Aside from visiting the US, are most Canadians particularly "well travelled"? - Page 2

MonctonRad · #21 Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 9:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lio45

Obviously Europeans and Brits are going to be more well-travelled than Canadians, Australians and Americans. For most people you can spit in the air over there and if the wind's right it will land in another country.

Indeed, international travel in Europe is akin to interprovincial or interstate travel in North America.

A few years back I was on a European group tour and we took the Eurostar train from London to Brussels via the chunnel, finishing off with a short bus trip to Amsterdam to complete the trip that day.

So, in the span of about eight hours, I traveled through the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Here in Canada, if I drive to Ottawa in a day, it takes about 11 hours and I only drive through NB, PQ and ON.

We forget how friggin big our country is.......

FrAnKs · #22 Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 9:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Indeed, international travel in Europe is akin to interprovincial or interstate travel in North America.

A few years back I was on a European group tour and we took the Eurostar train from London to Brussels via the chunnel, finishing off with a short bus trip to Amsterdam to complete the trip that day.

So, in the span of about eight hours, I traveled through the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Here in Canada, if I drive to Ottawa in a day, it takes about 11 hours and I only drive through NB, PQ and ON.

We forget how friggin big our country is.......

Yes, our country is big, but it's also the way we made our borders. Imagine our Country with 20 provinces (in a more populated country) rather than 10 !

MonctonRad · #23 Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 9:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Yes, our country is big, but it's also the way we made our borders. Imagine our Country with 20 provinces (in a more populated country) rather than 10 !

I've actually drawn up maps of Canada with redrawn borders, and I can usually come up with about 24 provinces quite easily.

lio45 · #24 Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 9:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Indeed, international travel in Europe is akin to interprovincial or interstate travel in North America.

A few years back I was on a European group tour and we took the Eurostar train from London to Brussels via the chunnel, finishing off with a short bus trip to Amsterdam to complete the trip that day.

So, in the span of about eight hours, I traveled through the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Here in Canada, if I drive to Ottawa in a day, it takes about 11 hours and I only drive through NB, PQ and ON.

We forget how friggin big our country is.......

For Christmas my gf and I are about to drive from Sherbrooke to Gaspé, which takes about 10 hours. (Christmas in her family is non-negotiable

)

In most of Europe, if you drive in a straight line at 100 km/h for ten hours, you will likely cross a couple borders and almost certainly end up in a place that's somewhat exotic compared to your starting location. In Canada, that kind of drive would get you from Winnipeg to Edmonton, or from Windsor, Ontario, to Ottawa, Ontario. Or from Sherbrooke to Gaspé.

MonctonRad · #25 Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 9:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lio45

For Christmas my gf and I are about to drive from Sherbrooke to Gaspé, which takes about 10 hours. (Christmas in her family is non-negotiable

)

The trip from Moncton to Ottawa would be nearly entirely on a freeway therefore much higher speed than your trip will be.

Your trip will be much more scenic though. Joyeux Noel Lio.

FrAnKs · #26 Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 9:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I've actually drawn up maps of Canada with redrawn borders, and I can usually come up with about 24 provinces quite easily.

I would like to see this map. Oh and Happy Holidays, dear NBer.

lio45 · #27 Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 9:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The trip from Moncton to Ottawa would be nearly entirely on a freeway therefore much higher speed than your trip will be.

Your trip will be much more scenic though. Joyeux Noel Lio.

Merry Christmas to you too!

MolsonExport · #28 Posted **Dec 17, 2017, 4:24 AM**

not particularly. hell, some forumers have yet to leave their Mothers' basements.

Northern Light · #29 Posted **Dec 17, 2017, 2:16 PM**

We all have anecdotal stories.

They represent ourselves, our families, our neighbours and co-workers, by and large folks similar to us.

That data isn't necessarily wrong.

But objective date seems preferable.

So I went looking for 'outbound tourism/departure' stats.

Here's what I found.

In absolute numbers Canadians have the 5th most in the world, each year.

Almost 1 departure for every Canadian or about 27M per year.

