Family Travel Guide, Harbour Air

Holiday travel on your mind?  As temperatures drop, many families in cooler climates start planning their vacations.  The big question is always — where do we go?  So many people write into our blog asking for specific recommendations.  We definitely have our fair share of ideas but what are other Canadians thinking?  According to Kayak while many northerners still book traditional locations (warm, sunny destinations) an increasing number of travelers are thinking outside of the beach boundaries).

Family Travel Guide, summer fun

To determine which destinations are currently seeing a popularity spike, Kayak gathered internal data on searches conducted between Jan.1, 2017 and Sept. 18, 2017, for travel from Canada happening between Dec. 1, 2017 and Jan. 15, 2018. Kayak then compared that data to results from last year.

These are the top trending destinations they found based on their data.

(1) Montego Bay, Jamaica (53% rise in interest this year)

• Recommended to book 2-4 weeks in advance

(2) Kauai, Hawaii (49% rise in interest)

• Lots of new flights to this area of the world; good sales and price drops (sign up for email newsletters)
• Book 2-4 weeks in advance for best price

(3) Sao Paulo, Brazil (49% rise in interest)

• Saw rise in interest after the Olympic games & pace continues

(4) Cancun, Mexico (46% rise in interest)

• Always a top destination for Canadians with budget friendly pricing
• Book 2 – 4 weeks in advance
• Zika deterred a lot of families at one point, but momentum is building again

(5) Singapore (41% interest increase)

• book 2-3 months in advance for best deals
• Year round beautiful tropical climate
• Monsoon season is between Nov and January (very affordable rates but not the best time to visit)
• Increase in number of airlines heading directly to Singapore from Canada
• Gateway to the rest of Asia
• Can use as an overnight stop or full on vacation

(6) Kingston, Jamaica (39% rise in interest)

• Seeing a lot of interest among families who want to visit Jamaica
• Average temperature in Dec is 26-29 C so it’s appealing to Canadians looking for a festive holiday getaway
• Average temperature in Jan is 27-30 C

(7) Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

• Number one wallet friendly trip leaving Calgary & Edmonton
• Mexico ranked 4 out of 10 top cities for Canadians due to diverse options and pricing

(8) Las Vegas, Nevada

• More and more families are visiting Las Vegas as word spreads of their family-friendly options
• Median airfare is $74
• Book 204 weeks in advance
• Very affordable hotel options and good weather
• Exciting performances by Britney Spears, Elton John and more
• Despite recent tragedy, vacationers are still searching for Vegas vacations

(9) Lima, Peru

• Book 2-3 months in advance
• We vacationed here and it’s an exceptional trip for couples or families (amazing food and cultural experience)
• Rick proposed on Machu Picchu (it’s both romantic and exciting)
• Great location for adventure seeking couples

(10) Barcelona, Spain

• Port for popular cruise lines so more and more people are looking here for places to stay for longer visits
• Excellent tapas and shopping
• Beautiful beaches
• Book 2-3 months in advance

Where are you planning to go this holiday season? Is there somewhere on your own bucket list that isn’t in the above top 10?