Travel industry wants restrictions lifted to encourage Canadians to book trips
Canadian airports are operating at only 40 per cent capacity for domestic flights and only 20 per cent for international trips compared to pre-pandemic levels.
The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) feels many Canadians won’t book a flight until there is a national vaccine passport and more travel restrictions are lifted.
“The sooner this gets done, the sooner it will help the industry recover," said ACTA board member Richard Vanderlubbe, who is also President of Tripcentral.ca.
The federal government is working on a national vaccine passport, but currently passengers have to rely on their provincial vaccine documents.
Vanderlubbe said many people don't feel confident enough to book a trip, especially to an international destination with provincial documents and the travel industry fears another difficult year ahead.
“We are just not certain that a foreign country is going to recognize our provincial proof of vaccination," said Vanderlubbe.
Vanderlubbe said many travel companies have had to continue working throughout the pandemic dealing with cancellations, rebooking trips and issuing refunds, while at the same time receiving hardly any new business and almost zero revenue.
The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) represents more than 100 airports across Canada and agreed that one national internationally recognized vaccine passport would be easier for passengers, airlines and airports.
“What we have now is a patchwork of rules from province to province," said CAC President Daniel-Robert Gooch.
Gooch added “we would like to see digital proof of vaccinations that is nationally accepted standard around the country, but also aligned with what others countries are doing because people need consistency."
Now is a time when many Canadians start planning their winter holidays to sunny destinations, but travel agencies are concerned if there is confusion over passports, vaccines and testing people will just stay home.
ACTA is also calling on the federal government to update travel advisories and either remove or update the terms “avoid non-essential travel” and “avoid all cruise ship travel” on the federal government’s website.
“We have issues with the fact that it's a blanket (statement) it has no end and essential travel and non-essential travel were never clearly defined," said Vanderlubbe.
About 4 million Canadians also received mixed doses of vaccines and the travel industry says until there is clarity about their vaccination status many won't feel confident to book a trip fearing they could be turned back while travelling.
ACTA also said that testing for the coronavirus during the travel process can be onerous, confusing and expensive.
It says there needs to be a more uniform approach so people can feel confident their test results will be accepted if they book a trip.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.