WHAT STRESS?
These days, travelling can be an ordeal, but that’s not stopping Canadians from hitting the road,
Despite volatile situations abroad, Canadians are still avid travellers and scary world events haven’t diminished our wanderlust.
Flight delays, cancellations, detours and missed connections due to weather, mechanical issues and geopolitical calamities have always been factors affecting travel, but there seems to be lot more to stress about when travelling these days.
There are the nasty little things, such as bed bugs, food and waterborne parasites and virus-carrying mosquitoes to watch out for. And then there’s the human scourge of scammers, identity thieves and, of course, the fear brought on by terrorism.
“People are thinking a little more about where they’re going, but the volume of travel has been pretty steady,” says Marco Pozzobon, director of marketing, communications and partnerships with the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies.
“Canadians feel it’s their right to get away and we’re not seeing a change in that. Because of our long winters, vacations are important to us. So we’re still going places and our corporate travel is strong as well.
“When people use travel agents they’re getting expert advice, personal attention and peace of mind. And if something does happen, God forbid, the travel agent is there to support clients and offer alternatives,” he explains.
Since 9/11, volatile world events have resulted in more intense security procedures around the globe, making travel more of an ordeal than it ever was before. This is why having the right information is the best way to maintain our sense of well-being on the road.
Canadians have an abundance of valuable worldly information at our fingertips.
The Government of Canada’s Travel Smart app was issued in 2016 to enable users to access up-to-date travel advice and advisories, and be aware of what’s ahead, from political calamity to wait times at Canada-U.S. border crossings.
When you need to know, the app will get you emergency contact information for embassies and consul- ates abroad and the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa. It connects travellers with the government’s social media accounts where travel advice is shared and questions answered from other Canadians at home and abroad.
And you can sign up with Registration of Canadians Abroad, a free service in which the Government of Canada relays information about emergencies everywhere, such as natural disasters and civil unrest, or even a personal emergency at home.
For in-depth information about protecting our health when travelling or living abroad, the Canadian government offers the free, downloadable booklet Well on Your Way — A Canadian’s Guide to Healthy Travel Abroad.
“People are thinking a little more about where they’re going, but the volume of travel has been pretty steady.” MARCO POZZOBON ASSOCIATION OF CANADIAN TRAVEL AGENCIES
It contains practical information on health risks of common and preventable travel-related illnesses and accidents, the precautions to take ahead of the trip, while travelling and when getting back home, how to cope in the event of a health emergency abroad and getting consular help when in a jam.
The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) website lists several key safety tips to help people stay secure and informed while travelling abroad.
“While we all travel for different reasons, we all share a common goal of travelling safe and travelling fully informed of what might lay ahead,” says Richard Smart, TICO’s CEO.
“We want all consumers to feel confident with their travel purchase and to understand what they need to know in case something goes awry.”
TICO regulates the province’s 2,500 travel retailers and travel wholesalers, enforces the Ontario Travel Industry Act and administers the industry-financed Travel Compensation Fund that covers customers’ financial losses when a member company goes out of business or fails to provide services the client paid for. hstancu@thestar.ca