South Coast cold snap has many dreaming of warmer destinations

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Does the February cold snap have you dreaming of places where you can ditch your parka for a swim suit and sunglasses?

If you answered yes, you’re not alone. It seems the biting chill on the South Coast is chasing many people out of town toward the sun and warmth, or at least it’s gotten lots of people’s minds there.

Claire Newell with Travel Best Bets says requests for trips to warm destinations were down about 30 per cent in January compared to other years, but that has changed drastically.

“Now in this first week of February, the spike has been so significant,” she said. “It’s virtually made up for the loss of requests that we had in January.”

She adds people are wanting destinations they can book last minute, and can get to easily.

Newell says January is normally the time people here look to escape the winter cold and head south.

“Whether that be to southern California, to Pheonix, Arizona, or even further south to Mexico, the Caribbean, or over to Hawaii. But this year, we had good weather here, considering, compared to other years in the past.”

She points out customers were booking their big trips later in the year rather than early on.

“And now, they are on it. They want to go somewhere warm and they want to go quickly.”

If you’re thinking of taking a trip, Newell says now is not a bad time considering some of the deals.

When the weather’s “looking good,” she points out some of the most popular destinations include places that are under two and a half hours away.

“But a huge number do an all inclusive to Mexico. So the big resort destinations there, where they can get an all-inclusive.”