In addition, the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) sheds
light on how to save when you fly next
TORONTO, Nov. 16, 2020 /CNW/ -- Today, Expedia® released
its 2021 Travel Trends Report, sharing predictions and hacks for
travellers for the year ahead. By analyzing Expedia.ca data and
insights from the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), the report
aims to arm travellers with the information and inspiration they
need to make smart travel decisions coming out of an unprecedented
year.
Whether it was Plan A or Plan C(ovid), it's clear Canadians
spent 2020 exploring smaller towns in their own province with close
proximity to the outdoors and ones that were only a drive away. As
we look ahead to the new year, insights tell us that Canadians are
thinking about a new plan C: Canada, and how they can embrace winter at
home, which would be a first for many who typically flock to warmer
climates. Destinations that offer ski and outdoor activities are
seeing interest, as well as spots on Vancouver Island, which
typically have the mildest winter temperatures. However, others are
dreaming of escaping somewhere warm and tropical, and particularly
to an island destination. The 2021 Travel Trends Report analyzes
traveller data to uncover the biggest takeaways from 2020, and what
travellers can expect in the year ahead.
This year, in addition to tapping into its own database of
search and demand data, Expedia partnered with ARC for a deep dive
on the effect of the pandemic on air travel.
Airfare Booking Hacks for 2021
For six years running, travellers have come to rely on the
annual Expedia ARC report, which analyzes billions of flight
segments, to provide insider tips and tricks for getting the most
out of air travel. Considering the atypical year, a new view is
needed now more than ever.
What this means for Canadian travellers is that while average
ticket prices are a bit lower for both domestic and international
flights, prices rise during peak travel periods such as summer and
the holidays. To get the best deal, travellers need to know when to
book and start their trip.
- Best Day to Book and Travel: The best day of the week to
book1 an international or domestic flight is Sunday
and the best day to start your journey2 for a
domestic trip is Friday, with international travel being Thursday;
this planning could save you around 10 percent.
This year, average ticket prices (ATPs) for domestic flights hit
their lowest in early July right around Canada Day, and then
started to rise over the course of the summer as pent-up travel
demand picked back up. Looking at the fall months, ATPs for
domestic flights have largely returned to their 2019 levels;
however, depending on official travel restrictions and health
guidance, we will likely continue to see prices fluctuate for the
foreseeable future.
Priorities for Canadian Travellers in 2021
- Flexibility isn't a "nice-to-have", it's required: In
2021, flexibility will continue to be top of mind for travellers,
who booked refundable rates nearly 10 percent more often this year
compared to last. Luckily, flexibility is more affordable than
ever. Expedia.ca lodging data shows average daily rates for
refundable bookings were nearly 15 percent cheaper in 2020 compared
to 2019.
- Health and safety advancements are essential: In
2021, concerns about staying safe while travelling will
continue to impact every aspect of trip planning, from what type of
accommodations to choose to where to go to who to travel with.
Since May, nearly 300,000 properties have added health and
cleanliness information on Expedia.ca, which includes enhanced
cleaning measures, contactless check-in, social distancing and
other guest safety considerations.
- Shorter booking windows for travel plans: In 2019, the
average Canadian traveller booked flights around 34 days in advance
of their departure date, but during the onset of the pandemic, that
window shortened to 22 days, where it remains. The new, shorter
planning cycle illustrates how travellers have adapted to the
rapidly changing environment and ongoing uncertainty. This is a
trend we see with lodging as well. Last minute bookings during the
summer were on the rise with around half of Canadian travellers
booking trips 0-7 days out, an increase from previous
years.3
- Growth in alternative accommodation options: While the
most popular lodging type in 2020 was hotels, this year certain
alternative property types were more popular than in previous
years. Specifically, this is the case for: private vacation homes,
cottages, glamping experiences, treehouses and house boats. When
looking to book a stay, the data shows that the lowest average
daily rates are usually found on Mondays.
