2014 Expedia.ca Flip Flop Report Examines Canadian Beach Behaviour

TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - Dec 15, 2014) - Expedia.ca, Canada's leading full service online travel provider*, today released results of the 2014 Expedia.ca Flip Flop Report, a survey of beach behaviour and preferences amongst global travellers. According to the study, two-thirds of Canadians (67 per cent) are likely to take a beach vacation in the near future. And we don't need any special reason to do so -- 84 per cent of those very or somewhat likely to take a beach vacation in the next 12 months say they'll be going south without any special occasion or event in mind.

"With the cold weather ramping up, it's no surprise Canadians are eager to head to sand and sun," said Sean Shannon, Managing Director of Expedia Canada. "Regardless of where you want to go to escape winter, or the kinds of things you want to do when you get there, Expedia.ca is your one-stop shop for everything Canadians need to plan and book a 'fly and flop' winter vacation."

Party or peace and quiet?
When it comes to unwinding, Canadians can keep up with the best of them coming in second (54 per cent) among global travellers surveyed who like to enjoy alcoholic beverages during a beach holiday. This was second only to Mexicans (58 per cent) and just ahead of the Irish (53 per cent). While indulging in libations is on our list, it's not in a loud, party setting. Rather, Canadians are in line with the global average of 88 per cent of sun seekers who want a "serene, calm" beach destination over a "wild, party" spot. And when it comes to the type of trip travellers are seeking, Canadians are more likely than their global counterparts to opt for an all-inclusive vacation for their next beach getaway (42 per cent).

Adventure seekers
Almost one-half of Canadians (47 per cent) say they are more adventurous on beach vacations taken outside of Canada. Amongst adventurous activities is "getting frisky" on the beach, which one in five Canadians (20 per cent) have claimed to do while on vacation. Others have admitted to have shown off some skin by wearing a speedo or revealing bathing suit (14 per cent) and another 13 per cent have gone nude or topless. However, not all Canadians are willing to show off skin -- 37 per cent believe speedos are not acceptable on the beach. As vacations are all about indulgences, one in two (49 per cent) Canadians selected sleeping in or napping as their number one indulgence while on a beach vacation, followed by eating more than they normally would (44 per cent) and consuming more alcohol than normal ranked just as indulgent as being more intimate with their partner (41 per cent).

Canadians flock to Mexico
When it comes to their preferred beach destination, more than 1.3 million Canadians will visit Mexico this winter, according to the Conference Board of Canada. This is a 5.8 per cent increase over last winter.**

"Mexico has consistently been a favourite winter getaway destination for Canadian sun-seekers," said Shannon. "In fact, three of the top ten most popular all inclusive destinations booked on Expedia.ca are in Mexico, with Cancun topping the list***. Of the range of beach vacation destinations where we offer all-inclusive vacations, Canadians continue to have an ongoing love for Mexico."

Expedia.ca Offers Options for Canadians Looking to Fly and Flop
For Canadians looking to plan a beach vacation this winter, it's never been easier with Expedia.ca's current beach sale. Featuring countless sun-drenched destinations with thousands of all-inclusive resorts all in one place -- including packages from Air Canada Vacations, CanJet Vacations, Sunquest, Transat, Nolitours and Sunwing -- don't spend your whole life searching for the perfect beach. Visit Expedia.ca to book your beach, your way. For more information, please visit http://www.expedia.ca/perfectbeachvacation.

Survey Methodology
This study was conducted on behalf of Expedia.ca by Northstar, a globally integrated strategic insights consulting firm, among 1,500 Canadian adults aged 18 and older, as part of a global survey for Expedia Inc. Surveys were completed between March 11 and April 2, 2014 Sampling quotas and post-hoc data weighting were used to ensure the sample is representative of Canadians in terms of age, gender and region. Assuming a probability sample, the margin of error would be +/-2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

ABOUT EXPEDIA CANADA
Expedia.ca is the nation's most-visited full-service online travel provider. To help Canadians plan and purchase travel, Expedia.ca offers the best combination of scheduled and charter flights, car and hotel reservations, vacation packages, destination activities, cruises, and travel insurance. Expedia customers are supported by customer support agents available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via a toll-free number and email response. Expedia.ca is owned and operated by Expedia, Inc.

Follow Expedia.ca on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and download the free Expedia Mobile App.

Expedia, Expedia.ca and the Airplane logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. © 2014 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST: 2029030-5030

About Northstar
NORTHSTAR is a strategic marketing insights and consulting firm that aligns leading edge, customized research techniques and cultural context with proprietary and proven strategic marketing frameworks and models to drive insights to impact. Northstar's suite of services relate to the most critical elements of brand, customer and marketing strategy, with sector expertise in travel and tourism, retail, automotive, CPG, food & beverage, financial services, pharma / health care, transportation and fashion / luxury. For more information, please go to www.northstarhub.com.

SOURCE: Expedia.ca
Web site: www.expedia.ca

*Source: comScore Media Metrix, Canada, Online Travel Agents Category, Jan - Nov 2014
** Conference Board of Canada, "Outlook for Winter 2014-15 Travel"
***Based on volume of pre-packaged vacation bookings made on Expedia.ca between Jan 1, 2014 and Sept 29, 2014