Canadians Ready for Summer Road Trips But Emphasize Saving Money + Tourism Ireland and Flair Airlines News

Despite the financial challenges posed by inflation and high gas prices, a significant majority of Canadians remain determined to embark on road trips this summer. Conducted among members of the Angus Reid Forum, the 2023 edition of the annual Toyota Canada Summer Road Trip Survey found 74% of those polled are still planning a road trip, but fuel efficiency and other ways to cut costs are very much top of mind this year. Cost-cutting and affordability are top of mind Of those who are planning a road trip this summer, 43% say rising gas prices have impacted their plans. And, while very few (8%) have outright cancelled their trips as a result, most (35%) will be taking action to cut their costs. “It’s evident that road trips are still an important part of summer for many Canadians,” said Stephen Beatty, Vice President, Corporate at Toyota Canada. “But, with so many feeling the pressure of high inflation and increased gas prices right now, we’re seeing an increased focus on the affordability of those road trips.” Canada Road Trip Ideas From Yours Truly Canada offers amazing road trips from coast to coast to coast. Here are some Canada-wide options. I also love exploring areas in and around Toronto, including Peterborough and the Kawarthas, Burlington, and north Durham Region. According to the survey, 51% of travellers will be looking for less expensive accommodations, 47% will be planning fewer restaurant dining occasions, 31% will be travelling a shorter distance, 30% will be spending fewer days on the road than originally planned, and 26% will be visiting fewer attractions. Looking for better fuel efficiency, but not yet ready for fully electric road trips Among Canadians planning a road trip this summer, 38% rank fuel efficiency as the single-most important vehicle feature (vehicle safety features and cargo space – at 13% each – are also considerations). At the same time, however, 78% of Canadians admitted they’d be worried about going on a longer road trip in a fully electric / battery electric vehicle. 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid XSE Weekends trips most popular, with a focus on family and relaxation Despite the challenges posed by inflation and high gas prices, many travellers hope to kick back and feel relaxed (71%), safe (54%) and adventurous (44%) on their road trips this summer. A weekend or long weekend getaway is, by far, the most common type of trip being planned (67%), with about half of the respondents intending to drive less than 10 hours in total. A small, but hearty, group (15%) plan to drive for three days or more on their journey. When it comes to who they plan to travel with this summer, family members (80%) are the number one choice as road trip companions. Others will be taking friends (34%), pets (17%), and co-workers (3%) with them. For more information about the survey results, go to media.toyota.ca.

VIKING CRUISES RETURN TO GREAT LAKES

Viking (www.viking.com) today is celebrating the start of its second season in the Great Lakes, as the new purpose-built Viking Polaris® arrived in Toronto for her first port of call in the region. The Viking Polaris joins her identical sister ship, the Viking Octantis®, which began sailing in the Great Lakes for the 2022 season and returned to the region in April 2023. With two 378-guest expedition vessels now in the region, Viking has doubled its capacity in the Great Lakes for 2023. The ships will remain in the Great Lakes through September 2023, sailing all five lakes and a variety of itineraries that operate between Toronto and Duluth.

“We are proud to welcome both of our expedition ships to the Great Lakes. With historic canals that are engineering marvels, cities with thriving arts and culture and unmatched wilderness, this is a phenomenal region of North America that may be familiar to many—but few have had the opportunity to explore,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “After our first full season of Great Lakes voyages in 2022, we are grateful for the warm welcome we received from each destination and look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to the region this season and in the years to come.”

 

TOURISM IRELAND CELEBRATES TRAVEL AGENT DAY

Today (May 3) is Travel Agent Appreciation Day and Tourism Ireland is celebrating travel agents across Canada for their continued support and partnership in showcasing the island of Ireland to their clients.

“Travel agents are undeniably important in our business, and we would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge and express our gratitude to all our partners   across the country. Their continued engagement and passion for the Emerald Isle is evident as business is back – thanks largely in part to our travel trade urging travelers to Fill their Heart with Ireland and book their trip in 2023’, said Sandra Moffatt, Manager, Tourism Ireland, Canada. “We are here to offer the support and resources advisors need to sell the island of Ireland to their clients and look forward to extending our famous warm Irish welcome to travelers to our shores this year”.

 Tourism Ireland will be hosting several upcoming educational webinars including:

• Attractions Across the Island of Ireland – May 10, 2023, at 12:00 pm EST
• Flavours of Ireland – June 7, 2023, at 12:00 pm EST
• Explore Northern Ireland – June 28, 2023, at 12:00 pm EST

Sign up for monthly e-zines to receive a registration link for upcoming webinars.

