By Carolyn Girard
Many Canadians dream of travelling to far away places from an early age. Whether it be the thought of blue Caribbean oceans, the historic and fashion-crazy hubbub of downtown London, the dream world of Disneyland, or the mystery of the Orient, Canadians are finding reasons to go abroad.
Deals on flights and vacation packages, and the rising value of the Canadian dollar have made it much easier for people of every age to become more worldly. But they’re not any more knowledgeable about their own vast and beautiful country.
In fact, Canadians aren’t exploring their own diverse and interesting country and tourism businesses are missing out on this domestic market.
They should better promote travel within Canada because statistics show that Canadians are traveling abroad even though there is plenty within the country to experience.
Although travel costs other than airfare, such as food, lodging and entertainment, can be higher in places like the European Union, Canadians will fork out the cash nonetheless.
With $23.6-billion dollars spent abroad by Canadians last year, a lack of money wouldn’t appear to be the prime factor for less travel within Canada.
A Statistics Canada survey revealed that Canadians are traveling abroad in far greater numbers than foreigners visiting Canada. And they are spending only about half of what Canadians spend in other countries.
This is a problem for the tourism industry and for the development of great Canadian business opportunity.
Canada’s travel deficit, which is “the difference between spending by Canadians abroad and spending by foreigners in Canada,” has soared. According to 2006 Statistics Canada data levels jumped from $1.4 billion in 2005 to $7.2-billion.
Americans, for example, have withdrawn their spending on Canadian soil, making Canada’s travel deficit with the U.S $4.5-billion when it was only $544 million in 2002.
Provincial tourism promotion agencies like Tourism Ontario, and national agencies like Parks Canada can certainly increase their promotion strategies aimed at Canadians.
They should increasingly promote the interest of Canada’s wide-ranging cultures, interesting quirks and landscapes.
Culture and diet within Canada varies from the Scottish pride and history of Ontario’s Glengarry County and French Acadian culture of the east coast to the northern Inuit community and the hundreds of other aboriginal communities countrywide.
The looming awe of the Canadian Rockies in British Columbia, and the vast prairies of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are only a few sights in the diverse topography of the land.
Smaller communities have interesting festivals, such as centuries-old county fairs and garlic festivals in different areas of the country that would be sure to intrigue both foreigners and Canadian residents who are not familiar with the traditions.
Businesses could easily tap into the enduring search for a Canadian identity by promoting and reminding citizens of what makes their country so diverse and interesting.
A “discover your nation” advertisement strategy would go a long way in educating Canadians about their own backyard, but also reel in some of the travel dollars being siphoned south of the border and overseas.
To draw foreigners, agencies should take a “discover our nation” type advertisement strategy that would invite them to come and see how their cultures have been adapted and integrated into a distinct Canadian realm.