Community Tourism A Priority For Canadians: Survey
What are Canadians looking for from their next vacations? Making a difference, immersing themselves in culture and ensuring their travel benefits local people in the destinations.
G Adventures recently surveyed 3,338 travellers, over 1,000 of whom were Canadian, to find out why they want to head out into the world again, what is most important to them when they do, and how they will change their travel behaviours to have a more positive impact on the planet and its people.
When asked the main reason why they wanted to travel again, the top answer from travellers was to immerse themselves in a different culture (64%) followed by the desire to reconnect with the world (57%), with one third of travellers (34%) also looking to connect with nature on their next international trip.
When it comes to what is important to Canadians when they travel again, the majority consider the most important factor in their holiday choice to be that their money benefits local people (77%) followed by ensuring wildlife is protected where they go (51%). Nearly half of travellers (49%) want to avoid over-touristed destinations on their next trip, with 63% stating that they will visit more remote places / less visited areas of a destination.
The respondents were also asked to commit to one ‘big small action’ they could take to ensure they travel better, as and when international travel returns. The most common commitment was to support local people and businesses at 37%. This was closely followed by doing more research before they book their trip at 34%, with a further 17% of travellers making a commitment to reduce plastic and / or bring a reusable bottle with them when they go.
For travel agents interested in learning more about community tourism, G Adventures is hosting the latest in its series of Retravel Live events on January 27 at 12.00pm EST. During The Power of Community Tourism virtual event, G Adventures’ founder, Bruce Poon Tip, will host responsible travel experts Audrey Scott (co-founder, Uncornered Market), Judy Kepher Gona (director, Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda), and Jamie Sweeting (president, Planeterra) for an online conversation about the positive impact of community tourism, and the power travel plans have to help change the world. To register, visit: https://retravellive.com.