The Americans have the 2nd most in the world, after Germany, at about 64M.

Adjusted for population difference, Canadians travel roughly 4 times more than Americans 'on average'.

*****

While I'm certain its possible to yank US travel out of the stats for Canada, and that this would reduce the difference greatly, I haven't yet found the requisite info.

Back to anecdotes, but my instincts and experiences indicate total non-US foreign travel would remain proportionately higher here.

****

In terms of reasons, I think there are many, which have already been mentioned here.

Americans do have greater domestic options for geographic diversity.

For a variety of reasons, Canadians hold passports in notably greater numbers, (first generation immigrants/overseas family, desire to go sun-destinations, including the US in winter, and general social expectation, plus a larger proportion of people who can afford the travel.

One thing not touched on, is the proportion of Canadians within a 90M drive of a full-on international airport offerering transatlantic or pacific flights.

The Greater Toronto, Montreal-Ottawa, and Vancouver areas account for just shy of 1/2 of all Canadians.

The US has a fair few more people (proportionately) who would require transfers from domestic flights (more hassle/time/cost)

Northern Light · #30 Posted **Dec 17, 2017, 2:22 PM**

I would add to the reasons for difference, that because of 1st generation immigrants, and 2nd for that matter, Canadians know far more folks (neighbours/co-workers) who have traveled overseas, making it seem 'normal' and encouraging more of the same.

I also do think 'diversity' matters. Both culturally and linguistically.

New York is very diverse, as is the Bay area.

But after that, many US centres are more limited in their diversity.

This isn't a 'tolerance' thesis, but one about both about fear and novelty.

If you grow up w/folks of every colour and creed you're less likely to worry about the perils of international travel or fear the differences you may encounter.

Also, the variety of peoples raise knowledge/awareness levels of different cultures and travel opportunities.

TownGuy · #31 Posted **Dec 17, 2017, 2:56 PM**

You touched on the ecological diversity of the US and that is a huge factor. I'd say as many people travel to see new landscapes as do to experience new cultures and is there a country on the planet that offers as much diversity in that regard as the US? Tropics, desert, mountains, plains, any climate you could ask for. You can go skiing in the Rockies, bake in the Mojave desert, relax in the tropical Florida Keys and not leave that country. Oh and you can do most of it year round.

rousseau · #32 Posted **Dec 17, 2017, 6:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TownGuy

...and is there a country on the planet that offers as much diversity in that regard as the US? Tropics, desert, mountains, plains, any climate you could ask for.

China, obviously. And yet there has been a Chinese international travel explosion. Why? Well, I think Chinese parochialism is tempered by realism. Bit hard to consider yourself the "centre of the earth" anymore when someone else invented the symphony, penicillin, movies, x-ray machines, planes, trains and automobiles. Not to mention space travel and a thousand other amazing things. Americans are parochial because they figure they have it all (even if their achievements are more the culmination of pan-Western efforts than they are strictly American, e.g. German rocket scientists at NASA, etc.). If Europe were one country with several centuries of administrative integrity then maybe Europeans would be just as inward-focused as Americans.

There is only one Sistine Chapel, after all.

It's also only now that widespread leisure travel has become accessible to a sizable moneyed class where once they were mostly impoverished peasants and comrades living under a Communist dictatorship. Travel has never been a leisurely pursuit in China, though that's now changing.

dmuzika · #33 Posted **Dec 18, 2017, 6:14 AM**

I wonder if there could be two separate debates about the "well travelled" Canadian? The one is the meaning behind the OP - international travel, while the other is inter-provincial travel. With our large geography that's been mentioned, and our expensive flights and under-developed inter-regional highway system, how many Canadians visit the province that's next door (or 2 over) from where they reside? The same person who's been to Europe or Asia probably hasn't ventured too far within their own country, the notable exception of those who relocate (i.e. the Maritimes to Ontario or Alberta).

