Earth Day (April 22) is only a few weeks away, but the cost-of-living crisis is making it that much harder for Canadians to reduce their carbon footprint while travelling. In fact, according to a survey from Mckinsey, “travelers continue to prioritize price and connections over sustainability in booking decisions”.
For Canadians who want to travel, but don’t have the means to book the eco-conscious flights and hotels, frequent guests of IHG Hotels & Resorts are offering tips on affordable and simple changes you can make to reduce your carbon footprint when travelling.
- Use public transportation – If you’re visiting a destination with a local or public transportation system, make sure to take advantage! Local transport is an effective way to reduce the emissions you would otherwise create using a rental car. If you’re visiting a biker-friendly locale, go the extra mile and tour the destination on two-wheels. A number of hotels offer complimentary bike services for guests, including the Holiday Inn & Suites Vancouver Downtown. Vancouver is a great city for biking, especially along around Stanley Park and along the beautiful waterfront.
- Reduce single-use plastic usage – We all love to stock up on shampoo and conditioner at hotels when we travel, but providing guests with single-use plastic containers is a surefire way to generate more plastic waste. When booking travel, consider bringing your own cosmetic products or choosing hotels that prioritize full-size in-room amenities and reusable products. IHG Hotels & Resorts reported that the transition to bulk amenities saves them from using an estimated 850 tonnes of plastic annually in their Americas region alone.
- Choose local travel – Canada is really a wonderland! When choosing your next travel destination, keep local Canadian destinations top of mind. The closer you to home you stay, the lower your footprint will be. Plus, Canada has a vacation destination for everyone. You probably know about the big cities; Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Halifax. I suggest getting out of town a bit and exploring some cool regions. Just outside of Toronto, north Durham Region offers lovely shops and independent bakeries and coffee places. Ditto for the town of Kingsville, on the north shore of Lake Erie. Saskatoon is very much an underrated Canadian city, with great food, a tremendous museum in the Remai Modern and summer performances by Shakespeare on the Saksatchewan. Don’t miss the glories of Atlantic Canada, especially Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia and just about anywhere in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Iles de las Madelene? are spectacular little islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with wonderful, empty beaches and fabOut west, Edmonton is a very creative city with great restaurants, while Sooke, B.C., has a great seaside location on Vancouver Island and one of my favourite coffee shops, The Stick in the Mud. Yukon is simply glorious, especially in summer. Get inspired by hotels and destinations here.
“At IHG, we know our guests are increasingly prioritizing sustainable travel and we are committed to doing our part,” said Bailey. “In line with IHG’s Journey to Tomorrow responsible business plan, we are committed to lowering our carbon emissions across our hotels globally, reducing waste and improving water efficiency.
“For our emissions reduction efforts, this means working hand-in-hand with our hotels and owners to equip them with the tools they need to achieve these goals, leveraging energy conservation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, finding renewable energy opportunities and developing new-build hotels that operate at very low or zero carbon.”
IHG Hotels & Resorts include some of the top names in travel, including Intercontinental, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn.
Americans are very much interested in international travel these days.
U.S. TRAVEL INTENT DROPS, BUT MORE INTEREST IN INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
With the spring break travel season in full swing for most Americans, new research by MMGY Travel Intelligence suggests that U.S. travel intentions may be softening somewhat overall. According to the latest edition of the research firm’s 2023 Portrait of American Travelers®study released today, 7 in 10 U.S. adults plan to take a vacation in the next 12 months. While still a strong majority at 70%, the figure is down from 73% in October and down significantly from 86% a year ago.
“Any softness we’re seeing in travel intentions is tied almost entirely to lower-income households where concerns over personal finances and the affordability of travel inherently carry more weight,” said Chris Davidson, Executive Vice President of MMGY Travel Intelligence. “At the same time, a majority of travelers appear poised to travel more and spend more in the year ahead, and this should effectively offset those who may opt out.”
Despite a decrease in the percentage of U.S. adults planning to travel in the next 12 months, the intended number of trips (4.2 trips, up from 3.9 in February 2022) and spending intentions ($4,339, up from $2,581 in February 2022) of those still planning to travel continue to increase.
Another positive takeaway is that interest in international travel continues to rise. According to the study, 8 in 10 active leisure travelers are interested in traveling abroad in the next two years, up significantly from the 73% who reported interest in February 2022.
“This may be partially due to a subset of travelers who are prioritizing international travel, but it could also be pent-up demand for destinations that have only just rolled out the welcome mat for inbound international travelers,” said Davidson. “This is good news for places like Asia and Oceania – only recently available again to U.S. tourists – that have gained significant interest as a travel destination since last year.”
It might also be good news for Canadian tourism. Lord knows our hotels and resorts could use some big-spending American visitors.
Holland America Line’s Koningsdam will be the first ship to call in Canada in more than two years. The ship will call in Victoria, British Columbia, on April 9, and Vancouver on April 10.
THIS AND THAT AND HERE AND THERE
Holland America Line’s 2024-2025 Caribbean season opens for booking today, and the premium cruise line is continuing its trend of longer, more immersive cruise itineraries with the introduction of three new voyages that are 14 and 21 days. Also new for this season is adding Boston, Massachusetts, as a Caribbean departure port — in addition to Fort Lauderdale, Florida — and the return of calls at Bermuda … Even with over $600 million in economic impact from business events in Toronto in 2023, the city is still about 55 per cent below pre-pandemic levels of impact. That makes the federal budget of particular interest to Toronto, as Ottawa pledged $50 million to help Destination Canada lure major conventions and events over the next few years … A new study from American Express Global Business Travel finds that, while they’re focused on reining in costs, nearly all finance leaders surveyed see travel as a worthwhile investment. Fifty-seven percent say it is a necessary cost, while 40% view it as a major enabler for their company’s development and growth. That’s also encouraging for big cities that rely on business travel to fill their hotels during the week …
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