Lifting of travel restrictions good news for travel companies

The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) feels Tuesday’s announcement lifting COVID-19 restrictions next week for unvaccinated travellers wanting to fly or take a train is positive news for everyone.

Shannan Schill represents a CAA location on the south side of Regina and suggests the lifting of most COVID-19 restrictions will put travellers at ease.

“It is big news for us,” she said. “It shows we’re moving in the right direction and the government is willing to open up those borders for us a little bit more. We do have to keep in mind that if you’re travelling on aircraft, masks are still required.”

She thinks the decision by the federal government will also lead to people wanting to get out and explore the country domestically, or even flying internationally where it’s permitted, without needing to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccine.

“I expect that people will be feeling a lot more comfortable with travelling,” she stated. “As more people travel, there will be more flights available, which will make everything easier for all of our travellers.”

Schill adds it will also make things easier for travel companies trying to book a family holiday for those hoping to explore.

“There is a lot less fact-checking that we will have to do now to ensure everyone has everything they need before they board that plane,” she said.

“The biggest part of it was making sure that every time somebody was booking something, we were double-checking the information because everything (was changing) so rapidly over the last two years.

“What the rules were today doesn’t mean that’s what the rules were tomorrow.”

So far in Regina this year, airport traffic has returned to 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, Regina Airport Authority president and CEO James Bogusz said.

He noted traffic alone at the airport had gone up by 25 per cent in the past 60 days.

According to Bogusz, 20 per cent of customers were unvaccinated.