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Post SARS Report on Travel to Canada and Hong Kong By Amy Ziff, Editor-at-Large
September 3, 2003
In many ways, it has been a tough year for travel and tourism. This is especially true in Canada and Hong Kong, two parts of the world most affected by the hanging cloud that was the SARS scare. Since both places have spent the summer enjoying the all-clear from the world health organization, there is a silver lining: some really great deals on places where you might not have thought you could afford a room, or even find a vacancy. Keep in mind, though, that once this all blows over affordability and availability may change with the wind.
Having just returned from Canada myself, I can attest that travel is down this year. While the hospitality industry attributes the downturn to a number of things, none, they say, is worse than the SARS epidemic that appeared in Toronto earlier this year. Although the majority of cases were found in or around Toronto the entire country's tourism industry has felt the impact. Even though Canada launched a $20 million promotional campaign after the travel alert was lifted on July 2, travel to Canada has yet to regain the usual momentum. This means there are plenty of deals for bargain hunters.
For example, in Albert's Jasper National Park, far from Toronto, lodging is soft--which translates to rooms for sale. Summer usually finds Jasper packed with hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world, and hoteliers often boast 100 percent occupancy levels. In the past they've had to turn would-be occupants away from the resort town without lodging for the night. Yet this summer there has been consistent availability. One sign that tourism is down: The number one-ranked golf course in Canada, located at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, is offering a round of golf for just $100 USD. And there are hotel deals throughout September. Plus, you'll enjoy the fact that your American travel dollar goes even farther in Canada.
If you've set your sights on something farther away, and a bit more exotic, there's another place where travel is down in spite of a $50 million tourism campaign and a clean bill of health from WHO: Hong Kong is a large harbor city with a bustling tourism industry and a reputation for being prohibitively expensive. But right now deals to Hong Kong can be as much as half off as airlines are still having trouble selling out flights. Now may just be the right time to go as they usually enjoy sunny and warm fall weather.
For more information on SARS:
Tips on Finding Deals:
Fall is one of my favorite times to travel. The crowds have thinned, the lines are shorter, and often, the weather is even better. So this fall, no matter where you're looking to go, be sure to get the best deal around. If you're really lucky you'll nab that travel steal of a lifetime.
If you have a question or topic you would like me to cover in a future column, please e-mail Amy Ziff at askamy@travelocity.com And remember to look here for your topic each week!
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