Annual Vacation Deprivation Study reveals travellers are
continuing to stay inspired during this time through growing their
bucket list destinations
TORONTO, Feb. 3, 2021 /CNW/ -- Following a year where
for many, every aspect of life – from work, school, daycare, and
even vacation – was spent under one roof, people worldwide are
inspired about future travel possibilities and expressed making it
a priority to use the vacation days they've earned more than ever.
Across the country travel restrictions remain in place; though
undoubtedly Canadians are dreaming about the opportunity to get
away and explore once able to do so again. According to the annual
Vacation Deprivation study from Expedia®, in 2021 Canadians plan to
take an extra week (five days) of vacation. With this new "no days
left behind" mindset, Vacation Deprivation is well on its way to
becoming a thing of the past.
Expedia first launched the annual study more than two decades
ago in an effort to illustrate the benefits of vacation and
encourage working adults to regularly unplug. In recent years, the
benefits of vacation are well-known and undisputed, yet Vacation
Deprivation is on the rise in most nations. This year's findings
point to yet another shift, one in which workers agree they will
never take their vacation days for granted again. In fact, the
majority of Canadians (83%) said they now value vacations more than
ever before, which comes in slightly higher than the global average
(81%).
Queue the bucket lists
Expedia's study showed that 66% of people globally have been
inspired to create a bucket list, and the longer the pandemic has
waged on, the longer bucket lists have become – 60 percent
of respondents said they continue to add to their lists.
Expedia's study also found that people are willing to put
more budget into their bucket list vacation in 2021 than
originally planned (61%). Whether it's trying a new activity,
seeking out a place untraveled, reuniting with family and friends
separated by distance (64 percent find vacation time more valuable
when spending quality time with family), or simply having time to
relax and recharge (54 percent think having the time to relax and
do nothing is what makes them happiest on vacation), people want to
make the most of their time.
Vacation dreaming for the future
As the hope for future travel in 2021 grows, Expedia is seeing
an uptick in Canadians searching for their next bucket list spot
for the backend of the year. Whether it's a warm and sunny beach or
an outdoor adventure closer to home, the below destinations topped
the list for where Canadians are dreaming of going once able to do
so1:
Domestic: Banff, Kelowna, Osoyoos, Canmore, Jasper, Tofino, Niagara
Falls, Montreal,
Revelstoke and Halifax
International: Cancun,
Maui, Las Vegas, Honolulu, London, New
York, Puerto Vallarta,
Maldives, Paris and Santorini.
Shifts in travel perspective
Expedia's Vacation Deprivation study found that over half of
respondents (63%) expressed feelings of vacation deprivation over
the past year, which is an increase from the previous report (57%),
and one that isn't surprising given the year that has transpired.
The study also found:
- Travel Substitutes Brought Joy: Respondents indicated
that spending more time watching TV/movies (41%), more time cooking
(41%) and more time spent reading (32%) were all activities that
brought joy to fill the time in the absence of travel.
Additionally, 82% of Canadians expressed in the interim of not
being able to travel, they are looking for new ways to find
happiness.
- Employer Support in Recharging Batteries: 75% of
respondents feel their employer is supportive of taking vacation
time.
- Taking Time Off at Home: 37% of Canadians' last vacation
involved staying at home, not travelling anywhere.
With COVID-19, it's important to stay safe and up to date on the
latest travel guidance and restrictions. Find out what to expect,
how to find flexible travel and other information on the Expedia
COVID-19 travel guide.
1 Top searched destinations based on lodging
interest on Expedia.ca between December 14,
2020 – January 12, 2021 for
travel between July 1,
2021-December 31, 2021.
About the Vacation Deprivation Study
The annual study was conducted online among 9,200 respondents
across North and South America,
Europe and Asia-Pacific. Commissioned from November 18-December 9, 2020 on behalf of Expedia
by Northstar Research Partners, a global strategic research firm,
responses were gathered using an amalgamated group of best-in-class
panels. Looking at the margin of error for the global average, a 1%
difference is statistically significant at 90% confidence. The
sample for Canada included 1,000
participants.
About Expedia
Expedia is one of the world's largest full-service travel sites,
helping millions of travellers per month easily plan and book
travel. Expedia aims to provide the latest technology and widest
selection of top vacation destinations, affordable airfare, hotel
deals, car rentals, destination weddings, cruise deals and
in-destination activities, attractions, services and travel
apps.
© 2021 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights
reserved. Expedia and the Airplane logo are either trademarks or
registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and other
countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be
the property of their respective owners. Visit our web site
https://www.expedia.ca or use our mobile app to book cheap
flights, hotels, and packages.
SOURCE Brand Expedia