TORONTO — Canadian travellers are stretching their vacation calendars beyond the traditional summer peak, with new G Adventures booking data showing strong growth in autumn travel, particularly among solo travellers and those seeking less crowded destinations.

According to the company, fall solo departures are up 40% compared with summer months, with women accounting for 76% of those bookings.

Classic fall favourites including Peru, Morocco, Italy, Portugal and Turkey remain among the most-booked destinations for Canadians this autumn, but several less traditional destinations are seeing sharp year-over-year gains.

Canada leads at +250%, followed by China at +205%, Indonesia at +98%, Uzbekistan at +88% and Bosnia & Herzegovina at +64%. Poland is up 57%, Sri Lanka 50%, Egypt 38% and South Korea 33%.

SOLO TRAVEL ON THE RISE

Solo travel shows prominently in the fall data. 

Core solo favourites include Peru, Morocco, Italy, Japan and Vietnam, while China has posted a 120% increase in solo bookings. India is up 17% and Egypt 12%.

SPORTS TOURISM ADDS MOMENTUM

G Adventures is also tapping into sports tourism with Away Games, a collection of itineraries built around European football culture. First departures kick off this fall.

The program launched with trips centred around match days in England and has since expanded to include Spanish clubs such as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

“At G Adventures, we’ve always believed travel is about human connection, and there are few communities more passionate, emotional and united than football fans,” said Yves Marceau, VP of product at G Adventures.

“We saw an opportunity to create something completely new in the adventure travel space, and we’re incredibly excited to bring fans together in a way only G Adventures can.”

SHOULDER SEASON HOTSPOTS

Several destinations are showing particularly strong autumn momentum.

South Korea bookings are up 33% year over year and 492% compared with peak summer months, while Italy is seeing a 99% increase in shoulder-season bookings overall. Couples bookings to Italy are up 179% for fall.

Ireland bookings are up 30% over summer, while Egypt has recorded a 38% year-over-year increase and a 367% jump compared with summer months.

G Adventures is also seeing interest in “deadzoning,” particularly among Gen Z and Millennials, as travellers look to disconnect from devices and prioritize real-world experiences.

Overall, the data points to a broader seasonal shift, with Canadians increasingly treating autumn as a key travel period rather than simply an extension of summer.

Lead image caption: Luxor, Egypt — Credit G Adventures