This story originally ran in the Dec 6, 2018 issue of Travelweek magazine. To get Travelweek delivered to your agency for free, subscribe here.

TORONTO — A quick check with several of the major ITC tour operators confirms that space is getting tight for the ever-popular Christmas break, but there are still good pockets of availability in several top sun destinations.

Agents making all of these bookings might be ready for a break themselves, especially if they’re in Atlantic Canada, where a recent winter storm left 300,000 without electricity.

Add to that the extended cold snap in the western Prairies and an early taste of winter weather in Ontario and Quebec complete with grey skies, wind chill and snow, and most Canadians are already weary of winter, and it hasn’t even officially started it.

The long-range outlook for the 2018-2019 winter season across Canada divides the country into thirds: above-average temperatures for Alberta and B.C., normal temps for Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, and – sorry – below-average temps for southwestern Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

Meanwhile the short-range outlook, for last-minute late December winter Sun bookings at least, is hot and getting hotter. “The availability for popular dates and hotels is starting to be limited,” says Air Canada Vacations spokesperson Barbara Mengue Mbo. “In destinations like Saint Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, Jamaica, Cancun, Punta Cana, Puerto Vallarta, inventories are getting tight. We recommend not to wait and book now before it is gone.”

There are still good rates and availability for Cuba destinations in late December, she adds, for any clients looking for deep pockets of inventory where they can expect a good choice of room categories.

Clients planning the ‘perfect’ holiday season getaway often have high expectations but as agents know, the later they book, the narrower the options get. Transat spokesperson Debbie Cabana says for last-minute getaways, clients “need to be flexible on mostly everything: arrival and departure dates, hotel and destination.”

She adds: “What we always recommend for the peak periods of the year, like the Christmas break, is that clients who have a very specific idea of where they want to go should book quickly, because it’s a very popular period for South getaways, specifically around the New Year. And because of the great demand, hotel prices are usually at their highest during that time, so the whole idea of last-minute getaways can sometimes be tricky.”

Transat’s daily flights to Punta Cana make for a lot of choice and flexibility in one of the D.R.’s most popular destinations. Cabana also notes that Cuba “is making a strong comeback after a more difficult season last year due to hurricanes”, and is always a great choice. “Finally, travellers shouldn’t forget about South and Central America, which are a favourite among our clients visiting friends and families. These destinations, which are getting more and more popular, are often great options to escape, because they’re a little further down South. This almost guarantees very warm weather during the Christmas break.”

Bookings have been getting closer and closer in over the years, not just for the holidays but year-round, even with all the EBBs out there to incentive earlier bookings.

The growing popularity of Black Friday promotions in Canada gave bookings for this winter and further out a much-needed kick start. Air Canada Vacations saw its highest-ever one-day sales volume on Nov. 23 – Black Friday – with a 300%+ increase over a typical day. Black Friday 2018 represented the highest single-day sales in the company’s 38-year history. Bookings came in for everything from beach destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico, to city breaks in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

Meanwhile Sunwing is expanding its flight network to keep up with demand from southwestern Ontario, with the launch of new service from Detroit, Michigan for the first time ever.

Starting Jan. 20, 2019 and running until April 22, 2019 inclusive from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the new flights will operate on Sundays to Punta Cana, and twice-weekly on Mondays and Fridays to Montego Bay. Travellers can book select vacation packages to both Sun destinations.

“We are excited to be offering Canadians more convenient ways to travel south this winter with the addition of the new departure airport in Detroit, Michigan. This route is a great addition to the current weekly flight service out of London and Windsor and offers travellers in Southwestern Ontario a wider selection of vacation options,” says Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations for Sunwing Travel Group.

For agents looking for space for clients for late December getaways, Sunwing is recommending both Punta Cana and Cancun. Suggested resorts include Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa, Royalton Blue Waters in Jamaica, Royalton White Sands Montego Bay, Royalton Negril Resort and Spa and Grand Memories Splash in the D.R.