Terrorism, Zika isn't stopping Canadian travel: study

Global events such as terrorism and the mosquito-borne Zika virus aren’t stopping Canadians from visiting tourism hotspots as much as people think, according to a new study released today (May 20) by Travelzoo. 

According to the global media commerce company, international travel bookings by Canadians is expected to increase this summer 2016.

Travelzoo’s latest findings, which were acquired through a survey, show that 83 per cent of Canadians are planning at least one summer vacation abroad this year, compared to 76 per cent last year. The rise in vacations is not limited to the summer months either, with travel across the whole of 2016 expected to increase on last year’s total bookings.

The new research reveals that Canadians love the beach, with one third of survey respondents saying their preferred vacation features sun and sand. The second-favourite choice, at 16 per cent, was taking in landscapes and geography. When asked specifically about the types of domestic vacations they prefer, respondents favoured coastal vacations (29 per cent) and big city visits (15 per cent).

According to the study, more than two-thirds of respondents plan to visit the U.S. in the coming twelve months as a result of the slight increase in the loonie. 

Domestic vacations are also increasing, the study says, with 80 per cent of respondents stating that they took at least one domestic vacation in 2015, with 87 per cent stating they plan to take one in 2016.