March break is a big time for travel for many families in Canada, but ever-changing world dynamics have changed the travel habits of many.
Kaitlynn Furse, Director of Communications for CAA South Central Ontario, said some are choosing new destinations for their trips.
"When we look at locations, a lot of people are staying within Canada. There's still some interest in the U.S. and Mexico. But there are some new popular destinations this year, which are Portugal and Spain, which is interesting," said Furse. "Canadians are still eager to travel to explore the world, but we recently just did a survey to help people understand sort of various trends and to make sure that they're travelling safely. And we are seeing a shift in attitudes on how and where Canadians travel."
Travel to the U.S. by Canadians has dropped quite a bit in the last year. With an 11 per cent drop in border crossings since 2024.
"Only about 22 per cent of Canadians are looking to go to the United States this year. And you know, many are choosing to stay closer to home in Canada. About 40 per cent of the people that we surveyed said that was the case," said Furse.
Those who are planning on travelling outside of the country are recommended to stay informed and do research about their destination from official sources.
"Always be really flexible. And you know, you have to understand that things can kind of change, and to travel safely and wisely with all the information that you have available from the government of Canada website, etc., and really making sure that you're taking in that information from official sources," she said.
Even those travelling within the country and province should take the proper steps to stay safe.
"Being at home doesn't necessarily mean there's no risk. And so (we're) really encouraging people to still look at things like travel insurance and medical coverage and things like that when you're travelling inside the country," she said.
Travellers are encouraged to make thoughtful decisions to stay safe, no matter their destination.
