BURNABY, B.C. — According to a new BCAA Travel Confidence Survey, more than half (58%) of B.C. residents are ready to travel, either this year or next.
Some 41% say the soonest they’ll travel is 2022. British Columbians aged 55+ are most likely to feel ready to travel again sooner. More than one-in-five (21%) say they’re confident about travelling later this year, which BCAA says could indicate the return of the ‘snowbird’ travellers and reflect their high rate of full vaccination.
The survey shows that younger age groups are more cautious, with 26% of 18-34-year-olds saying the soonest they’ll travel is the second half of 2022.
Many younger respondents may also have kids under the age of 12, who currently aren’t able to get vaccinated.
The survey was conducted for BCAA by Insights West.
The survey also suggests that while 80% worry that pandemic restrictions will take away from enjoyment of their trip, and 76% worry about being exposed to COVID while away, 81% feel confident in their ability to keep themselves/family safe during their trip.
A strong majority (86%) say that they’ll plan and prepare with information like vaccination rates, local case numbers and government restrictions for their chosen destination. And 87% will protect their trip by buying travel insurance for trips outside of Canada.
“Travel confidence comes from planning and ensuring your safety and the safety of others. It’s encouraging to see people taking their time to think through their travel and factor COVID-19 safety into their plans while also protecting themselves with travel insurance that includes COVID coverage,” said Namita Kearns, BCAA’s Director of Insurance Products.
“We’re seeing travel insurance sales increasing significantly month over month as people look to international destinations again,” adds Kearns.
The survey also shows that 13% of those thinking of a trip before the end of 2022 have already booked, while 30% are currently planning. Over half (58%) haven’t started formal planning but are thinking seriously about their trip.
