Canadian travelers set their sights on half a dozen popular destinations while Vancouverians express the most interest in Los Angeles.
After more than two years of border restrictions imposed by the pandemic, many Canadians have been eager to book flights, cruises, hotel accommodations and vacation packages around the world.
While many locals prefer to travel within British Columbia or in Canada, a new report finds that many people have booked travel across the border and beyond.
American Express has announced its 2023 Tourist Destinations List, outlined by travel reservations for American Express Global Card members. The company’s travel advisors have created three-day itineraries, which feature places to stay, eat, shop, and explore the local culture of each of the most popular destinations.
From the list, Canadian Cardmember bookings increased compared to 2019 specifically to the following destinations:
Travel in Canada to cities around the world
However, residents of Canada’s largest city did not have the same flair for travel destinations. In Toronto, for example, the most popular pick was Fort Lauderdale in Florida, while Vancouver was headed to Los Angeles.
Of course, these cities are also accessible from each city, which affects their popularity. A flight from Vancouver International Airport to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has connectivity and takes up to seven hours in total. In contrast, Torontonians enjoy direct three-hour service to the Florida vacation destination.
But proximity has nothing to do with the favorite vacation destination for residents of Quebec’s largest city.
Montreal locals have chosen Paris, known as the “City of Lights,” as their favorite destination.
According to American Express Canada Travel and Lifestyle Services (TLS), travel to these cities and more accounts for “a 33.88 percent increase in reservations via TLS compared to 2019 and an 181 percent increase in reservations compared to 2021.”
Additionally, the credit card company is already seeing increased demand for peak travel times, such as the March Break, to southern destinations including Central America, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Mexico.