Where will 2016 take you?

Whether you’re counting down to March break or looking further ahead to summer vacation, 2016 is a great year for travel.

Despite the low value of the Canadian dollar, Canadians are showing a keen interest to travel this year. According to a recent survey commissioned by Expedia.ca, 64% of those surveyed are planning to travel and another 83% wish they could be travelling.

According to the survey, almost three-quarters of respondents (74%) said the weakened Loonie is impacting their travel plans for 2016. When asked what is being impacted because of the sagging Loonie:

• 73% selected ‘where to travel’ is being impacted
• 51% selected ‘number of trips in 2016’ is being impacted
• 42% selected ‘duration of visits’ is being impacted
• 32% selected ‘mode of travel’ is being impacted

So where are Canadians venturing off to?

None other than their very own backyard! This is great news for Canadian tourism and travellers who have been itching to explore the Maritimes or yearning to see the wonders of the west coast. Based on Expedia.ca search data, from July to December 2015, four out of six of the most frequently searched destinations on Expedia.ca for travel in 2016 were Canadian cities:

• Toronto
• New York
• Vancouver
• Montreal
• Niagara Falls
• Orlando

Show us the savings!

In partnership with the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), the Expedia group recently released findings on its second annual global air travel outlook report, Preparing for Takeoff: Air travel outlook for 2016. The data highlighted key trends from a number of credible industry sources and found that 2016 is expected to be a good year for travellers to save money.

Fare savings in a previous year are often good indicators for the year to come. Expedia’s analysis of ARC data found that economy air ticket prices declined roughly 8% year-over-year between October 2014 and October 2015, with the biggest drops in July and August 2015.

Regardless of where 2016 takes you, whether close to home for a quick getaway or far away to experience new adventures, consider these money-saving tips as you make plans for 2016 travels:

• Take your dollar further – Consider travelling to destinations where the Canadian dollar has longevity. Hot spots to consider in 2016 include Asia and Eastern Europe, where there are bountiful breathtaking sights to see and plenty of affordable food options.
• Bundle up for savings – Book flights at the same time as your hotel for instant savings. Booking packages on Expedia.ca can save travellers more than $300 per booking.
• Book in advance – The best time to buy an economy ticket for travel within North America is roughly 57 days in advance, yielding a potential savings of about 10% versus the average fare.
• Book over the weekend (or Tuesday) – On average, weekends are the best time to find great deals, with Tuesday close behind. Though, the general rule of thumb is if you find a fare that looks like a great deal, buy it!