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With Canada selling well for operators, and self-drive trips the order of the day, Abra Dunsby reveals new and best-selling product for lovers of the open road
Numerous tour operators have reported a spike in Canada sales since its international borders reopened to vaccinated travellers back in September – and, as ever, self-drive trips are leading the charge.
In a destination that’s gifted with endless pristine natural scenery, and where hiring a car is a reasonably straightforward experience, that’s no surprise – especially as it gives clients the chance to travel independently as we recover from the pandemic.
Stuart Rogers, product and commercial manager at Canadian Affair, says the operator saw an “immediate increase” in the volume of quotes and conversions when Canada was moved to the UK’s green list. He adds: “Self-drives are always a major part of the booking mix and more so now the customer favours the feeling and tangible benefits of being on the open road and master of their own holiday plan.”
Here we speak to the experts to highlight new and best-selling Canada self-drives.
The majestic Rocky Mountains and surroundings are the stars of the show on a tailor-made Canadian Affair itinerary exploring Alberta.
Iconic stop-offs on the Roaming the Rockies & Athabasca Glacier trip include Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, while the itinerary also includes time at Icefields Parkway, where clients can get up close to spectacular glaciers, waterfalls and lakes, and even drink from the Athabasca Glacier.
Canadian Affair’s Stuart Rogers says self-drive packages like this have led to a “dramatic rise in bookings and quotes over the past few months.”
He adds: “Too many packages offer a drive past or short stop on the Icefields Parkway, missing one of Alberta’s most iconic experiences. [This trip] spends two nights at Glacier View Lodge, exploring the Athabasca Glacier and its surroundings.”
Book it: Canadian Affair’s 10-day package is from £1,816pp based on two sharing, departing 1 May 2022, including flights, accommodation and car hire. canadianaffair.com/agent
With British Columbia sales up more than 200% for Premier Holidays (for 2022 trips compared with 2019), and self-drives proving particularly popular, product manager Tim Greathead recommends the operator’s new Rockies and Wildlife of British Columbia self-drive tour – part of a new campaign by the operator to promote lesser-known regions.
Clients will travel from Vancouver to Whistler along the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway, venturing on to 100 Mile House and Pyna-Tee-Ah Lodge, which offers grizzly bear watching in the Cariboo mountains and which Greathead dubs “a magical, uncrowded off-the-beaten-path treasure”.
After a visit to outdoor adventure hotspot Clearwater, it’s on to the undiscovered town of Kelowna. “Foodies flock to the area’s orchards and vineyards; families love the sandy lakeside beaches; and outdoor enthusiasts come for the golfing, hiking, biking and skiing,” says Greathead.
Book it: Premier Holidays’ new 11-day self-drive is from £2,999pp based on a May 2022 departure including flights, accommodation and car hire. trade.premierholidays.co.uk
On First Class Holidays’ new Scenic Delights of Quebec and Atlantic Canada self-drive, clients can discover the historic beginnings of Canada as they explore the first urban centres of Quebec, the villages and national parks of the St Lawrence River and the shores and deep wilderness of the east coast. The itinerary combines the French culture and art of Montreal and Quebec city with the epic scenery and Scottish heritage of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Product manager Brian Hawe offers some useful tips about when to send clients on this trip: “Agents should be aware it can be wet and blustery on the coast, so the best time to visit is late spring through to early autumn.
This is also the best time for whale watching from Halifax and Tadoussac on the St Lawrence River.”
Book it: Package priced from £2,289pp for travel in May, including flights, accommodation, car rental and Quebec City tour. fcholidays.com
Wild, mountainous and sparsely populated, Canada’s northwestern region, the Yukon, is what road trip dreams are made of. AmeriCan & Worldwide Travel’s new circular route of Yukon’s capital city Whitehorse is perfect for first-timers to the region, and takes in the Alaska Highway, recognised as one of world’s most legendary drives thanks to its rugged wilderness.
Other pit stops include Kluane national park, an adventure playground and Unesco World Heritage Site that’s home to lakes, forests and Canada’s tallest peaks, and the Top of the World Highway, which winds through Gold Rush towns and regions.
Book it: AmeriCan & Worldwide Travel’s 11-day Footsteps of Yukon Pioneers itinerary starts from £2,030pp, based on a July 2022 departure and two sharing, plus flights, accommodation and car hire. awwt.co.uk
Gold Medal’s best-selling A Taste of The Maritimes trip covers some of the major highlights of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island including the iconic Peggy’s Cove, Bay of Fundy with the world’s largest tides and the seriously scenic Cabot Trail in Cape Breton national park.
“The Maritimes have a rich Celtic culture and heritage which the locals are very proud of, with a buzzing live music scene in Halifax and Saint Johns,” says Mark Henderson, head of product – West at Gold Medal.
He adds: “This is an ideal self-drive if clients want to get away from the crowds, exploring some of the lesser-visited areas of Canada but no less beautiful craggy coastlines, sea-swept headlands and vistas – and meet super friendly locals.”
Book it: The 13-day A Taste of The Maritimes trip is priced from £1,899pp based on two sharing, departing on 3 May 2022. Includes flights, accommodation and economy car hire. goldmedal.co.uk
Find out all the latest entry requirements to Canada by visiting travel.gc.ca
