Travel Exclusive: Key Trends for the Travel Industry November-December 2008

This issue of Travel Exclusive looks at the impact that worsening economic conditions and eroding consumer confidence are having on the domestic-travel market. Signal49 Research’s latest Travel Intentions Survey shows that Canadian leisure-travel plans have tumbled dramatically since 2007, although the most substantial declines were for holidays to U.S. and international destinations, due to both the financial crisis and the weaker Canadian dollar. The issue also examines the national and regional economic outlook.

Meanwhile, a recent survey suggests that ecological concerns continue to grow, with more travellers exhibiting a higher awareness of climate-change issues. The study revealed that 25 per cent of the Canadians polled feel either very or somewhat guilty about flying to their vacation destination, showing that climate change is a concern for a significant number of travellers. Most notably, a growing number appear willing to pay to reduce the impact their travel has on the environment.