Cashing In On The Currency Drop

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Every time the Canadian dollar drops against the US greenback, Canadians worry about travelling to the US and beyond because of the difference in the exchange rate. As such, Canadian travel company TravelBrands Inc. has developed a “Top 10” list of travel secrets designed to enable Canadian travellers to maximize their travel dollars this year, despite the drop in the loonie.

  • Buy tour and attraction tickets in advance. The majority of tour operators have pre-negotiated rates for the season for theme parks, attractions and a variety of tours such as “CityPass” and “Hop-on/Hop-off” bus tours. By buying these tickets in advance in Canadian dollars, consumers avoid paying a hefty exchange rate in destination.
  • Look for “Kids Eat Free” offers. Some tour operators offer a “Kids Eat Free” dine-around card when booking destinations such as Orlando and Kissimmee, Florida, which saves travellers money on meals while they are in their holiday destination.
  • Book hotels and car rentals in Canada prior to travelling. By pre-booking hotels and car rentals in Canada in Canadian dollars, consumers avoid paying locally in US dollars. This includes service fees and taxes.
  • Coupons, discounts and BOGO’s. A simple online search for official tourism office web sites of the intended travel destination can yield numerous special local coupons, discounts and “Buy One, Get One free” offers for dining, smaller attractions and local adventures, further helping consumers stretch their loonies when in destination.
  • At-Par offers. Be on the lookout. As the loonie continues to dip, “Canadian Dollars at Par” programs are sure to resurface. In most destinations, Canadians are the number one international travellers into that market, and as such many tourism partners have a vested interest in attracting Canadians.
  • Choose a destination with like-for-like currency values. There are a number of destinations that are being equally hit by the same reasons for the recent drop of the Canadian dollar. By searching around for these destinations and booking accordingly, there are plenty of savings available.
  • Pre-purchase personal products. Many personal products such as sunscreen, antacid, contact lenses solution, etc., can be very costly when purchasing in a destination or resort and is compounded with the current US exchange rate. By pre-planning and bringing sufficient quantities of these items, consumers will save money.
  • Pre-book breakfast-included hotels. For non all-inclusive stay destinations like Anaheim, Orlando, and the like, pre-book hotels in Canadian dollars that have breakfast-inclusive programs, the savings can really add up, especially for families over a one- or two-week period.
  • Exchanging currency. Consumers should shop around as exchange rates vary. For instance, changing money over at the airport tends to come at a premium. Additionally, it may be far better to exchange into local currency (for non-US destinations) from Canadian dollars rather than into US dollars prior to departing.
  • Book an all-inclusive getaway. For those consumers who want to pay one price in Canadian dollars and forget about trying to manage the exchange rate, this may be the best option out there as there are no surprises or calculations required if the consumer stays on resort for the duration of their holiday.