Finding New Opportunities In 2023 And Beyond

“I do not view recovery and sustainability as conflicting imperatives, instead they are highly complementary,” observes Lucie Guillemette, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Air Canada, continuing: “And I say this because as we look back at the pandemic, one thing most of us agree on is that it was a wake-up call for how we must change our behaviour and live together in a more sustainable way if we are to regain a semblance of normalcy in our lives.”

When asked whether 2023 will be the year the Canadian travel industry recovers, Air Canada’s Guillemette tells Canadian Travel Press: “We have been seeing progressive recovery in our business, with demand returning steadily each quarter. While this is very encouraging, we have also said the recovery will not necessarily be a straight line, so we continue to watch very closely and move carefully. That said, in some markets the recovery is already here. For example, in the sun markets this quarter looking into the first quarter 2023, we continue to see very strong leisure and sun demand exceeding 2019 levels.”

And she continues: “On the corporate side, it too has been returning but there is lag. It has not recovered yet, particularly in what I would call the traditional corporate market, especially short-haul corporate.”

Said Guillemette: “All of this to say, while our business is positioned to gain strength through 2023 and we like what we are seeing, we do not expect to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2024.”

For the full story, check out the Dec. 19 issue of CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS.