Come to Canada this summer! We seem to like it, so why shouldn't you? :=))
More than half of Canadians to take summer vacation in Canada, poll indicates
MONTREAL (CP) - More than half of Canadians have picked their home country as their vacation destination this summer, a new poll indicates.
The Leger Marketing survey suggested 58 per cent of Canadians will travel within Canada, including 38 per cent who will take a vacation in their home province.
The June 2-8 poll of 1,500 Canadians indicated 20 per cent of respondents will visit another province this summer.
The survey, made available to The Canadian Press, suggested seven per cent of respondents planned to travel to the United States while two per cent were eyeing Europe and another two per cent would travel elsewhere.
Nearly one-quarter of Canadians, or 24 per cent, said they didn't travel while another four per cent said they don't take vacations and three per cent didn't know or refused to answer.
The Leger poll indicated Quebecers were twice as likely to take a summer vacation in their own province, with 61 per cent saying they'll stay close to home.
Other provincial results were: Ontario (32 per cent); Atlantic Canada, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan (31 per cent); and Alberta (26 per cent).
The survey also suggested Albertans (34 per cent) were most likely to visit another province for the holidays while Ontarians and residents of British Columbia (10 per cent) were most likely to opt for a U.S. vacation.
The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The error margins for the regional breakdowns are higher.
Quebec Tourism Minister Nathalie Normandeau said the survey shows Quebecers remain loyal to their home province when making vacation plans.
She acknowledged language could also play a role among French-speaking Quebecers, but she said it wasn't the only factor.
"I truly believe that Quebec, with all of its attractions and its festivals, gives Quebecers what they want," she said in a recent interview.
The Leger poll also asked Canadians whether the value of the dollar would prevent them from leaving Canada for the holidays, and 82 per cent of respondents said it wasn't a factor.
The value of the loonie discouraged 17 per cent of Canadians from travelling outside the country while one per cent did not know or refused to answer.
But 81 per cent of respondents said they would travel by car as opposed to 24 per cent who would travel by plane, likely the more expensive of the two options.
Another six per cent said they would take the train while 10 per cent would travel by other means and one per cent didn't know or refused to answer.
© The Canadian Press, 2004