CANADIANS VACATIONING IN THEIR OWN BACKYARDS
By Adnews Staff
More Canadians are sticking to their own turf when it comes to vacation destinations this year, according to a survey conducted by American Express. Of 1,000 Canadians surveyed, 53% said they planned to travel within Canada this summer and fall, up from 43% in last year's survey. On top of that, vacationers are spending more than they did last year. Twenty-five percent of those who planned to travel in Canada planned to spend more than they had before. The survey results show British Columbia and Alberta to be the most popular destinations, followed by Ontario. As for the world outside our borders, forty-three percent of respondents planned to travel to the Unite States, while eight percent were heading to Europe and two percent to Asia. "The increasing popularity of home-grown vacation destinations is due in part to the value of our dollar, and in part to the increased awareness of what Canada has to offer vacationers," said Peter Drutz, vice-president and general manager of consumer travel at American Express. "Canada has been a popular destination among foreign travelers for years, and Canadians are finally sitting up and taking notice of the sites and attractions which abound within their own country." Among international respondents to the survey, Canada ranked as the third most popular vacation spot, behind the U.S. and Europe.