Canada has removed all restrictions related to travel during the Covid pandemic.
The changes, which began from the start of October, mean that travellers no longer need to provide any information on their vaccination status and no longer need to wear masks on planes or trains …although mask wearing continues to be recommended.
Canadian ski resorts and tour operators are hoping the move will boost incoming travel for the ski season ahead, with the first Canadian areas around Banff expected to open for 22-23 in just a month’s time at the start of November.
“With the complete removal of Covid-19 travel entry restrictions, we’re looking forward to hosting even more travellers this winter season. Bookings have been booming, and with the expectation of a third La Niña in a row, it’s looking to be the best season in years, perfect for our back country powder adventures,” commented Nickie Mabey of Mabey Ski.
Bookings were reported to have been strong in the spring but the UK’s largest operator Crystal said they saw demand drop when Canada reintroduced random Covid testing at its main international arrivals airports for skiers – Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal. The risk of these tests has now gone again though.
Lake Louise 2
South of the border, the US continues to ban arrivals that have not been fully vaccinated, even if they can show a negative PCR test result, with the only exceptions being US passport holders. There are rumours though of that restriction going soon too, but nothing confirmed as yet. Fully vaccinated skiers can enter the country although there are strict conditions.
Despite the strength of the US Dollar, Richard Sinclair, boss of Sno.co.uk says that the gap between the cost of European and North American holidays has actually narrowed this winter, when it comes to the busiest weeks of the season,
“Canada and the US have benefitted from the price increases in European ski holidays, and are looking especially good value in the February half-term, when there’s no such national holiday or availability-crunch on the other side of the Atlantic,” he said.
Another major ski nation that has had its borders closed for the best part of three years to independent travellers, Japan, says they’ll re-open them next week with those with proof of vaccination able to enter without restriction and those unvaccinated able to enter if they provide a recent negative PCR test result.
