After years of staying at home, Canadians are now ready to pack their bags and head off to destinations both at home and abroad.
According to a report, a new survey by Rakuten.ca revealed that with inflation and rising gas prices top of mind, the cost is the number one inhibitor to planning a post-pandemic trip.
“Canadians are ready to travel again, and we want to help them get the most out of their travel experiences,” says Claire Sweeney, VP of Marketing at Rakuten.ca.
Sweeney said they discovered that 63% of Canadians agree that travel is more important now than before the pandemic.
In addition to the travel hurdles, additional survey findings show Canadians’ intent toward travel. They also highlighted the value of travel-related perks, the high demand for road trips during summer, and even the places Canadians intend to vacation and stay.
While travel is becoming increasingly popular, 70% of Canadians are focused on visiting relatives or friends in Canada first before traveling outside the country. However, the high cost of domestic travel has led many to consider overseas trips instead.
About 45% of respondents reported that the high cost of flights within Canada has resulted in them deciding to travel outside the country as flights are often less expensive than within Canada.
After several years of travel restrictions and lockdowns, Canadians are looking forward to planning their vacations, with 68% likely to take a leisure trip in 2022.
Road trips will continue to be the preferred vacation choice for many people, with 54% looking to hit the open road.
Despite record-high gas prices, 73% of Canadians plan to drive to at least one of their destinations this summer. Of those, around 23% are planning to lease a vehicle.
Staycations have become increasingly popular as an alternative travel option. One-third (36 percent) of Canadians have said they’re planning staycations, doubling the pre-pandemic level of 18%.
This story originally appeared on Yahoo.