Inflation is now 3.1% in Canada and 4.2% in Quebec. While we are far from the Canadian peak of 8.1% in June 2022, travelers will be disappointed to learn that prices in this sector are rising sharply.
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For organized travel, the increase is 11.3%, Statistics Canada calculates.
We are talking about a type of trip in which the customer purchases a package that includes flights, bus transportation, hotel, meals and the services of a tour guide.
“They raised the price a lot. This involves work, I need a guide and a companion, a bus driver, even the price of the bus itself has increased,” says Moscow Côté from Voyages Constellation.
Mr. Côté has also been president of the Association of Travel Agents of Quebec (AAVQ) for five years.
“It is still very popular as a form of travel,” says the expert. Prices range from $4,000 to $18,000 per package, depending on the chosen destination, type of hotel and number of meals per day, among other things.
Moscow Côté and the Voyages Constellation team do not specialize in organized trips.
In Quebec, Tours Chanteclerc, Groupe Voyage Québec and Wingbuddy are the industry leaders.
For 12 days and 10 nights in Austria and Slovenia, GVQ currently charges $6,159 per person. For 14 days and 13 nights in South Africa, Tours Chanteclerc’s lowest price is $12,399.
Only the southern package is stable
Prices have also increased in the travel sector in general, but to a lesser extent: 5.6% over 12 months in Canada.
It’s especially the plane tickets you buy to visit family or loved ones that hurt.
“If we go to Vegas on a weekend and the prices are low, we can go to Nassau, who cares? But if we have to visit mom in France, we have no choice,” explains Mr. Côté.
The owner has noticed a sharp increase in this type of ticket. “Only the southern package keeps up with inflation,” he states.
For example, while a week in Cuba cost $960 in 2019, it now costs $1,100, reflecting the rising cost of living.
Thanks to the pump
The CPI in Canada fell from 3.8% in September to 3.1% in October, mainly due to the price of gasoline.
According to the federal agency, prices at the pump fell 6.4% in October compared to September. Over the year, the decline is 7.8%.
If we exclude gasoline, the October CPI in the country is 3.6%.
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