 | | David Redekop
Principal Research Associate
Canadian Tourism Research Institute |
Most Canadians it seems would prefer to watch the 2010 Winter Olympics from the warmth of a sunny beach rather than the snowy mountains of BC. The flood of patriotic Canadians that BC’s tourism industry was counting on to fill hotel rooms and restaurants during the Olympics are heading South instead of West. It appears that the patriotic shouts of victory are more likely to be found this winter on the beaches of Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico than in the cozy retreats of Whistler.
According to an October 2009 Conference Board survey of the winter travel intentions of Canadians, only 5 per cent of Canadians who are definite about taking a vacation trip this winter, plan to travel to BC. Nearly 8 in 10 Canadians that are definite about taking a trip this winter, plan to travel outside the country. Florida, Cuba and Mexico are among the favourite destinations Canadians plan to visit this winter. BC and the 2010 Winter Olympics is not among the favoured destinations for Canadians.
Among the few Canadians that do plan to vacation in BC this winter, fewer than 10 per cent indicated that the 2010 Winter Olympics was a “very significant” influence on them choosing to vacation in the province. More than 9 in 10 Canadians planning to vacation in BC this winter were drawn to the province for other reasons than the staging of the Olympics.
Low package prices are one reason why the most Canadian winter travellers are heading south rather than west this winter. Nolitours will put you up in the 4 ½ star Valentin Imperial Maya resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico for around $1,500. For this price you will get your air fare, accommodation and food. If you book a swim with the dolphins, the resort will take another 10 per cent off the cost of your room rate. Package prices to Cuba are even lower. A package from Toronto to Cuba during mid-February is a paltry $1,300. The cheapest return air fare from Toronto to Vancouver during mid-February on WestJet is about $650. Add in your hotel room, the cost for meals, tickets and other expenses and it is not hard to see why most Canadians taking a winter vacation trip plan to watch the Olympics from the comfort of a beach chair rather than a stadium seat.
Canadians are expected to make nearly 10 million leisure visits outside the country this winter. They will be lured by not only the sun and sand but by a Canadian dollar that is now worth about US $ .95 compared with around US $ .81 last winter. Canadians are also benefitting from a downturn in outbound travel from the US. The Caribbean depends on American tourists for about 60 per cent of its volume. With fewer Americans travelling (visits to the Caribbean are off by 5.7 per cent and to Mexico by 13.5 per cent) resorts have dropped prices even further than last winter. Canadian tour operators are passing on the lower prices to lucky Canadians. More than 700 thousand Canadians are expected to soak up the sun, sand and sounds of Cuba this winter. Mexico is likely to welcome over one million Canadians while more than 1.5 million Canadians will visit Florida this winter.
The 2010 Winter Olympics is a tremendous opportunity to showcase BC’s winter tourism products. Forget about the Canadians who plan to catch the games in some southern resort hotel room. Many of them have already booked their trips. The “golden” opportunity for Olympic organizers rests with the nearly 20 per cent of Canadians that are still undecided about their winter travel plans. Canadians will always have the opportunity to travel south in the winter. What they won’t have however, is the opportunity to watch our young athletes strive for gold in person, on our own turf. No beach resort in the world can compete with the excitement, drama and thrill of a Canadian winning Olympic gold. Now is the time to demonstrate to the undecided Canadian winter travellers that an Olympic experience is like no other.