It's about the journey, not the destination

73 per cent of Canadians will be taking road-trip vacations this year

TORONTO, May 13, 2015 /CNW/ - Almost three-quarters of Canadians will take a road-trip style vacation this year according to a survey by Ebates.ca, a leader in online cash back shopping.

The top reasons for choosing a road-trip vacation are "the ability to see sights along the way, not just at your destination" (63 per cent); followed by the "freedom to take unexpected detours" (52 per cent); "more flexibility in your schedule overall" (50 per cent); a belief that it "can be less expensive" (49 per cent), and desire for a "sense of adventure" (41 per cent).

Interestingly, the more money you make the more likely you are going to take a road trip. Canadians with above average incomes are more likely to take this type of vacation (79 per cent vs. 63 per cent) as are younger Canadians (77 per cent of those under the age of 35 vs. 71 per cent of those 35+).

"Whether you're planning a family road trip to another province or taking a last minute flight to a scenic destination in Europe, Canadians want freedom, flexibility and savings," says Adrienne Down Coulson, General Manager, Ebates Canada. "Road trips give a sense of adventure allowing you to take route detours and extend travel time – all while reaping the benefits of last-minute savings, travel points and cash back online."

It comes as no surprise that Canadians are not using travel agents as much as in previous years – only 15 per cent find travel deals that way. However most people are looking for deals, with 50 per cent searching online for special offers, or cash back deals when they book travel.

"What was surprising was that less than half of Canadians said that low gas prices and a low Canadian dollar factored into their decision to take a road trip, confirming that it really is about the journey, not the destination," concluded Down Coulson.

About the survey
The Ebates Canada survey was conducted online in April 2015 with a random, nationally representative sample of 1,096 Canadians. A sample of this size is accurate to within +/-3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About Ebates.com
The Ebates brand supports a strong community of millions of savvy shoppers around the world. Ebates.com was founded in 1998 and has paid over $300,000,000 in cash to its global members. In 2012, Ebates began international expansion with the launch of Ebates Canada, specifically designed by Canadians for Canadians. Ebates.ca membership is free. To earn cash back, online shoppers log in to Ebates.ca and click through to a partner retail site to complete their purchase. Ebates.ca then tracks the purchase and offers back in cash a percentage of everything bought. Every quarter, Ebates.ca sends members their cash back account balance in the form of a #BigFatCheque or through PayPal. Members also have the option to send their cash back to a designated charity.

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SOURCE Ebates Canada

Contact Info: Tara Bolger, 416-929-2052, [email protected].