Tourism Ireland recently launched their new brand campaign, featuring celebrities from award winning TV shows ‘Derry Girls’ and ‘Bad Sisters’, and have a free toolkit of promotional material available with social media posts, images, videos, e-cards, gifs, and more to assist advisors in the promotion of Ireland to their clients, as well as a wide range of supports including:

• The Ireland Specialist Program
• com – Content Library: 45K+ video and images free to use
• Ireland Insiders Facebook Group – Exclusive to Travel Agents

 

Ireland looks forward to greeting you with its signature Cead Mile Failte – one hundred thousand welcomes!  

BELL AND AIR CANADA PARTNERSHIP: EASIER MESSAGING IN THE SKY

 

Air Canada and Bell today announced a multi-year partnership that will make it even easier to stay connected — both on the ground and in the skies. The partnership delivers on Air Canada and Bell’s longstanding commitments to elevating the customer experience, while focusing on added benefits for newcomers and visitors to Canada, preparing them to connect to Canada’s best network as soon as they land. Starting May 15, Air Canada and Bell will offer free messaging for all Aeroplan members worldwide on all Wi-Fi equipped aircraft across Air Canada’s fleet, including Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express flights. This offering will enable customers to send and receive text-based messages via onboard Wi-Fi using popular messaging apps including Apple’s iMessage, Meta’s WhatsApp and Messenger, Rakuten’s Viber, and Messages by Google.  Also, this benefit will be available to strategic partner airline loyalty members, including customers of United MileagePlus, Lufthansa Group Miles & More and Emirates Skywards when their account numbers are associated with an Air Canada booking. Additionally, with this new partnership, newcomers and visitors to Canada will gain easy and immediate ways to stay connected as they arrive in Canada. With complimentary mobile SIM cards on select inbound international flights, newcomers and visitors can activate in flight, allowing them to walk off the plane and be connected. In keeping with Air Canada and Bell’s commitment to its customers, this partnership will enable additional areas of collaboration and customer benefit, including the development and offering of Aeroplan promotional rewards, as well as building upon Air Canada’s award-winning in-flight entertainment offering with the expansion of Live TV service on flights to the U.S., expected later this summer. “Canadians are at the centre of this exciting new partnership. We’re so proud to join with an iconic brand to deliver real value to customers across the country, and, importantly, to those new to our country. This multi-faceted partnership with Bell will allow Air Canada customers to keep in touch with friends, family, or colleagues wherever they travel. What’s more, we’re elated that Bell will be joining as the latest Aeroplan partner, creating another way for members to travel more, and travel better,” said Mark Nasr, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital, and President of Aeroplan at Air Canada.

 

FLAIR ESTABLISHES CALGARY BASE

Flair Airlines, Canada’s everyday low fare airline, has announced the establishment of a new base at Calgary International Airport (YYC). This year, Flair will add four new destinations departing from Calgary and bring more jobs to the region, showcasing the airline’s significant growth and disruption to the Canadian aviation market with the lowest fares on offer.

The Calgary base of operations is a significant investment of resources and personnel, and signals Flair’s continued growth in Canada, based on its ultra-low fare and cost model. By July 2023, Flair’s Calgary base will feature three aircraft, a maintenance facility and hangar, and create nearly 150 jobs for pilots, flight attendants and ground staff. The airline has plans for continued expansion.

Flair is singularly focused on one goal: to provide affordable travel for regular Canadians. Its presence in Calgary results in lower fares, more options for Canadian travellers, and strong economic activity in the region.

New data shows Flair’s economic impact across Canadian communities. Thanks to the unwavering support and loyalty of Flair customers, the airline estimates 5,800 jobs were created as a result of Flair’s activity, generating over $890 million in economic output in regions across Canada in 2022. The airline estimates it saved Canadians $256M in airfare in the same year. *

Flair’s seat growth from Calgary is up 46 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022, with 15 routes on sale. This includes new routes to:

London, Ontario (YXU) launching in July; and

Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS)

Phoenix, Arizona (PHX)

and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (PVR), each launching this fall.

“Our relationship with Calgary International Airport will continue to provide benefits to Albertans who have been paying far too much for air travel. We know our presence in Calgary results in lower fares, more options for Canadian travellers, and strong economic activity in the region. We’re proud of our growing crew in Calgary and grateful to the community for supporting us as we establish our Calgary base,” said Stephen Jones, President and CEO, Flair Airlines.

Lynx Air also is based in Calgary, while Flair has its headquarters in Edmonton.

Canada Jetlines, another relative newcomer, is based in Toronto (Mississauga)

.