“Weather-wise, it’s such a lovely day
Just say the words and we’ll beat the birds
Down to Acapulco Bay
It is perfect for a flying honeymoon, they say
Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away”
— Billy May, “Come Fly Away”
That song was made famous by Frank Sinatra. And you’d think a lot of us would be humming that tune after we get our COVID vaccinations. After all, we’ve been cooped up so long, don’t you think that most of us are dying for a post-vaccination vacation?
Well, maybe the song shouldn’t be “Come Fly Away” but “Let’s all pile into the back of the SUV.” As the COVID vaccination rollout began, we polled our readers, and we found that only one quarter of you are ready to leave Canada for a vacation, even after you’ve been vaccinated.
The largest number (46 per cent) told us they’re willing to go on vacation, but within Canada only. Another 19 per cent said they’re willing only to travel within Alberta. And 11 per cent said “We’re staying at home, thanks.”
That means 76 per cent of the more than 340 respondents who replied to the Edify poll are not ready to leave the country.
Of course, this may be affected by the fact that the Edmonton International Airport is not one of the designated Canadian airports that can handle international flights during the COVID pandemic. Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto have the only four airports that can currently take in international flights. So, even though we may be vaccinated, there are still questions about quarantines, restrictions and flight availability that will likely lead many of us to think that, heck, going to the Rockies or the Pacific coast is a pretty good idea in terms of 2021 travel plans.
