Canadians hit road, skies again despite gas’s rise

Even as gas prices hit record highs, Canadians are fanning out across the country for fresh travel experiences after two years of bottled-up demand.

Beth Potter, head of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, says some vacationers are still staying closer to home on camping, hiking and cycling excursions, while others opt for road trips over pricey plane tickets, as fuel costs and inflation loom larger.

With lockdowns in China and border restrictions in some countries, aviation analyst Helane Becker says international travel is poised to remain further below 2019 volumes than domestic travel, prompting some tourism operators to double down on domestic markets. Vancouver-based Destination Canada Tours has ramped up its one-day tour offerings in and around Vancouver and Victoria, while also marketing new getaways further afield for those who exhausted close-to-home options last year.