What Do Canadian Tourists Look for?

“Knowing your customer” is probably the number-one rule in sales. Whether you’re selling cars, homes or vacation packages, understanding what your clients want and need is essential when closing the sale and building customer loyalty.

For travel agents, this means knowing where Canadians are travelling, how they’re booking, when they’re booking, and what they’re doing when they get to their end destination.

According to Development Counsellors International (DCI), which recently released the study ‘Capturing the Canadian Consumer: Insights into the Path to Purchase for Canadian Travelers’, learning the ins and outs of Canadian booking and travel habits only benefits agents in the long run. As stated in its report, Canadians spend an estimated $35 billion on outbound travel annually, which translates into more bookings and more commissions for agents.

“Canadians are an important market due to their prioritization of international travel, their spending power and the sheer size of the market,” Robyn Domber, Vice President, Research tells Travelweek. “In our opinion, Canadians have always valued travel and this has been a constant over the past 15 years and beyond.”

Domber adds: “International trips often represent bucket-list trips and travellers want to make sure they’re making the most of their trip and protecting their investment. Travel agents can be a vital resource in this respect.”

The report included findings of a survey of 1,505 Canadians, of which 22 percent said they didn’t care what time of year they travel. Another 39 percent of respondents said that their trips typically take place during the first six months of the year, while the remaining balance (37 percent) preferred to travel in the second half.

Respondents from Manitoba and Saskatchewan are more likely to travel between January and March versus residents of other provinces, indicating that an escape from cold weather is a prime motivator for travelling internationally.

Regardless of province of residence, the United States is the most frequently considered – and visited – country for Canadians. This is followed by the Caribbean and Europe, with remaining destinations garnering less interest.

“When you look at the top outbound destinations for Canadians, the top three countries – U.S., Mexico and the United Kingdom – in 2016 are exactly the same as the top three countries for outbound travel among Canadians in 2001,” said Domber. “That being said, Canadians are also more willing to explore ‘emerging’ destinations, and one example of this is Cuba.”

According to Domber, Cuba rose to the third most popular outbound market for Canadians (displacing the U.K.) in 2009, and has stayed in the top five since then.

Canada ranks sixth among all countries in international tourism expenditures, which makes Canadians extremely appealing to international destinations. But perhaps more importantly, there is clear evidence that Canadians are much more likely to travel internationally versus their American counterparts.

Approximately 67 percent of Canadians have a valid passport compared to only 46 percent of the U.S. population. This enables nearly 13 million Canadians to take leisure trips (of five nights or more) outside of Canada in the past three years.

Canadians love travelling so much that not even an economic downturn can deter them. During the global crisis in 2008/2009, outbound leisure travel from Canada declined by only 1.3 percent, compared to 7.5 percent in the U.S.

At 46 percent, family vacations are the clear favorite type of international leisure vacation during the past 24 months among outbound Canadian travelers. Beach and Romance trips rounded out the top three.

“In addition to prioritizing travel, it was very clear through our research that Canadians prioritize time spent with family,” added Domber. “Family travel was the most popular type of travel reported, so even during economic downturns Canadians view travel as an opportunity to reconnect with family away from daily demands of life.”

With who and how much? More than half (54 percent) of respondents are travelling internationally with only a spouse or partner, with 21 percent travelling with their kids. One in 10 are travelling alone, particularly those between 18 and 34 years old (14 percent), while 75 percent of respondents over the age of 65 travel internationally with a spouse or partner.

And how much are Canadians spending while on vacation? On average, Canadian travellers spent $3,985 on their last international leisure trip, with the greatest expense being accommodations at an average of $1,371.

“Canadian travelers report that quality accommodations (91 percent), value for money (89 percent), and interesting attractions (88 percent) top the list of important factors overall,” said Bomber, also noting how agents can serve as valuable third party sources on identifying destinations that meet these criteria during the planning and booking phase.

Those over the age of 45 place high value on the friendliness of the local population, while those under 45 thought family friendliness and outdoor adventure experiences are more important. Millennials (under 35), more than any other generation, are concerned with sharing their experience on social media as well as local festivals and celebrations. They also value shopping more than quality accommodations.

Respondents under 65 years old are much more likely to be interested in beaches (63 percent), outdoor recreation (43 percent), and amusement parks (25 percent), while those over 45 are more likely to be interested in touring a historic site (64 percent) or a museum (43 percent).

Long-haul trips have the longest planning lead times, with more than 43 percent beginning research at least six months in advance. Once a destination has been selected, travelers then turn their attention to booking airfare and accommodations.

Source: Travelweek Group