There’s No Place Like Home

Although the pandemic continues to take a toll on the travel industry, Canadian tourism officials are optimistic about what the future holds.

“For tourism businesses, this year has been a long, very difficult journey. And while we have 14 to 15 months of the pandemic behind us, we do not yet fully know what’s lying ahead,” Marsha Walden, President and CEO of Destination Canada, said addressing attendees during the opening of Rendez-vous Canada 2021. “The question on everybody’s mind, of course, is when is the border going to reopen — and no one knows for sure.”

Walden said Destination Canada modelling forecasts that the fall is likely the earliest the border will reopen, but domestic travel is bound to takeoff earlier with restrictions tentatively starting to ease by Canada Day.

Despite the unknown variables, Walden pointed out that there “are so many reasons for optimism too,” citing the progress of vaccines across the country combined with one of the highest levels of vaccine willingness in the world as an example.

Another reason for a positive outlook is the amount of tourism businesses that are opening and expanding amidst the pandemic such as Pursuit, which just announced the development of a new wilderness-inspired hotel in Jasper.

To find out what some of the key takeaways are from RVC+, check out the latest issue of TRAVEL COURIER.