Pinion · #34 Posted **Dec 18, 2017, 6:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmuzika

I wonder if there could be two separate debates about the "well travelled" Canadian? The one is the meaning behind the OP - international travel, while the other is inter-provincial travel. With our large geography that's been mentioned, and our expensive flights and under-developed inter-regional highway system, how many Canadians visit the province that's next door (or 2 over) from where they reside? The same person who's been to Europe or Asia probably hasn't ventured too far within their own country, the notable exception of those who relocate (i.e. the Maritimes to Ontario or Alberta).

I'm gonna leave Canada after 30 years without seeing another major city because it was insane to choose Calgary over say San Francisco on my few vacations. I've been all over the USA, Mexico and Pacific ocean countries though.

hipster duck · #35 Posted **Dec 18, 2017, 11:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmuzika

I wonder if there could be two separate debates about the "well travelled" Canadian? The one is the meaning behind the OP - international travel, while the other is inter-provincial travel. With our large geography that's been mentioned, and our expensive flights and under-developed inter-regional highway system, how many Canadians visit the province that's next door (or 2 over) from where they reside? The same person who's been to Europe or Asia probably hasn't ventured too far within their own country, the notable exception of those who relocate (i.e. the Maritimes to Ontario or Alberta).

I visited the Maritimes on a family road trip when I was a kid (well, PEI and NS - we kind of just passed through NB). But since then I've only been to Ontario (home), BC (home), Alberta (was briefly home for a summer back in university) and Quebec. Almost 95% of all the international travel I've done was since that family trip.

The next place I want to visit in Canada is just another part of a province I've already been to: a trip from Quebec City through the Charlevoix, Saguenay Fjord and then back down to QC again.

If I had to choose a province I've never been to before it would probably be Newfoundland, but the cost of going there vs. traveling somewhere overseas always made it a tough call.

technomad · #36 Posted **Dec 21, 2017, 1:51 PM**

Interesting counter-perspective on this, apparently most Europeans haven't left Europe!

No surprise in the top travelers.. if I was in Sweden these days, I'd want to GTFO too!

Surprised at Spain though.. I've always crossed paths with Spanish folks when adventuring overseas, they seemed to be a pretty well traveled people

https://www.statista.com/chart/12329...utside-the-eu/

Airboy · #37 Posted **Dec 21, 2017, 5:49 PM**

I've been luck between sports and work I have covered most of Canada and large parts of Europe. When I lived in TO i was shocked by the amount of people I met who had never been outside the GTA. As well I had staff here in Edmonton that had never been east of Sask. but would go to Mexico every year. Only to Provinces and Territories I haven't been to is PEI and NB. My wife has been to every capitol city in the country. all 13 and a 1/2.

technomad · #38 Posted **Dec 21, 2017, 6:01 PM**

I think those sun trips to Mexico or the Caribbean make up for a pretty significant amount of the international travel from the prairies, understandably..

Still, most people I know who've left the country have gone overseas at least once too

wg_flamip · #39 Posted **Dec 21, 2017, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by technomad

Interesting counter-perspective on this, apparently most Europeans haven't left Europe!

No surprise in the top travelers.. if I was in Sweden these days, I'd want to GTFO too!

Surprised at Spain though.. I've always crossed paths with Spanish folks when adventuring overseas, they seemed to be a pretty well traveled people

Sweden and Denmark are both close to Norway, both geographically and culturally. I would imagine that many Swedes and Danes have travelled there. Finland and Austria also border non-EU countries.

I'm surprised Croatia and Slovenia are so low given that anyone over a certain age grew up in a country dominated by a non-EU state and including other non-EU States in close proximity. Ditto the Baltic states.

lio45 · #40 Posted **Dec 21, 2017, 7:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by technomad

No surprise in the top travelers.. if I was in Sweden these days, I'd want to GTFO too!

No surprise, but not for the reason you think. They're both very close culturally, economically, linguistically to Norway. They even used to be the same country.

I'm sure Savoy and the Bavarian Alps also rank extremely high for the percentage of their residents that has traveled outside the EU; it doesn't mean at all those areas are bad places to live.