TORONTO — Canadians’ desire to travel heading into the summer months remains resilient despite growing concerns around global security and economic uncertainty, according to Redion’s newly Canadian insights from its 2026 Holiday Barometer.

Redion, formerly Europ Assistance, is headed up in Canada by travel insurance industry veteran Rob Iafrate.

As CEO, Head of Branch Canada for Redion, Iafrate says: “Canadian travellers continue to demonstrate a strong desire to explore, even in a more complex and uncertain global environment. What is changing is how they travel, with greater emphasis on safety, flexibility and trusted support throughout their journey.”

Earlier this month Travelweek interviewed TravRisk Institute Inc.’s Stephen Pike for tips on working with travel-hesitant clients in this new-normal. Travel advisors help clients separate anxiety from actionable risk, and that adds to their value proposition, said Pike. “They can help travellers ask better questions.”

Redion’s latest survey was conducted across 26 countries using representative samples in each market. In Canada, the study included 1,000 respondents aged 18 and older, with fieldwork carried out Feb. 27 – April 7. The U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran started Feb. 28.

A look at some of the Redion survey’s key stats …

• Canadian travel intent remains strong heading into summer 2026, with 66% of Canadians planning to travel. Iafrate notes that while that figure is down slightly from 72% in 2025, it still reflects a healthy appetite for leisure travel and suggests that demand remains resilient, even as consumers become more measured in how they plan and book their trips. He adds that in the U.S., travel intent has continued to rise, underlining the more cautious Canadian approach.
• More than four in five Canadians say they travel for leisure at least once a year, only slightly below the European average.
• Across North America, 32% of travellers are citing safety as a key consideration – and a growing number are also identifying safety and security concerns as reasons not to travel at all. For providers in the travel ecosystem, this shift highlights an important opportunity to lead with reassurance, flexibility, and trusted support as part of the overall value proposition, says Iafrate.

• Canadians are increasingly choosing destinations closer to home, reflecting a broader global pattern even as international travel remains the aspirational preference for many. As Iafrate notes, domestic demand is likely to remain strong while international travel recovery continues more cautiously.
• Redion’s survey also looked at the uptake for AI tools among consumers planning trips: “Technology adoption is also evolving at a distinct pace in Canada. Just 19% of Canadians report using AI tools for travel planning or booking, placing the country at a lower adoption rate globally. Much of this hesitation appears to be driven by a continued preference for human interaction, along with concerns about reliability and trust. As a result, hybrid models, combining digital convenience with human guidance are likely to remain especially important in the Canadian market.”
• Another survey stat: 32% cite safety as a key factor in destination choice.
• The survey also notes that travel budgets are stable: “Globally, travellers are more likely to increase their travel budgets than reduce them in 2026. That dynamic suggests that even if overall trip volume softens somewhat, spending per traveller may continue to rise, creating opportunities for higher-value offerings and more comprehensive travel support.”