Here's why you're now struggling to book that foreign vacation

• Expected federal announcement sees travel interest explode
• Airlines will not be able to match supply with demand

It looks like the lid on the pent-up demand for international travel is set to blow off.

Local travel agents say the imminent lifting of some restrictions has led to a surge in bookings and enquiries.

Even before Canada’s chief public health officer announces the easing of COVID-related travel restrictions this week, things have suddenly taken-off.

Dr. Theresa Tam is widely expected to announce the dropping of the PCR test requirement for vaccinated travelers entering Canada, as of the end of this month. The medical health officers for WestJet, Air Canada and Toronto's Pearson airport said last month the tests were effectively pointless given the rate of infection at airports was dramatically smaller than in the general public and there was a far greater need for testing kits in communities.

The cost of a PCR test, which can run over $100, is also seen as a barrier to the travel industry.

Since news of the imminent changes broke late last week, bookings have surged for the coming months, including the busy Easter school holiday period.

“Just the speculation of a pending announcement, the number of phone calls, bookings and enquiries have increased significantly," Terri Jo Lennox, owner-operator of Travel Time Inc, which has an office in Kelowna, said.

“We’re already finding availability is shrinking rapidly."

Costs could rise

She said her company has long encouraged clients to have something booked by now to avoid disappointment, knowing they could take advantage of flexible terms and conditions being offered by operators if they had to cancel.

But those may tighten now, and she said demand is going to outweigh supply for flights.

“I do know it takes a little more than just turning the faucet on to get a plane in place. I’m sure there are several protocols, training and ramp-up, and authorizations just getting an [airport] gate in a foreign destination,” Lennox explained, noting airlines will try to increase the number of flights but wonders at what cost to the consumer.

She recommends holidaymakers reach out to a professional travel advisor quickly to see what their options are.

Many of her clients are wanting to book a bigger vacation than they’re used to because they haven’t been able to travel for so long.

Terry Hawkins, known as Terry The Travel Guy in Kelowna, said people will have to be patient and flexible with their plans because operators and destinations won’t be up to speed for some time.

“Book out as far as possible as you can," he said. “Availability for certain destinations may not be there and there’s still lots of flight changes coming. We don’t expect the airlines to really stabilize… for the next several months.”

While some clients have been calling him for travel within the next week, Hawkins said many more are still not ready to take the plunge.

“I think a lot of people are still planning a little bit farther out just to be sure of what’s coming, so they’re planning summer/fall and I think that’s a great thing to do.”

Meanwhile, the Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) hopes the federal government does indeed drop the PCR test requirement for vaccinated travelers coming into Canada.

“I’d like them to give us a plan, what their timeline is so we can plan ahead,” President and CEO John McKenna told Kelowna10.

“We’ve got to get crews and planes ready… You don’t turn this on like it’s an oven. There’s a lot of work involved.”

McKenna said when the PCR testing procedures were introduced last year, the biggest concern from the travelling public wasn’t the Omicron variant, but the uncertainty about expense and inconvenience. He said no one wanted to be quarantined or stranded in a foreign spot if they tested positive and Canada is not in step with other nations around the world that have dropped the requirement.

Demand expected to outstrip supply

It remains unclear how quickly the major airlines will be able to ramp up flights given the anticipated ongoing surge in demand.

WestJet has roughly half as many flights next month compared to March 2019; that's 350 compared to 700.

Last week, the airline announced a further 20 per cent reduction to its scheduling through March, complaining the the situation was avoidable and the current travel restrictions are outdated.

In a statement to Kelowna10, WestJet said, in part, it continued to work towards building back to pre-pandemic levels and has increased flight frequencies by 10 per cent month-over-month from January.

"While we are currently seeing an uptick in demand for both short and long-term travel, we continue to balance the unpredictable nature of demand and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the pandemic due to outdated travel restrictions and guidance. With no clear path forward, it remains both difficult to plan for and quantify at this time," it said in a statement.

Kelowna10 reached out to Air Canada for comment but did not receive a response.