Luxury and experiential travel advisor network Virtuoso hosted its annual Canada Forum at the DOUGLAS Hotel in Vancouver October 4-5. Close to 50 of the network's regional travel agency owners and managers gathered to connect, collaborate and discuss current trends.
During the event, General Manager, Virtuoso Canada Úna O'Leary revealed data and insights when, where and how upscale Canadians will travel during the 2023 festive season and into 2024.
Among the highlights: Canadians are seeking out Virtuoso advisor support more than ever and traveller booking windows are normalizing, while cruising continues its wave of popularity.
Searching for Virtuoso
Traffic to Virtuoso.com from Canadians has risen sharply, with 227% more page views in 2023 versus 2022. The network says Canadians are seeking out information on Virtuoso preferred partners and want to connect with Virtuoso advisors to elevate their travel experiences.
Booking Window Gets Shorter
Over the course of the past three years, it has been a roller coaster ride for the average booking window for travellers, but recent data shows Canadians are now booking more last-minute and spontaneous trips. In 2019, the average booking window was 77 days. In 2021, the number increased to 186 days and now is normalizing to 64 days in mid-2023.
"Canadians are showing they are eager to book and travel more immediately as opposed to waiting, and they are utilizing their Virtuoso travel advisors to help make those travel dreams a reality with peace-of-mind and every detail taken care of," said O'Leary.
More Canadians are choosing upscale and experiential cruising options. (Photo Credit: Explora Journeys)
Cruises Continue To Be A Popular Choice
Premium and luxury cruises are leading the way in terms of demand among Canadians (9% and 21% growth, respectively, over 2019). As well, Canadians are leaning into their adventurous spirit with expedition cruising showing an 81% increase over 2019.
River cruising has jumped up by 30%, and yacht cruising is up 60% from 2019, indicating a strong trend to explore cultural destinations via smaller, more intimate ships.
Top 5 Cruise Ports this Winter
Based on Virtuoso's insights using Tourism Economics data, the network has identified the top five most popular cruise ports for this festive season as Cozumel, St. Maarten, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Where Canadians are Travelling December to March
Based on Virtuoso's future hotel bookings from December 1, 2023, to February 29, 2024, the top 10 winter destinations include the U.S., France, Bahamas, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Mexico, Barbados, Anguilla, Maldives, Spain and St. Barthélemy.
"Interestingly, typical spring and summer destinations, such as France and Spain, are seeing an increase in bookings from Canadians for the festive season, showing that travellers are taking advantage of reduced crowds and increased availability," adds O'Leary.
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