Safety Still Big Concern For Women Travellers + Business Travel, Beaches and Europe News

April 12, 2021 ctn_admin

Safety remains a vital concern for women travellers, according to a world survey by JourneyWoman.

The “JourneyWoman TravelReady Safety Survey” was completed by more than 350 women around the world from April 1 to April 9. According to their results, more than 88% of women have felt threatened or unsafe while travelling, and 85% of women believe that their personal safety when travelling will be as important or more important post-pandemic. 

Other highlights include:

• 81% of women say safety is part of their travel planning process, demonstrating the importance of safety to women;
• 12% of women have been physically attacked or threatened while travelling;
• Most women fear being attacked on a street at night, on a street in the daytime, while in transit (airplane, taxi, train, bus), or at a hotel;
• Of those who have been threatened or attacked while travelling, 38% of women were able to defend themselves, 15.5% had help from another person and 13% were not able to defend themselves.

Their research also shows that 97% of women do not feel they have the physical skills to defend themselves at home or abroad. To help, they’re hosting a free/pay-what-you-can one-hour self-defense session on Thursday, April 15 at 8 pm ET with Lorna Selig of Calgary-based Safe4Life, a personal self-defense training company. Selig has taught self defense to toddlers, kids, teens, adults and seniors for nearly 17 years. This is the second session; more than 260 women registered for the first one on April 7, so a second was added due to overwhelming interest. Proceeds from the two JourneyWoman events will go to a Calgary non-profit, Gems For Gems, which empowers survivors of domestic abuse.

VIA RAIL RE-ESTABLISHING TORONTO-WINNIPEG SERVICE MAY 17

VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announces that it will be providing additional essential intercity transportation options by resuming the Toronto to Winnipeg portion of the Canadian which will enable one full round-trip per week starting May 17, 2021.

The resumption was made possible following a thorough evaluation of VIA Rail’s health and safety protocols, including physical distancing measures, enhanced air ventilation system, and improved measures for passenger access and the protection of its employees. More details regarding health and safety measures as well as the modified services offered on board the Canadian are available on VIA Rail’s website.

“Over the past year, we have continuously sought to find a balance between offering to the best of our abilities essential travel options while following the guidelines and recommendations from public health authorities, as well as federal and provincial governments. With health and safety at the heart of our actions, the resumption of one full weekly round-trip service on the Canadian allows us to continue to provide an essential service to Canadians needing to travel on this route,” said Cynthia Garneau, President and CEO.

BUSINESS TRAVEL REBOUND? NOT ANY TIME SOON

According to a story in the Guardian, most business travellers in the UK will take fewer flights than they used to, according to a poll, thanks to increased use of video conferencing.

Only a third expected to return to the same level of flying as before the coronavirus pandemic, once travel restrictions are lifted.

Bill Gates recently estimated that more than 50% of business travel could end as companies move to online meetings to cut costs (not to mention wear and tear on executives).

That’s bad for airlines and bad for travellers, because airlines make their money mostly on the backs of business fliers at the front of the plane. Those business and first-class seats basically subsidize things for us normal travellers. If airlines lose one-third to one-half of their business tickets, they’re losing a ton of revenue that will have to be made up elsewhere. Which is why some experts say the cost of flying will go up over the next couple years.

EUROPEAN SUMMER TRIPS? NOT SO FAST

According to Reuters, French officials on Sunday said it’s too soon to say whether holidays abroad would be possible this summer.

With a third wave of coronavirus infections continuing to spread through Europe, tough COVID-19 restrictions are enforced in many European countries. That’s dampening the continent’s recovery prospects for the tourism industry’s crucial peak season as governments are struggling to define a timeframe for the gradual reopening of national borders.

“I cannot say to you when we will be able to resume travel within Europe,” French Minister for European Affairs Clement Beaune told LCI television. “I hope it will be possible this summer.”

AMERICANS STAYING HOME – WILL CANADIANS FOLLOW SUIT?

A study of travel insurance policies by a U.S. group called Squaremouth Analytics found that 48% of insured trips being booked by Americans are for within the United States.

Given how we often mirror U.S. trends, one wonders if Canada will see something similar.

Destination Canada, which usually markets Canada to the world, has a campaign in the works to get Canadians to explore their own country this year. DC says that if Canadians put 60% of their usual international travel spending into domestic travel, it would speed up the tourism and travel industry’s recovery by a full year.

According to the Squaremouth study, baby boomer account for 30% of this summer’s travellers so far, trailed by Gen X at 24% and Gen Z at 18%.

BEACHES AND WATER ARE GOOD FOR THE SOUL

I’ve always felt this way. But now there’s a study that shows it. A consumer study by a group called Aggressor Adventures found 77% of people surveyed say they experience a boost in happiness and 69% experience a reduction in stress while being near the water. Only 11% of respondents said that being near or in a body of water does not impact their health.

Maybe it’s the sense of limitless space, but I’ve always found the ocean to be very appealing. Lakes, too. Mind you, I usually go when the weather’s nice and that never hurts my feelings.

The company also asked travellers about what kind of climate they want in their destination, and found that 60% of respondents are choosing locations where the temperature is 27 C or higher (80 Fahrenheit). Additionally, 48% of respondents expressed an eagerness for warm climate adventure trips. Only seven per cent of those surveyed said they were planning cold weather activities such as skiing and snowboarding. 

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