followed by 20% within the country, 28% within North America and a full 36% internationally.
Quiet, uncrowded Canadian destinations such as Newfoundland and the Maritime provinces could do well if Canadians stay close to home this summer. JIM BYERS PHOTO
In the category of “not something I’m interested in,” 24% of those surveyed said they weren’t interested in travel within the province, followed by 26% for Canada, 33% for North America and 37% for international travel.
Clearly there’s an appetite to travel, but just as clearly it looks like folks will be taking baby steps (okay, given the size of some our provinces, perhaps teenage steps) when it comes to where they go once travel restrictions are lifted. International likely will wait, but folks seem eager to get out and explore the areas around them.
“Although we are still in the early stages of understanding the real impact COVID will have on travel decisions, it’s becoming clearer to me that many Canadians will look for an experience closer to home as anxiety and concerns about air or rail travel and/or the safety of foreign or American destinations remain in doubt,” Abacus founding partner and CEO David Coletto told me in an email exchange.
“This presents a great opportunity for domestic operators to come up with creative experiences for local travellers who may be hesitant to take part in activities involving crowds but will still be looking to vacate their lives (go on a vacation) especially after an extended period of being in their homes.”
I think this presents a great opportunity for folks in quieter areas of Canada but near big cities like Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver. I’m thinking provincial parks, hiking areas and lake districts that maybe aren’t too crowded.
Folks who run large resorts aren’t out of the running, but they’ll need to adjust.
“Now’s the time to start innovating and engaging with consumers online,” Coletto said. “Help them imagine what a touchless summer vacation could look like at your destination or with your business. Respond to their concerns about safety and build their confidence that they will be able to experience something amazing when they are ready to do so.
“For me, the most important aspect of the customer journey to explore now is the gap between what people are allowed to do, and what they feel comfortable doing. Until a vaccine is found for COVID-19, that will be the new normal.”
