Book your winter vacation now, suggests a Kamloops travel agent

Canadians appear to be taking a chance and booking vacations with the hope the COVID-19 pandemic has run its course and vacations to far away destinations will soon be possible.

The Canadian government has announced its starting to lift some travel restrictions by early July. Starting July 5, Canadian travellers will be able to return to Canada if they are fully vaccinated without having to quarantine.

Lani Malanchuk is a travel consultant and owner at Marlin Travel in Kamloops. She says things have been getting increasingly busy as more and more people are booking long awaited holidays.

“Business is busy,” Malanchuk says. “Many people are booking for future travel."

She says she has a lot of clients booking holidays for Christmas this year and sun destination for next winter. And people are booking cruises for next year and 2023.

The demand for luxury travel is also increasing.

"Right now it often doesn’t cost too much more for a luxury upgrade such as premium airline seats, hotel accommodation and cruise cabins.”

Malanchuk says as more people are going travelling, the costs of flights will be increasing significantly. She suggests travellers book their vacations now while the prices are still low.

“The pricing for trips is good right now, but prices are going to be going up,” Malanchuk says. “There will be no more last minute specials, those will become a dinosaur thing of the past. Flights are already filling up for the winter season.”

While Malanchuk is excited for the world of travel to open again, she is coping with extra headaches at the moment.

The airlines are changing and adapting a lot as things open up, leading to a lot of schedule changes and cancellations. She suggests that travellers always book their trips through a travel agent.

“During the pandemic, travel agents have really been able to help get people home safely,” Malanchuk says. “It is really important to book through an agent because we can look after you and help keep you safe.”

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