Survey says: Half of Canadians take a beach holiday to leave behind the winter blues, while others do so to relax and forget a regular routine
With winter in full force for Canadians, Expedia's annual Flip Flop Report reveals beach vacation trends
Jan 24, 2018, 08:00 ET
TORONTO, Jan. 24, 2018 /CNW/ -- With snow storms and cold weather pummeling many parts of Canada over the past few weeks, it's no surprise that Canadians are dying to escape the winter cold. Today, Expedia.ca released the results of the 2017 Expedia® Flip Flop Report1, a global study that explores cultural differences in beach attitudes and behaviors across 17 countries from around the globe. The results are an enlightening and entertaining look at what goes into a beach vacation, including preparation activities, and what behaviors will get you banned from the sand. The survey revealed beach vacations are top of mind for Canadians. Half (50%) say leaving behind the winter blues is one of the most appealing reasons to take a beach holiday. Other respondents said finding relaxation (85%), as well as forgetting a routine (52%), also topped the list of reasons to head south. Canadians really do love their beach holidays, with 96% being satisfied with the last one they took.
Dedication to Sun Seeking
Canadians have a strong dedication when it comes to seeking warmer weather. On Expedia.ca, sun destinations dominated the 'top searched destinations' from Toronto between December 15, 2017 – January 15, 2018, which had a travel date of January 15, to March 15, 2018. Vacation spots in Mexico including Cancun and Puerto Vallarta ranked high, along with the classic snowbird destination of Florida, including Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Miami and Fort Myers. For those looking to trade in the cold temperature for something warmer, Expedia has the most beach destinations all in one place. Below are beach destinations where Canadians are seeing savings this winter when booking a package between now and the end of March.
- Vancouver to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – nearly 20% cheaper this year versus last year
- Calgary to Cozumel, Mexico – around 30% cheaper this year versus last year
- Toronto to Los Cabos, Mexico – around 10% cheaper this year versus last year
- Ottawa to Nassau, Bahamas – nearly 30% cheaper this year versus last year
- Montreal to Samana, Dominican Republic – over 10% cheaper this year versus last year
- Halifax to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – over 15% cheaper this year versus last year
"Beach vacations have an almost universal appeal, and year after year we see people flocking to destinations in the Caribbean, such as Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic," said Jennifer Callegaro, Head of Brand Marketing, Expedia Canada. "The flight time is quick from many parts of Canada and when booked as a package on Expedia.ca, travellers can save up to $590 – great news if you're in need of some Vitamin D. And while the Caribbean took a big hit from hurricanes this past fall, it has since recovered and is back to welcoming travellers from around the globe. When booking a package, it's also an opportunity to add a local activity to your trip, all depending on personal interests."
On average, Canadians are willing to fly 8.8 hours and drive 8.7 hours for a beach holiday. This makes them the longest travelling drivers in the world, and ranked in the top five for being the keenest flyers. Whatever the transportation, Canadians are committed to make the journey to escape the cold. In the past year, Canadians spent a total of over 85.8 million days on beach vacations.
Canadians Spend Considerably Less on Beach Prep
When it comes to spending money on a beach vacation, Canadians rank in the top five spenders; however, spend considerably less time and money than the global average when it comes to getting ready for a beach holiday. Over seventy per cent (72%) of Canadians begin to prepare for a beach vacation less than a month before leaving – telling us that Canadians are ready to pick-up and go, as soon as the weather turns. Interestingly, Canadian vacationers spend the most on waxing/shaving than any other country before heading out on a vacation. The over-packing phenomenon is a reality for almost seventy per cent (69%) of Canadians, with a large proportion going for a more-than-needed amount.
Bad Beach Behaviour
There is such a thing as beach etiquette. And when it comes to Canadians, the best way to anger your fellow beach-goers is to leave a trail of garbage in your wake. Most commonly Canadians are increasingly annoyed by, The Slob (73%), followed by The Sand-flinger (58%), and The DJ (54%). Not overly surprising, over two thirds (66%) of Canadians indicated that the most inappropriate beach attire is going entirely nude – a behavior that is still unlikely to catch on in Canada.
1Survey Methodology
This study was conducted on behalf of Expedia by Lonergan Research, a boutique research and consultancy firm. This survey was conducted online in May 2017 across North America, Europe, South America and Asia Pacific. The study was conducted amongst 15,363 respondents aged 18+, across 17 countries (USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, India and Thailand). This project was conducted among members of a permission-based panel. Sampling quotas were used and after interviewing, data was weighted to the latest population estimates to ensure the sample was representative of each country's population in terms of age and gender
About Expedia.ca
Expedia.ca is one of the world's largest full service travel sites, helping millions of travellers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.ca 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. ©2018 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Expedia and the Airplane logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or 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.
About Lonergan Research
Lonergan Research is a full service research and consultancy firm, offering both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to improve organizational performance through clarity and insights. Lonergan's Content and Communications Group forms creative partnerships with brands and media professionals to develop insights-generated content to support strategic communications campaigns. Lonergan's work includes organizations and groups within the travel and tourism, retail, finance, FMCG, pharma/healthcare, government and advocacy sectors. For more information, please go to www.lonerganresearch.com.au
SOURCE Expedia.ca
For further information: Mary Zajac, 416-202-8736, mzajac@expedia.com, http://www.expedia.ca
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