With 2023 coming to an end, you may be already thinking ahead to all the destinations you want to travel to in the coming year.
To give you a bit of perspective and a better idea of the current travel landscape, Flight Centre recently published its Canada’s Year in Travel 2023, highlighting some of the biggest travel trends of the past year based on its data.
According to Flight Centre, Canadians were adventurous in 2023 and made trips across the globe. The travel agency compiled a list of its top 10 global flight destinations (inside and outside Canada), with Cancún, Mexico, taking the top spot, followed by Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Vancouver, BC.
Top 10 global flight destinations according to Flight Centre
- Cancún, Mexico
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Toronto, Ontario
- Calgary, Alberta
- Los Cabos, Mexico
- London, United Kingdom
- Varadero, Cuba
Travellers weren’t afraid to venture far from home in 2023, as the travel agency noted that some of its customers travelled as far as Longyearbyen, which is part of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. The island and its port are well within the Arctic Circle.
As for where Canadians were travelling within Canada, Vancouver was Flight Centre’s most popular destination, followed by Calgary, Toronto, Victoria, and Kelowna.
Top 10 domestic flight destinations according to Flight Centre
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Calgary, Alberta
- Toronto, Ontario
- Victoria, British Columbia
- Kelowna, British Columbia
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Edmonton, Alberta
- Montreal, Québec
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
It seems like travellers were also quite budget-conscious; most customers booked economy class for international journies (90%) and economy flights (94%).
When it came to accommodations, travellers were willing to pay a bit more for a bougie stay. According to Flight Centre, 16% of its hotel stays booked were at five-star accommodations, while 50% were booked at four-star hotels.
The company’s longest hotel stay in 2023 was booked for a whopping 40 days, and the biggest international hotel booking came in at $56,662.
The most popular hotel destination for Flight Centre’s customers was Riviera Maya, Mexico, followed by Cancun and Las Vegas.
Flight Centre also highlighted one of its most complicated bookings, with one traveller in particular arranging a flight with nine legs.
Their flight route started in Toronto and went to Vancouver, then to Brisbane, Bali, and Chiang Mai. They then flew from Bangkok to Vancouver and departed to San Diego. From there, they flew to Portland, then to Vancouver, and finally back home to Toronto.
Cruises were also a popular travel choice, with Flight Centre noting a spike in bookings globally since 2019. Cruises were particularly popular for travellers over 60, with popular destinations including Orlando, Cape Canaveral, and Long Beach in Florida.
As for what’s in store for 2024, Flight Centre has a few destination predictions, with the Philippines, Spain, Italy, and Portugal topping the ranks for travel hot spots in the coming months.
Have you already booked trips for 2024? Let us know where in the comments below!
Follow Channels and Categories