After months and months of talking about it, the Ontario government has finally approved a “stay at home” travel tax credit to spur provincial tourism. Ontario residents who take a trip within the province in the 2022 tax year could be eligible for rebates under the new “Ontario Staycation Tax Credit” program, which was announced late this week as part of Premier Doug Ford’s Fall Economic Statement. Provincial residents will be eligible for a 20% personal income tax credit on eligible accommodation between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, up to a maximum of $1,000 for an individual and $2,000 for Read more
Ontario
Ottawa Tourism has launched a visitor incentive campaign called It’s On Us whereby visitors who book at least a two-night stay in Ottawa receive a $100 Visa Gift Card. Rooms must be booked before September 30, 2020 for stays before December 31, 2020 at more than 30 participating hotels. Visa Gift Cards are distributed upon check-in and are encouraged to be spent to enhance the visitor’s stay… for dinner, tickets to an attraction or tour, or souvenirs before returning home. “With more of our tourism businesses opening up with enhanced safety protocols, we’re seeing more people planning staycations in Ottawa,” Read more
An AirBnB study finds that searches for properties in the Kawarthas topped the charts for Canada. I also have a surprising report on how some Canadian insurance companies actually ARE offering travel insurance for COVID-19, as well as a story on what women want in travel. Finally, I have items on how Air Transat is back in action today, and an item on how a top Canadian business person says it’s time for Ottawa to support Canada’s aviation industry. My Future of Travel blog for July 23. Kawarthas Tops the Canadian AirBnB Charts The August long weekend is just around Read more
An Expedia Canada study finds Canadians are definitely staying home this summer. I also have a look at a free $50 offer for restaurants, attractions and other places that the Explorers’ Edge tourism area (including Muskoka) is offering to locals and seasonal residents, plus a new celebrity chef for Air Canada and a new, apartment-style hotel in Montreal that sounds perfect for social distancing. My Future of Travel blog for July 20. Canadians Staying Close to Home This Summer This comes as no surprise. But it’s quite telling. An Expedia Canada study released today (July 20) finds that Canadians are Read more
My old Toronto Star friend Josh Rubin has a great story in today’s Star Business section about how some folks in the Canadian travel and tourism biz are suggesting that Canada partially open its borders to try to rescue the summer season. Rubin writes that the head of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, Beth Potter, believes that, even if the U.S. border doesn’t open, Canada should still be allowing visitors from other countries. Rubin notes that the European Union this week announced it was opening borders to visitors from 15 countries, including Canada, but not the U.S., Brazil or Read more
