March break is now officially underway and according to the Toronto Pearson International Airport, it’s expected that close to 1.3 million people will pass through the airport over the next ten days.
According to the Flight Centre Travel Group Canada (FCTGC), there has been a 40 per cent decrease in travel bookings to the U.S. They say it’s due to the tariff disputes, as well as the low Canadian dollar.
“The sticker shock you get when you exchange your Canadian currency into U.S. dollars can really be kind of shocking,” said Amra Durakovic, head of communications for FCTGC.
Instead, many will be travelling to the Caribbean and Mexico. Currently, the government of Canada has travel advisories in place for Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. It doesn’t mean they aren’t safe places to go, but tourists are advised to exercise caution.
“Mexico gets to this level a lot I would say, often it goes up and down depending on what’s going on with drugs and gang related violence, but it’s often only around certain areas,” said CTV News’ travel expert Loren Christie.
Cuba continues to have power outages and food shortages due to hurricanes last fall.
Petty crime such as purse snatching and pickpocketing are also common there, as well as other countries on the list.
“For example, petty theft is up in the Dominican Republic. Perhaps you leave your expensive jewelry home and don’t walk around with a lot of cash. It’s just things to be aware of when travelling,” said Christie.
While resorts are generally considered safe, travellers are advised to avoid certain areas of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Bahamas due to a rise in crimes like carjackings, armed robberies, and assaults.
Before you go to any country, you should always check the federal government’s travel advisory list and use common sense.
“Just make sure you are not going to isolated areas, if it’s dark don’t walk alone, lock your doors, and make sure you don’t walk around with a lot of valuables on you,” said Christie.
For anyone who has concerns about safety issues when booking a trip, it can help to use the services of a travel agent.
“Of course you can book your own trip online, but the best tip for Canadians is to speak with a travel agent who can offer you advice and help guide you,” said Durakovic.
While Canadians enjoy the sunny south during winter months, this summer many will be flying in a different direction. Travel to Europe is the hot trend, with many airlines adding extra flights from Canada.
