As COVID mandates begin to lift in Canada, many people seem ready to make their dream vacations a reality.
Orillia’s Gotta Go Travel TPI owner Corry Ticknor says she has received a flood of business lately.
“It’s been incredible and wonderful after the two-year hiatus we experienced,” she said.
People are fleeing south for the March break; however, the bucket-list type vacations are the most popular right now.
“These are the celebratory trips that were cancelled or postponed because of COVID,” Ticknor explained. “Those are the major requests that we’ve been getting.”
Ticknor says Europe is still a popular destination for travellers despite the uncertainty created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
“People are anxious to get back on tours, cruises, and things like that,” she said. “Egypt is a popular one, Thailand is one that is quite big, African safaris…it’s the destinations that people have always put off.”
Travelling within North America is still slow, Ticknor says. People are thinking larger than going to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. A popular destination for March break is Saint Lucia, an island nation in Eastern Caribbean, she explained.
“There has been very limited availability,” she said. “I’ll quote a client at say 10 a.m. and by 10:30 a.m. that product is either gone or the price has been increased significantly.”
In an emailed statement to OrilliaMatters, CAA South Central Ontario says more than 1,000 trips have been booked through CAA over the March break. They says people need to be flexible and patient as the travel industry opens back up. Travellers should also be aware that there are plenty of COVID-19 protocols still in place.
Ensure you understand the entry requirements for the countries you are travelling to and what you require to come back to Canada, noted an official in the statemen. The ArriveCan app should still be downloaded and completed. If you are departing from Toronto, Toronto Pearson recommends checking in 90 minutes prior to domestic flights and three hours prior to international flights, the statement stressed.
CAA says the travel industry is still far from being normal.
"Anyone who is considering travelling in the current environment should remember that travel requirements and regulations are continually changing," noted the official.
CAA recommends travellers speak with a CAA Travel Consultant or visit Global Affairs Canada’s website prior to booking and prior to the departure of their trip to ensure they stay informed and can reach their destination with peace of mind. The CAA Travel website is also a great resource for travellers.
Ticknor says the cost of travel has gone up significantly because of the rising demand.
“I didn’t expect it to happen this quickly, it was almost overnight,” she said. “I was hoping it would be a slower incline.”
CAA says the cost of travelling can vary based on a variety of factors. In general, travel prices have increased. For example, some suppliers say that European accommodations and tours have increased by 20 per cent.
"So in some areas of the world, we have seen an increase in travel costs," noted the CAA statement.
Despite the high prices, Ticknor is just happy to be able to help families plan their get-a-way once again.
“It’s been a hassle over the last couple of years, but we are still here,” she said. “We’ve been using our own money to keep the business afloat with the hope that things would start to turn around, which is starting to happen."
Ticknor is hopeful the future of the travel industry is bright.
“This is my dream job and I love doing it,” she said. “I’m quite hopeful that things are turning around now for the better.”
