Survey Conduct by Ipsos
Ipsos poll finds 91% are planning to enjoy activities they’ve missed over the past two years
TORONTO, May 12, 2022 /CNW/ – The 2022 edition of the annual Toyota Canada Summer Road Trip Survey conducted by Ipsos revealed that Canadians may be feeling that a “return to normal” is on the horizon. The poll found that nearly all (91%) Canadians are planning to reinstate activities that they had to set aside over the past few years. For some, their summer plans include visiting friends and family, taking more vacation time, and even though gas prices are on the rise, taking international road trips.
The survey found that three-quarters of Canadians (77%) are likely to travel outside their city/town, 43% outside the province, and, 24% may take a trip across the international border. 33% of Canadians with access to a vehicle (own, lease, borrow, rent) are planning to drive seven hours or more (16% 7-10 hours, 8% 11-24 hours, 9% more than 24 hours) to reach their road trip destinations, while another 31% are willing to drive four to six hours from home.
Along the way, many hope to spend their time doing things that make them feel relaxed (67%) and excited (53%).
Rising gas prices are a consideration, but not a deterrent
The increasing price of gas has certainly added a new consideration for road tripping this summer. But, while more than half (53%) of respondents stated that gas prices have had an influence on their road trip plans, 47% say they are not affected. Those planning trips are finding ways to save on gas, like ensuring their vehicle is properly serviced (20%), however, 27% of respondents are so excited about their summer road trips that they aren’t worried about saving on gas.
The survey also found a burgeoning interest in using electrified vehicles for road trips: 54% of Canadians agree they’d feel better about going on a road trip in a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or battery-electric vehicle for fuel efficiency and cost savings reasons, while 47% highlighted the environmental benefits of an electrified vehicle.
Reconnecting with friends and family is the main motivator for road trips
For those intending to take a road trip, the driving factor for many is the opportunity to reconnect with their wider social circles: 56% say their destination is a family/friend’s home. Other common destinations include: an overnight stay in another city/town (52%), the beach (34%), national/provincial parks (31%), campgrounds (30%), and cabins/cottages (25%). Visiting family (44%) and visiting friends (43%) are among the experiences most are planning to revisit this year, along with festivals/concerts / cultural events (25%) and indoor attractions such as museums, malls, and theatres (28%).
“Over the last few years, many Canadians told us that spending time in nature was the primary goal of their summer road trips,” said Stephen Beatty, Vice President, Corporate at Toyota Canada. “By contrast, there’s much more buzz in the air this year as people are excited to take road trips to reconnect with their wider circles of family and friends, and to once again enjoy larger-scale summer events like concerts, festivals, and sporting events.”
Many Canadians planning to take more vacations this summer:
Canadians are increasingly taking advantage of opportunities to step away from work. Four in ten (39%) Canadians are planning to take more vacation time this summer than they did last year. While the majority of Canadians indicate they will take one (38%) or two (29%) weeks of vacation, some (13%) say they will take three weeks of vacation, while nearly one in five (19%) say they will take four or more weeks of holiday this summer.
Some regional highlights include:
- 12% of British Columbians with access to a vehicle are road trip warriors and plan to drive 11 to 24 hours to get to their road trip destinations
- 32% of Albertans prefer more spacious vehicles so they can travel with more friends and family
- In the Prairies, 40% are planning to cultivate their love for the outdoors and go camping
- 28% of Ontarians are planning to take an international road trip
- Ready to hit the road no matter what, 45% of Quebecers say gas prices have not affected their plans at all
- 49% of Atlantic Canadians are planning to leave their province on their road trips this summer
For more information about the annual Toyota Canada Summer Road Trip Survey
About the Study
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between March 22-23, 2022, on behalf of Toyota Canada. For this survey, a sample of 2,000 Canadians aged 18+ was interviewed online. Quotas and weighting were employed to ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the Canadian population according to census parameters. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ± 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadians aged 18+ been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to, coverage error, and measurement error.
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