Leaving with peace of mind in 2023

After three chaotic years, 2023 promises to be a “normal” year for the travel world. A pleasing prospect for the industry and travelers, who have nevertheless learned some lessons from the major upheavals of recent months.

Leave without tearing your hair out to get your passport, take a screening test on time, fill out the right form or worry about having your flight canceled at the last minute or your suitcase disappearing forever… Some have forgotten it , but traveling hasn’t always been a headache. And it is this serenity that travelers should find next year, predicts Philippe Blain, vice-president, travel, at CAA-Quebec.

The appetite of travelers has been voracious since the end of health restrictions. Last summer, governments and industry were even taken aback. Flight delays and cancellations then wreaked havoc all over the planet. But things eventually settled down, with new hires. The “machine” works a little better each week, observes Mr. Blain.

Travelers, in any case, seem confident: at CAA-Quebec, sales for Europe next summer are significantly ahead of those observed at the same time in 2019. To the point where the travel agency s expects to return to its pre-pandemic level of activity next year. “This is what we see on our radars, but we remain cautious with our forecasts”, specifies Philippe Blain.

Inflation, the risk of a recession and the protracted war in Ukraine, for example, could of course spoil the party. But these threats have no common measure with the total paralysis caused by COVID-19: “We are used to dealing with economic or geopolitical issues,” recalls Mr. Blain.

Optimism seems to be in order in the trip, despite the economic uncertainty. A study by Expedia Group reveals that most professionals “expect personal (71%) and business (70%) travel to return to pre-pandemic levels within two years”.

Nevertheless, there are signs that Quebecers are keeping an eye on their wallets even when it comes to tourism. In a survey conducted by Évènements Attractions Québec, Aventure Écotourisme Québec and the Quebec Regional Parks Association, 55% of respondents intend to change their outdoor activities this winter due to the cost of living, in particular by reducing their budget for paid outdoor activities.

What has changed… or not

A return to “normal” does not mean that everything has remained unchanged for three years. Scalded by the restrictions, holidaymakers no longer hesitate, for example, to buy cancellation and interruption or medical insurance. And they seek more support from professionals, “allies” in the event of a problem, summarizes Philippe Blain, of CAA-Quebec. Travel agents are even often overwhelmed by demand… but things are back to normal there too, observes Marc-Olivier Gagné, of Voyages Gendron.

On the other hand, the reflection on overtourism or the carbon footprint of travel, favored by the pandemic pause, seems to be drowning a little in the enthusiasm of the recovery. The purchase of credits to offset the carbon emissions of a trip remains extremely “marginal”, says CAA-Quebec. From September 2021 to August 2022, barely 300 Voyages Gendron customers paid a total of $1,500 to plant 295 trees. However, the turnover of the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield company is around 40 million. “But we notice that cruises take off less quickly. It may be related to the less green side of this industry,” says Marc-Olivier Gagné, director at Voyages Gendron.

Travelers are more aware of the impacts of their choices, thinks Isabelle Pécheux, founder of Passion Terre, an ecotourism agency that has become a sustainable tourism consulting service during the pandemic. “We talk about sustainability everywhere,” she observes. We can no longer say: I was not aware. We still see aberrant things, but things are changing,” she says, referring to the evolution of mentalities regarding respect for local populations, local tourism, etc. “And here,” she says, “we’re finally starting to talk about the train again!” »

A matter of time

Basically, tourism businesses want to transform and offer more green products, but they need time.

Time, travelers will also have to leave some for destinations more affected by border closures. In Cuba, for example, the absence of tourists has brought the economy to its knees. “It worries us, the level of service is affected, especially for the quality of the food, but the people who choose to go there are quite aware,” observes Philippe Blain.

Should travelers also plan for more time at the airport if their next departure is for the holidays? “This will be the first real test for the industry,” said Phillipe Blain of CAA-Quebec. It really wasn’t ready last summer, but I think it will be able to cope with the highest traffic in three years. It will bode well for the future. »

Strong recovery in the country

In Canada, given the strength of the tourism recovery, the target for a full catch-up compared to 2019 has been reduced to 2024, a year earlier than what was expected last spring, Destination Canada reported in November. Domestic tourism will hit pre-pandemic levels as early as 2023, the state-owned company predicts, but tourists from the United States and the rest of the world are still lagging behind. Tourisme Montréal is also expecting good figures in 2023, with 9.5 million visitors, thanks in particular to major conventions. However, there will still be 1.5 million tourists short of the 11 million visitors in 2019. Aventure Écotourisme Québec, a group of 215 companies specializing in the outdoors, is counting on a “massive” return of European travelers the next summer. “We remain very positive for 2023, even if we do not expect to reach the level of 2019,” said general manager Pierre Gaudreault. Quebecers have taken over in recent years, but they spend less than international customers. »