Surveys: Canadians "Desperate" to Get a Break this Holiday. And Here's Where They're Going

Two new surveys reveal Canadians' appetite for travel is higher than ever - and which domestic, U.S., and international cities make their top 10 lists of destinations.

A Mastercard research report reveals two conflicting stats: 76 per cent of Canadians say they’re desperate for a break - but 73 per cent think it's too expensive to travel right now.

If that sounds discouraging for the travel industry, take heart: the report also shows that travel spending momentum continues to rise as consumers and business travelers alike expect to increase travel in 2023.

The credit card survey also discovered that:

• Travellers are making up for lost time:  81 per cent of survey respondants report that the pandemic taught them not to take travel for granted.
• A rise in intentional travel is driving desire for flexibility and optimization: With the rise of hybrid and remote work, consumers are blurring the lines of business and leisure travel like never before. "Bleisure" travel is a more popular option than ever, with 63 per cent of Canadians interested in extending leisure trips to work from a more scenic destination. A rising focus on wellness itineraries also points to a desire to derive a meaningful outcome from travel.
• Canadians are embracing digital travel tools: 83 per cent of Canadian millennials are interested or have used biometrics and other emerging technologies that streamline travel, like passing through airport security and checking in at hotels, faster and easier. Blockchain is also a rising influence on the travel space with nearly half of Canadians being open to using it as an international identifier to ease travel logistics.

Meanwhile, Expedia Canada has done its own hotel data search, revealing the top destinations Canadians are most interested in for the holiday weekend or extended holiday week.