For today’s Future of Travel blog, I take a look at where Canadians would like to travel once we can move around a little more. I’ve also got details of a new health and safety program from Accor Hotels, and also from AIr Canada. In addition, check out the great deal for the fabulous Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.
Where Canadians Want to Go
The folks at Booking.com recently surveyed Canadians about where they’d like to visit when travel restrictions are lifted. It’s no surprise to see domestic travel is top of mind for consumers, with more than half (51%) of all properties wish listed being within a traveller’s own domestic borders. This figure is a jump from the same time last year, when domestic properties accounted for just a third (33%) of those added to wish lists.
Digging deeper, Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City were found to be among the most popular domestic destinations being wish listed by Canadians signaling that travellers are ready for sunny city getaways and historic architecture when they are able to hit the road again. Notably, destinations close to water and wine country such as Niagara Falls and Vancouver were also at the top of the list.
The Ontario College of Art & Design in downtown Toronto. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Most in demand Canadian destinations, in order:
Toronto
Montreal
The top places to stay in Canada on wish lists include:
One King West Hotel and Residence – Toronto (Hotel & Residence)
Hôtel Sainte-Anne – Quebec City (Hotel)
Hotel Belmont – Vancouver (Hotel)
For their first steps beyond their own borders, Canadians’ hearts are set on world class city getaways at center stage alongside tropical adventures.
New York City tops the list, followed by Lisbon (Portugal), Paris (France), London (UK), and Tokyo (Japan), while Ubud (Indonesia), Playa del Carmen (Mexico), Rome (Italy) and Orlando (U.S.) also appear strongly top of mind.
Adriana Mantilla, Regional Manager Canada at Booking.com, said: “Throughout the rapidly evolving global uncertainty of this time, we have been intensely focused on the safety and security of our customers, partners and colleagues as well as evolving the support we provide to them at every step. One piece of this is working to ensure that travellers are inspired to dream about all kinds of travel and bring assurance to our partners that we will continue to deliver demand to them as the world begins to travel again. It is encouraging to see so many properties added to wish lists over the past few months, and we look forward to helping travellers experience them when it is safe to do so.”
Fairmont Royal York – Fairmont Gold One Day Sale
Mark your calendars for TOMORROW, Saturday, May 16th, for a one day only Fairmont Gold sale.*
Experience the luxury of the new Fairmont Gold at Fairmont Royal York for a rate of $359 (retail value of $699+) in honour of the Accor ALL Heartist Day this Saturday.
With each booking, $10 will be donated to the ALL Heartist Fund that assists the +300,000 Accor colleagues and frontline workers who are in need.
*Stays are applicable through September 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.*
The hotel was renovated last year and looks absolutely fantastic. If there’s a nicer hotel lobby in Canada I haven’t seen it. And the food and drinks are superb. Here’s a blog I wrote about it last year.
Discover Fairmont Gold https://lnkd.in/g6i2Zeb.
And learn more about the ALL Heartist Fund here.
https://lnkd.in/gV39WgJ
Accor Hotels Launches ALL Stay Well Health and Safety Program
The veranda at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria.
- Stringent new health & safety standards focused on 20 key touchpoints throughout the guest and employee journey
- Oversight by a team of expert advisors to ensure maximum efficacy – including: Bureau Veritas; Dr. Amesh Adalja, Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security & fellow with the Infectious Diseases Society of America; and Ruth Petran, Ph.D., CFS, Senior Corporate Scientist, Food Safety and Public Health, for Ecolab, global leaders in cleaning and hygiene, and trusted advisors to the CDC
- Validation under the new global ALLSAFE Cleanliness label, which confirms and commits to guests that the new standards have been met in Accor properties worldwide
- Rollout of a new comprehensive, hands-on safety & hygiene training program
- Groundbreaking strategic partnership with AXA, a global leader in insurance, aimed at providing medical support to guests across 5,000 Accor hotels worldwide
Air Canada’s CleanCare+ program started today (May 15) as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And AC officials hope it builds confidence in the travelling public.
TravelPulse Canada had a one-on-one chat with Air Canada VP Safety Sam Elfassy on Thursday, chatting about Air Canada’s leadership on the issue and the future of travel given the global coronavirus crisis. Here’s my TravelPulse Canada report.
