Air Canada’s operating revenue for the first quarter of this year was 90% higher than a year ago and about 10% higher than the first quarter of 2019. Canada’s largest airline today reported its first quarter 2023 financial results, and it’s clear that the travel rebound is a powerful one, indeed. Air Canada said its operating revenue for the quarter was $4.887 billion, nearly double last year and even higher than 2019, before the pandemic hit. The Montreal-based airline reported an operating loss of $17 million, improved from an operating loss of $550 million in the first quarter of Read more
Canadians
Inflation worries are causing Canadians to cut back on travel, but Gen Z remains eager to get out there and explore. An Ipsos Reid poll conducted in mid-March for Global News found that 62% of Canadians say they’re scaling back their vacation plans this year. Sixty one per cent of respondents blamed “inflation and the economy” for their travel trimming. A full 24% of those surveyed said they can’t afford a summer vacation, and only 13% said they’ll spend more this year. “Canadians are going to be looking for cheaper alternatives,” said Ipsos VP Sean Simpson. One person interviewed said Read more
I’m not sure what this means for travel and tourism, but it can’t hurt Canadian efforts to lure more American visitors – and American dollars – north of the border. A new poll by Angus Reid finds that Canadians are more unified than Americans in viewing their country as a caring and safe place to call home, and a positive contributor to the globe. Overall, four-in-five Canadians (78%) say their country is a caring society. Only one-in-three Americans say the same (36%). Nine-in-ten north of the 49th parallel say they live in a safe country (89%), while half as many Read more
The economy is a bit of a mess, but young Canadians remain eager to travel. A new Scotiabank study says 61% of Canadian Gen Z’ers and a third of Canadian Millennials (32%) plan to travel this spring. Overall, nearly one-in-four Canadians (23%) say they’re planning to vacation this spring, with another 17% considering travel. Among those officially planning a trip, the majority want to venture internationally (53%), while 42% plan to stay within Canada’s borders. What’s more, younger Canadians (aged 18-34) are mostly looking to travel domestically (53%), while Canadians aged 35-54 (58%) and 55+ (70%) are looking at an international destination. Read more
Canadians and Western Europeans are the travellers most likely to hit the road in the next 12 months, according to a new survey from Expedia Group. The study found that 41% of both Canadian and Western Europe residents are very likely to book or have already booked an international trip in the next 12 months. That’s considerably higher than the global average of 30%, and it bodes well for airlines and tour operators selling outbound trael from Canada. Booking a trip after binging a popular new series will become serious business in 2023. Expedia research confirms that streaming movies and Read more
