Travel and tourism operators are continuing to pile the pressure on Ottawa over the remaining travel restrictions, with Canada becoming very much an outlier in its current testing requirements.

The current argument is, that with the omicron variant so prevalent in Canada already, it makes little sense to continue testing fully vaccinated travellers as they arrive or return to the country.

The dropping of a requirement for PCR tests that took effect Monday doesn’t go far enough, and its replacement with rapid antigen screening remains a competitive challenge for Canada’s travel and tourism sector that’s been clobbered by the pandemic, said Richard Bartrem, spokesman for Calgary-based airline WestJet.

“International travellers, when do they travel again, are going to be looking for the path of least resistance, and right now we are a path of resistance,” Bartrem told the Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable at the Calgary International Airport.

“Travel has never been a significant vector of transmission yet this sector continues to be the only industry subject to testing, which is continuing to impact the recovery.”

Anxiety about testing positive before entering Canada is not only effecting those looking to visit Canada, but also Canadians looking for a bit of an escape. It will be on the minds of many as we get closer to spring break, with the fear that you might not be able to board your flight home.

In the world of corporate travel, whilst business levels are picking up, there is certainly still anxiety about travel abroad – and this is one of the things that makes the world of business so exciting.

Whilst it is impossible to completely avoid the risk of a positive test, here at Inspired Travel, we can take care of everything else. Our clients have access to round-the-clock emergency assistance. So, no matter the problem you face, we will always be there with a resolution.