Travel tips

Whether you are planning a weekend cross-border shopping trip or a vacation down south, it’s important to have travel insurance coverage. Sure, you hear this a lot, but travel insurance can not only provide you with travel assistance, it can save you a significant amount of money if you happen to get injured while in the United States. Without travel insurance, you are on the hook for all medical costs you incur, and many travellers will likely not be able to pay such fees easily.

While there is not much that will keep Canadian snowbirds from heading south for the winter, a low Canadian dollar is making them think twice about their winter travel plans. It is also causing some concern for the southern regions in the United States that depend on snowbirds and tourism to fuel their local economies.

There has been a lot of talk about the impact of the low Canadian dollar on people’s travel habits this year, and this talk has spread to areas in the United States that are popular among snowbirds and vacationers alike.

Starting March 15, 2016, a new travel screening process will begin, impacting some visitors to Canada. The new rule affects people travelling by air from visa-exempt countries. These travellers have a new entry requirement – an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) – for boarding a flight to Canada. The new rule impacts travellers from most European countries and a few other countries.

While low gas prices and a less-than-stellar Canadian dollar are hurting many industries, tourism within Canada is not one of them. The lower price of the loonie is attractive to international tourists coming to Canada, especially our neighbours to the south.

There is a difference between booking a vacation and booking an escape. A vacation is something that average tourists do: they visit the sights in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver. An escape is a trip that allows you to disconnect and experience something completely unique, and it may even take you out of your comfort zone.