A vacation in Ontario is becoming more popular, writes Peter Watson.
People love to travel. Others are curious to hear of any future trips you are planning. For decades travelling has been appealing.
But times are changing, and some are seeing the advantages of vacationing closer to home. For starters, by world standards, Ontario has a lot to offer. Small communities close to the GTA and our cottage country can hold its own when compared to distant exotic destinations.
I have heard many comments on how travelling is not as pleasurable as it once was.
There are many common “bucket list” destinations that have been popular over the decades. But now with the world population of eight billion and more people globally have the resources to afford a holiday. Iconic destinations are overcrowded.
So are the airports and other means of transportation. Travelling to and from a holiday destination can be more work than pleasure.
Another consideration is the cost. Some do not consider the cost of vacation to be worth the money. Much of travel expenses is paid in American dollars which is at a significant premium to the value of our currency.
The US has historically been a popular location. Most Canadians live close to the Canada US border and driving south is both easy and economic.
There has been a significant shift to how Canadians feel about our neighbour to the south. Less people are interested in visiting the US and more have become adamant that they would rather not.
I do not think that people will give up on the idea of travel and having absolutely fantastic vacations. But Ontario vacations have a lot to offer, and more people will be shifting their travel plans homeward.
Peter Watson, of Watson Investments MBA, CFP®, R.F.P., CIM®, FCSI offers a weekly financial planning column, Dollars & Sense. He can be contacted through www.watsoninvestments.com