2020's Trending Destinations Hold Canadian
Roots4
This year's trending destinations list looks quite a bit
different than last year's, with more rural and remote places
outside of city centers, and domestic destinations completely
filling the top ten. In previous years, trending destinations
included a mix of U.S. and other international cities, but this
year the story is very much one of Canadian roots. The destinations
showing the greatest growth include: Jasper, AB (#1), Gaspesie-Iles de la
Madeleines, QB (#2), Banff, AB
(#3), Tofino-Ucluelet, BC (#4), Okanagan Valley, BC (#5),
Muskoka, ON (#6), Georgian Bay, ON (#7), Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean,
QB (#8), Thunder Bay, ON (#9),
Golden, BC (#10).
The Next Big Trip: Top-Searched Destinations for 2021 and
Beyond
While nearby getaways and road trips are likely to remain
popular as travellers navigate the ongoing realities of life amid a
pandemic, search data5 proves that Canadian wanderlust
remains strong. More specifically, it seems vacation-deprived
Canadians dreaming of their next trip fall into one of two
categories:
Sun and Beach Seekers. Looking at the top 20
most-searched destinations, over half are islands in the southern
hemisphere or those offering a warm and sunny beach escape. After a
year like 2020, it's not hard to imagine why so many travellers
want to escape to an island the next chance they get. Typically,
Canadians are used to trading in their winter coats for their
summer clothes based on general seasonality, but of course this has
been a year like no other, though this hasn't stopped travellers
from staying inspired and dreaming of warmer weather.
- Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen and Tulum (#1)
- Puerto Vallarta (#2)
- Orlando (#3)
- Cancun (#4)
- Oahu (#5)
- Maui (#7)
- Punta Cana (#8)
- Maldives (#9)
- French Polynesia (#11)
- Bali (#13)
- Barbados (#15)
- Turks and Caicos (#16)
- St. Lucia (#17)
Slope and Coast Explorers. Whether travellers are
looking for outdoor time to ski or take in the snowy mountains, or
alternatively more temperate temperatures, the good news is
Canada has both. In looking at
search data we see these two themes emerge amongst popular
destinations. This tells us two things – some Canadians are ready
to embrace the snow and lower temperatures, while others are
looking to find some warm reprieve domestically.
- Banff (#6)
- Okanagan Valley (#10)
- Whistler (#12)
- Mont Tremblant (#14)
- Victoria (#18)
- Collingwood (#19)
- Tofino-Ucluelet (#20)
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 Best day of the week to book
recommendation is based on average round-trip ticket prices for
January through early October, for both 2019 and 2020, sourced from
ARC's global airline sales database.
2 Best day of the week to travel
recommendation based on average round-trip ticket prices for
January through early October, for both 2019 and 2020, sourced from
ARC's global airline sales database. Departure date determined by
the first date of travel in an itinerary.
3 Data based on interest or demand on Expedia.ca
during June 2020 for travel between
June 1 – September 7, 2020 compared to the same time
periods in 2019
4 Trending destinations are some of the
markets seeing the best growth year-over-year, based on lodging
demand on Expedia.ca between Jan. 1,
2020 – Sept. 14, 2020 compared
to the same timeframe in 2019.
5 Top searched destinations based on lodging
interest on Expedia.ca between Jan 1,
2020 – Sept 12, 2020 for
travel in 2021.
About Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)
An industry leader in air travel intelligence and omnichannel
retailing, ARC provides platforms, tools and insights that help the
global travel community connect, grow and thrive. ARC enables the
diverse retailing strategies of its customers by providing flexible
settlement solutions, innovative technology and access to the
world's most comprehensive air transaction dataset. In 2019, ARC
managed more than $97.4 billion in
transactions between airlines and travel agencies, representing
more than 302 million passenger trips. For more information, please
visit www.arccorp.com
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.
© 2020 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.
SOURCE Expedia.ca