Right now, many of us as Canadians are contemplating what we can do to better support our country. We have taken a one-two punch (and maybe more to come) from the U.S. government, with threats to impose ridiculous cross border tariffs, and even make Canada their 51st state.
As an avid traveller, and an owner of a Canadian Cruise Agency, I thought I would take a moment to reflect on how this is affecting our industry.
There are four types of Canadian cruisers out there right now.
What are my thoughts about this? Setting aside that this could greatly affect our Travel Agency’s future, it’s really about your own comfort level.
Our personal message to you is that we are here to serve you with whatever cruising option you are comfortable with. We are a 100 per cent owned and operated Canadian Travel Agency, staffed by fellow Canadians. Many cruise lines are primarily staffed globally, porting at several non U.S. destinations. So if you do decide to continue with your plans, your cruise will still be as amazing as usual.
On the flip side—of big concern to me—are the Canadian businesses such as us, getting caught in the crossfire of a trade war. Our biggest suppliers are U.S. based, and there are very few options outside of that. If Canadians boycott cruising, we will be the collateral damage.
Think about your favourite salty snacks, and what happens if you choose to switch brands. Frito Lay Canada is the largest snack food manufacturer in Canada, operating five plants across the country, but they are owned by a U.S. company. If we as Canadians stop buying their products, our manufacturing and packing facilities in Canada may close down, and the jobs may go elsewhere. I’m sure there are thousands more examples like this. Similarly, choosing to abandon the cruise industry will certainly have a negative impact not only on U.S. based ports and lines, but many Canadian travel agencies, their employees and partners.
So while I’m a big supporter and also a proud Canadian, we need to find alternative ways to support our country that won’t hurt our own hard-working citizens.
