Corona Canada launches "Rediscover the Outdoors" travel auction program to support local tourism

New Ipsos survey for Corona Canada reveals that amid pandemic travel fears, Canadians are eager to explore Canada on vacation

TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2020 /CNW/ - Vacations are a little closer to home this year, but the good news is that eight in ten Canadians (83%) believe that there is a lot to see and do from coast to coast. Today, Corona Canada announces the launch of "Rediscover the Outdoors," a travel auction program that provides an immediate investment into the Canadian tourism industry with pre-purchased experience packages from Travelzoo that will be available for consumers to browse and bid. From weekend wilderness excursions to an afternoon spent paddle boarding, local travel packages available on the website encourage Canadians to reconnect with the outdoors safely, while supporting local tourism.

In a recent Ipsos survey for Corona Canada, it was revealed that while many Canadians (71%) remain cautious about air travel, almost half (48%) are comfortable going on vacation as long as they don't have to fly. In fact, four in ten (42%) are willing to spend up to 12 hours driving to their vacation destination, with another 40% who are excited to plan a Canadian vacation during the fall or winter holidays.

"As a brand, Corona has long been synonymous with the enjoyment and discovery of nature and the great outdoors," says Mike Bascom, Senior Marketing Director, Corona Canada. "Having seen the devastating impact of the global pandemic on the Canadian travel industry this summer, we felt now was the time to launch a program that could help inspire greater awareness and support for local tourism, especially as we head into the fall/winter travel season." 

Further Corona Canada travel survey data suggests that:

• Six in ten Canadians (58%) agree that they want to do their part to support Canadian tourism by travelling locally – rising to 64% among Gen X'ers and 63% among Boomers.
• Half (49%) agree they're trying to support Canadian businesses by travelling domestically.
• Four in ten (39%) say they're looking for unique outdoor Canadian travel experiences with 45% of Gen Z and 47% of Millennials most in favour of this type of vacation.
• One in three Canadians (36%) view the pandemic as an opportunity to see more of Canada, while more than half (52%) agree that they will opt to explore Canada even when international travel picks up again.

As of today, the auction portal – open from September 8 to October 31 – will feature experience packages available for purchase in communities across Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. Starting September 9, additional packages will be released in Atlantic Canada followed by Quebec on September 14.

How the program works: Canadians can browse and bid on the travel packages available through the auction portal at https://coronarediscovertheoutdoors.ca

• INVEST: Corona Canada and Travelzoo are investing in experience packages featuring local vendors, infusing an immediate investment into the domestic tourism industry.
• BID: Consumers can bid on a local travel experience of choice in $10 increments. Package prices start at 50% of the retail value, and winning bids cannot exceed the posted value of the package.
• BUY: The auction ends when time expires or when someone submits a bid for the posted value of the travel package.
• BOOK: During the redemption window for a purchased package, consumers can book their experience using the unique voucher and reservation code received upon placing the winning bid. (Note: redemption window differs for each package).
• BON VOYAGE: Consumers enjoy their local getaway in a safe and responsible way.
• BOOST: Auction proceeds are reinvested back into the program to create more travel experiences, so we can continue to support Canada's tourism industry.

For more information, visit https://coronarediscovertheoutdoors.ca or follow @CoronaCanada #RediscoverTheOutdoors.

About Corona Canada

First brewed in 1925, Corona is a pioneer in the beer industry by being the first to use a transparent bottle showcasing its purity and high quality to the world. No Corona is complete without the lime. Naturally adding character, flavour and refreshment, the lime ritual is an integral part of delivering an experience that is truly unique to Corona. The brand is synonymous with the beach and celebrates time outdoors. It invites people to pause, relax and disconnect to reconnect with our essential nature. For more visit https://www.coronaextra.ca

About Travelzoo
Travelzoo® provides our 30 million members insider deals and one-of-a-kind experiences personally reviewed by one of our deal experts around the globe. We have our finger on the pulse of outstanding travel, entertainment, and lifestyle experiences. For over 20 years we have worked in partnership with more than 5,000 top travel suppliers—our long-standing relationships give Travelzoo members access to irresistible deals.

About the Study
These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between August 28^th and 31^st, 2020, on behalf of Corona Canada. For this survey, a sample of 1,002 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 ± 3.5 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.

SOURCE Corona Canada

Tamar Nersesian, Sr. Communications Manager, Labatt Breweries of Canada, [email protected], 416-318-3989; Lisa Kwong, Vice President, Veritas Communications, [email protected], 647.973.9882