Canada: In 2024, the trend predicts that Canadian travellers will want to explore “little-known” and “unpretentious” places.
Do you recognise yourself in this statement? It’s a preference we’re already observing, according to a 2023 travel trends report from Expedia, Vrbo, and Hotels.com released late last year.
According to the study, places outside the main tourist circuits are “increasingly favored by groups who prefer to stay in one place for a certain time to immerse themselves in a new destination with their loved ones.” The report also publishes a list of “10 hidden gems of Canada,” which should attract visitors in 2024. Here it is.
1. CAPE BRETON, NOVA SCOTIA
Cape Breton Island is one of the beauties of the Maritimes. Travelers go there to hike the Cabot Trail, a 298-kilometer scenic route that passes through Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Along the way, we discover an astonishing Celtic culture!
2. QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC
We cannot say that the national capital is a very “hidden” gem for Quebecers! However, the study is based on the responses of 24,000 participants from 17 different countries. and it is indeed a little gem. This winter, no one will want to miss the Ice Hotel or the Carnival.
3. CHAUDIÈRE-APPALACHES, QUEBEC
Near Quebec, the Chaudière-Appalaches region deserves to be explored further, in particular for its coast, which stretches from Lotbinière to Saint-Jean-Port-Joli via Lévis and the Chaudière Falls. Along Route 132, this coast is home to charming villages, old-fashioned gardens, and islands with fascinating stories.
4. CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
This is a capital that has something to seduce with its pretty historic city centre, offering restaurants, cafes, and shops. From Charlottetown, it’s easy to explore the rest of the island: wild beaches, red cliffs, mariculture farms, the land of “Anne of Green Gables,” and more.
5. CANMORE, ALBERTA
Did you know that “Legends of the Fall” and “Brokeback Mountain” were both filmed (at least in part) in the Canmore area? This gives an idea of the magnificent landscapes found there. The town is located about twenty minutes from Banff and its famous wonders.
6. CALGARY, ALBERTA
Instead of just passing through on your way to the Rockies, why not stop in Calgary? There we discover restaurants, microbreweries, cafés, museums, and cultural and sporting events. You can even go river surfing there!
7. PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO
Quebecers best know this region for the dunes and clear waters of its Sandbanks Provincial Park. It is also famous for its vineyards, which compete with those of Niagara, its cycle paths, its antique shops, its markets, its microbreweries, its good restaurants, and its trendy boutique hotels.
8. WINNIPEG, MANITOBA (Canada)
Manitoba’s capital is an important historical site, and it is the largest city on the Prairies. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is worth seeing, and various indigenous and French-speaking cultural experiences (notably in Saint-Boniface) are to be included in the programme. Just like a little trip to urban cafes!
9. COWICHAN VALLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
On beautiful and lush Vancouver Island, the Cowichan Valley is known for its farms, vineyards, cideries, and distilleries, as well as its outdoor activities. A great destination for “foodies” who want fresh air.
10. SAANICH, BRITISH COLUMBIA
The Saanich Peninsula is known by some as “the Provence of Vancouver Island.” Nothing less. This agricultural region, which borders the sea in Victoria’s northeast, invites visitors to visit vineyards and learn about the well-known Butchart Gardens.