Majority (53%) of Canadians Are Planning a Summer Vacation This Year, But Four in ten (39%) Say Uncertain Economy Has Scaled Back their Plans

Toronto, ON - A new Ipsos Reid poll conducted exclusively for CanWest News Service and Global Television finds a majority (53%) of Canadians are planning a summer vacation this year, while one in three (34%) Canadians are not planning any vacation, and 14% are as of yet unsure.

Among those who aren't planning to take any vacation this summer, one in three (32%) say they `just can't afford it', while 16% mention `gas prices' as the reason why they're not getting away this summer. Nearly one half (47%), though, say they won't be taking a vacation for some other reason unrelated to the economy or cost, such as `no time' or `other plans'.

Four in ten (39%) Canadians say they're scaling back their summer plans due to the uncertain economy. Among those Canadians who are scaling back, one half (49%) say they're most likely to do so by staying close to home - totalling 19% of Canadians nation-wide who say they'll be likely to stay closer to home this year as a result of the uncertain economy.

Other ways by which Canadians are scaling back their summer plans include eating out less (14%), taking a shorter vacation (12%), choosing all-inclusive packages (5%), driving instead of flying (3%), or choosing less expensive lodging (3%). Seven percent (7%) will scale back by some other means, and 8% don't yet know the most likely way that they'll scale back.

For those who are going on vacation, most (63%) will be hitting the highways and byways, either driving to a destination less than 500 kilometres away (30%) or more than 500 kilometres away (33%). Three in ten (28%) say they'll be flying to either a domestic (9%) or international location (18%), while some Canadian will even embark on a cruise (4%). Six percent (6%) do not yet know what their plans are.

In terms of some of the activities that Canadians might attend in their own communities or another urban centre, six in ten (57%) say they'll be likely to attend a theme park, carnival or exhibition, while a majority also says that they'll be likely to attend a music festival (56%), a festival of food from around the world (54%), a street or buskers festival (51%). Nearly one half (48%) say that they'd be likely to attend a special art show or exhibit, while one in three (31%) will likely enjoy a brew at a beer festival.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of CanWest News Service and Global Television from 04/29 to 05/01, 2008. This online survey of 1030 Canadian adults was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. An unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Travel Intentions By Region...

In comparison with a study Ipsos conducted for Access America, the data reveals that only 33% Americans are planning to take a vacation, significantly less than the 53% of Canadians who intend to vacation. Below are some interesting demographic variations:

• Quebecers (60%) are the most likely to be planning a 2008 summer vacation, while Albertans (59%), Atlantic Canadians (52%), British Columbians (52%), Ontarians (48%), and residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (41%) are less likely.
• Those Canadians whose family earns at least $60,000 a year are more likely (64%) than those whose family earns between $30,000 and $60,000 a year (51%) or less than $30,000 a year (40%) to be taking a vacation this summer.
• Among those who are taking a vacation, residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (37%) are the most likely to say they'll be flying, followed by British Columbians (33%), Ontarians (31%), Albertans (30%), Quebecers (20%), and Atlantic Canadians (19%).
• Among those who are taking a vacation, residents of Atlantic Canada (73%) are most likely to pack up the car for a road trip, followed by those living in Quebec (66%), Alberta (63%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (63%), Ontario (62%) and British Columbia (55%).

Those Most Likely to Scale Back their Plans...

Four in ten (39%) Canadians say the uncertain economy has caused them to scale back their summer plans this year:

• Atlantic Canadians (48%) are the most likely to say the economy has caused them to scale back their plans, followed by those in Ontario (43%), Quebec (39%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (38%), British Columbia (31%) and Alberta (29%).
• Canadians whose family earns less than $30,000 a year are most likely (47%) to say the economy has caused them to scale back their plans, while those whose family earns between $30,000 and $60,000 (35%) or more than $60,000 a year are less likely (34%).
• Interestingly, those without kids (40%) are more likely than those with kids (34%) to say that the economy is forcing them to scale back their summer plans.
• Among those scaling back their plans, residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (61%) are most likely to say the way they're doing this is by staying closer to home, with Atlantic Canadians (53%), Ontarians (52%), Albertans (49%), Quebecers (44%) and British Columbians (36%) being less likely to stay closer to home.

Summertime Fun by Region...

• British Columbians are most likely to attend a music festival (57%), food festival (53%) or theme park, carnival or exhibition (51%).
• Albertans are most likely to attend a theme park, carnival or exhibition (70%), food festival (65%), or a street/buskers festival (54%).
• Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are most likely to attend a food festival (65%), a theme park, carnival or exhibition (62%), a music festival (55%) or a street/buskers festival (55%).
• Residents of Ontario are most likely to attend a theme park, carnival or exhibition (60%), a music festival (56%) or a food festival (55%).
• Quebecers are most likely to attend a special art show or exhibit (64%), a music festival (57%) or a theme park, carnival or exhibition (55%).
• Atlantic Canadians are most likely to attend a music festival (56%), street/buskers festival (56%) or food festival (50%).

For more information on this news release, please contact:
John Wright
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 324-2002
[email protected]

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Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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