Ontario residents are determined to do their part to help Canada’s tourism and travel industry recover.
A 29MAR report from the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) confirms a strong intention by Ontarians to travel this spring and summer. A survey of 1,200 provincial residents found almost one-half, 47%, intend to pack their bags for an international trip, which is encouraging news for airlines and tour operators.
The opportunity for travel advisors is in the fact that 71% of respondents feel travel is more complex now than it was before the start of the pandemic.
On the domestic front, 68% of survey respondents intend to travel within Ontario and 51% intend to journey across Canada.
"Ontarians are ready to travel but they are also deeply aware of the complexities in today's travel environment," said Richard Smart, president and CEO, TICO. "Travellers can feel confident and have peace of mind knowing that TICO registered travel agencies, booking websites and tour operators will provide them with crucial information and added consumer protection.”
Concern for potential travel issues
The survey found that for 65% of respondents, the biggest travel worry is having their travel plans cancelled or delayed due to forces beyond their control. For 60% of respondents, being stranded from home is a concern.
Protecting their travel investment
The survey found 65% of respondents are concerned about protecting their travel investment.
Compared to pre-pandemic, 73% of respondents agreed they are more likely to book travel plans with flexible rebooking and cancellation policies. Additionally, 78% of respondents expect to be fully refunded or offered other similar travel if their original plans are cancelled for any reason, outside of them cancelling the trip.
Factors influencing travel decisions
When considering their travel purchase, Ontarians chose these five attributes as being most important to them:
- Destination (86%)
- Price (86%)
- Accommodation (84%)
- The travel experience (81%)
- Mode of travel (76%)
Respondents also noted that they considered the potential for extreme weather conditions (66%) and being eco-friendly (35%) in their purchase decision.
Additionally, 59% of respondents noted that COVID safety/restrictions continue to be important considerations in their travel purchase decision, down from 81% in 2021.
Consumer protection
When making a travel purchase, 62% of respondents said they consider the availability of consumer protection. Additionally, 66% of respondents consider the reputation of the travel agent or tour operator they are booking with.
TICO regulates Ontario's 2,000 travel agencies, booking websites and tour operators.
All TICO registered companies must follow consumer protection laws, including:
- All-in pricing, with no hidden charges or surprises;
- Outlining the change/cancellation policies of a travel booking;
- Disclosing the documentation (e.g., passport, visas, etc.) needed for the travel destination;
- Sharing information about the availability and importance of travel insurance; and
- Disclosing any unique conditions that may affect a traveller's decision to book.
