inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf

inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf
get healthing in your inbox with the morning checkup and weekender newsletter!

canadian travellers choosing everywhere from nova scotia to vietnam over u.s.

so where are canadian travellers headed as travel exper...

by jane stevenson
published feb 25, 2025
read time 2 minute read
join the conversation
read time 2 minute read
join the conversation
so where are canadian travellers headed as travel experts notice a shift away from u.s. destinations during this sensitive time in canada-u.s. relations?
according to flight centre canada, it depends on what you’re interested in.
the company found 42% of canadians who are interested in kid-friendly experiences, with a mix of adventure, nature and cultural activities, are looking at nova scotia (scenic drives and whale watching); portugal (beaches, castles, and great food at family-friendly prices; costa rica (zip-lining, wildlife spotting & beach adventures); thailand (elephant sanctuaries and kid-friendly resorts); mexico (mayan ruins and interactive eco-parks); and ecuador (family-friendly wildlife adventures without breaking the bank).
as for those 18% of canadian travellers looking for hiking, wildlife and outdoor experiences, their destinations include northwest territories and yukon (aurora borealis and wilderness adventures); torres del paine in chile (multi-day trekking in stunning mountain scenery); vietnam (motorbike routes and rice terraces); madagascar (unique wildlife, remote jungles and epic landscapes); norway (remote, stunning hikes and boat tours); and ecuador (snorkelling with marine life & mountain trekking).
story continues below
for those 96% of canadians who prioritize cost when making their travel decisions, they’re looking at budget conscious places like vietnam (incredible food, history, and scenery for low prices); mexico (affordable culture, food, and day trips); portugal (europe’s best value for food, wine and scenery); turkey (rich history and adventure for less); colombia (affordable tropical getaway with culture); and eastern europe (fairytale towns and castles for budget travellers).

recommended video

of the 13% of those canadians looking for luxury travel, their destinations are haida gwaii, b.c. (high-end eco-lodges and indigenous cultural immersion); torngat mountains, labrador (helicopter tours and luxury arctic expeditions); chile and argentina (luxury lodges with breathtaking mountain views); south africa (private game reserves and five-star lodges); bali, indonesia (luxury villas & wellness retreats); and maldives (overwater bungalows and private islands).
“though these shifts stem from challenges, canadians’ love of travel remains strong,” said flight centre canada in a statement.
the data was collected through two surveys conducted in collaboration with flight centre canada.
story continues below
the destinations listed are trends that were found through recent flight centre canada bookings.
jane stevenson
jane stevenson

jane stevenson has been a toronto sun columnist since 1995, the majority of that time as music critic with an avid interest in film (including tiff every year) and tv. more recently she's added news to her portfolio recalling her vancouver journalism beginnings in radio and print (cjor, cp/bn) although she also worked in tv as an entertainment reporter/anchor (ckvu) out west before getting a transfer to cp/bn in toronto. she's a graduate of the bcit broadcast journalism program and went to ubc for her first year where she studied second-year creative writing.

read more about the author

comments

postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. we ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. we have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.