The historic Fairmont Chateau Laurier overlooks the Rideau Canal in Ottawa.The Canadian Press
The travel mantra for summer 2020 is staycation: City dwellers can revel in the five star luxury of Fairmont Hotels (fairmont.com), now open in Victoria, Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. Those who want to embrace the wild can make reservations at KOA campgrounds (koa.com) across Canada and select services and camping at Parks Canada locations (pc.gc.ca).
Staycation 2020: Tourism operators ramp up local promotions to salvage the short summer season
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada has launched Destination Indigenous (destinationindigenous.ca), a website showcasing Indigenous tourism options that includes a direct booking platform. Holiday spots open now include Hotel-Musée Premières Nations close to Quebec City, Mahikan Trails offering medicine walks near Canmore, Alta., Indigenous World Winery in west Kelowna, B.C., and Talaysay Tours offering cultural and eco-tourism from Vancouver to the Sunshine Coast.
In Ontario, Niagara Parks (niagaraparks.com) attractions have reopened including the popular Butterfly Conservatory, Falls Incline Railway and Journey Behind the Falls, the up close and get wet tour of Horseshoe Falls and its 130-year-old tunnels.
If you’re keen to get out and explore the country, remember that the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Atlantic provinces require 14 days of self-isolation for non-residents upon entry, though on Canada Day, Yukon will welcome travellers from B.C., Northwest Territories and Nunavut without needing to quarantine. As of July 3, residents of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland and Labrador can move freely between those provinces without a quarantine period.
For those seeking vacation time further afield, WestJet and Air Canada have resumed flights to Cancun, Mexico from YYZ. And the European Union will welcome visitors on July 1 onward from selected countries, including Canada. For those wanting to visit the United Kingdom, travellers must advise travel and contact details 48 hours before arrival and quarantine 14 days.
Keep up to date with the weekly Sightseer newsletter. Sign up today.