Canadians encouraged to prioritize domestic travel in lieu of traveling internationally

 

With the pandemic having nearly reached one year, and restrictions in place for much of this time, many industries are struggling.

One industry that has been hit particularly hard over the last 12 months is tourism and travel--border closures coupled with additional restrictions and lack of available flights have meant fewer tourists, which means less foreign money.

However, while the recovery of this industry is projected to take years, it could be expedited if Canadians are willing to support local businesses and spend the money they would otherwise spend internationally locally.

According to new research and analysis from Destination Canada, if Canadians reallocate 66 per cent of the money they plan on spending on international leisure travel towards domestic tourism, it would make up the estimated $19 billion shortfall the economy is currently facing.

Additionally, it would also help sustain approximately 150,000 jobs, as well as reduce the time it would take the economy to recover by a full year.

“We understand that everyone is eager for some much-needed vacation time and we are calling on Canadians to plan their future travel within Canada,” Marsha Walden, president and CEO of Destination Canada, said in a news release.

“We are all fortunate to live in this incredibly beautiful and diverse country with breathtaking experiences from coast to coast to coast--now is the time to plan on exploring our backyards when safe to do so. This is how each and every Canadian can enjoy our country while meaningfully helping the hundreds of thousands of people whose livelihoods enhance our quality of life in Canada," she continued.