Celebrating Canada Day

When we’re small, it’s all about the fireworks and face painting (quick poll: were you a ‘flag-on-the-cheek’ kid, or did you go full, sparkly ‘fairy tiger’?), but nowadays, it’s probably safe to say that Canada’s birthday is more about watching our inboxes fill up with lists of our country’s top attractions.

And rightfully so; Canada is an incredible destination. If you’ve had the privilege of vacationing from sea to shining sea – or simply walked the floor at Rendez-vouz Canada – you’ll know what I’m talking about. If part of your job is inbound tourism, well, you know more about Canada than I ever will. Needless to say, as Canadians, we can all agree – there’s a lot to be proud of.

And yet, it’s funny; Canada’s summers are something that we, as residents of a land often covered in snow, truly look forward to, but in the travel industry, the sunny seasons also tend to bring about talk of next winter’s sun destination products.

We’re a nation that promotes its skiing and sugar shacks and ice palaces, and yet as residents, we spend our year in constant anticipation for warmth. And with the winter we just had, who can blame us?

Luckily, we’re at a very special place on the calendar: the start of summer. The cold weather is behind us, and although the calendar says the first day of summer is June 21, for many, with school just out and the temperature just now beginning to rise, July 1 is when the real party begins. Summer in this country is the best time of year, but as the calendar on your desk will have you remember, it’s fleeting – it’s important to make the most of it.

Tomorrow will be a holiday for many of us (including PAX), and in the travel world, that means taking the day off from selling the exciting qualities of other countries to kick back and celebrating our own. And whether that means relaxing in the backyard and feeling decadent on a Wednesday, or being dragged through a fairground by your maple leaf-faced kids, it’s a day when we can reflect on what it means to live in a country that millions yearn to travel to. And in Canada, we do it with fireworks.

Happy Canada Day!