Registration Number: POR-090-17
Contract #: 08242-170471/001/CY
Contract Award Date: 2018-02-06
Contract Value: $149,992.36

Final Report
CONSULAR POLICY AND PROGRAMS

Prepared for
Global Affairs Canada
Kristin.Plater@international.gc.ca

May 25, 2018

Prepared by
The Strategic Counsel
21 St. Clair Ave E., Ste. 800
Toronto, Ontario M4T 1L9
Tel: (416) 975-4465 Fax: (416) 975-1883
Email: info@thestrategiccounsel.com
Website: www.thestrategiccounsel.com
Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français.

CONSULAR POLICY AND PROGRAMS

Final Report

Prepared for: Global Affairs Canada
Supplier Name: The Strategic Counsel
April 2018

This public opinion research report presents the results of an digital survey and focus groups conducted by The Strategic Counsel on behalf of Global Affairs Canada. The research study was conducted with 846 travellers and 96 focus group participants between February and April 2018.

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre: Rapport final - POLITIQUES ET PROGRAMMES CONSULAIRES.

This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Public Services and Procurement Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Public Services and Procurement Canada at: tpsgc.questions-questions.pwgsc@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca or at:

Communications Branch
Public Services and Procurement Canada
Portage III Tower A
16A1-11 Laurier Street
Gatineau QC K1A 0S5

Catalogue Number:
FR5-142/2018E-PDF
International Standard Book Number (ISBN):
978-0-660-26364-9

Executive Summary.......................... 4

Background and Objectives.................... 5
Methodology...................................... 6
Key Findings.................................... 7

The Current Trip, General International Travel Patterns and Experience ............ 7
Trip Planning and Preparation............ 8
Awareness, Use and Interpretation of Travel Advisories and Other Government Services for Those Travelling Abroad............ 9
Familiarity with and Expectations of Consular Services............ 10

Conclusions and Recommendations........................ 11

Objectives and Methodology.......................... 13

Background .................... 5
Research Objectives ................14
Methodology.................................... 15

Quantitative Component............................. 15
Qualitative Component............................. 15

Findings from Quantitative Research: Survey of International Travellers................... 18

Travel Patterns in the Last 5 Years............................. 19

Number of Trips Abroad................................. 19
Destinations Travelled To......................... 20
Purpose of Trips Taken Abroad.................... 21
Length of Time Travelling Abroad.................. 22

About the Current Trip.................... 22

Current Destination.................... 22
Previous Travel to Current Destination.................... 23
Purpose of Current Trip.................... 24

Expected Length of Time Abroad On Current Trip.................... 25
Travelling Alone or With Others.................... 25

Trip Planning.................... 27

Preparation.................... 27
Planning for Travel to an Unknown Destination.................... 28
Planning for the Current Trip................... 29
Types of Activities Planned for the Current Trip................ 31
Timelines for Booking the Current Trip................... 32
Purchasing Flights and Accommodations........... 32

Use of Technology while Travelling.................... 34
Sources of Travel Information.................... 36

Likely Actions Taken by Travellers Who Need Help When Abroad.................... 36
Sources of Information on Safety and Security.................... 37
Awareness and Use of Travel Advisories.................... 40
Interest in Government of Canada Travel App.................... 42

Awareness of and Support to Canadians Travelling Abroad.................... 43

Familiarity with Consular Services and Support.................... 43
Role of the Government of Canada Assisting Canadians Travelling Abroad.................... 45
Performance of Government in Providing Assistance to Canadians Travelling Abroad.................... 46

Perceptions of Consular Service Delivery.................... 47

Confidence in Ability to Quickly Access Consular Officials.................... 47
Likely Methods of Contacting Consular Officials.................... 47
Expectations of Assistance to Travellers.................... 48
Interactions and Experience with Consular Services.................... 49

Findings from Qualitative Research: Focus Groups with the Public and Travel Professionals.................... 52

Planning International Travel.................... 53

Views of the Travelling Public.................... 53
Views of Travel Professionals.................... 60

Expectations Regarding Government Support.................... 62

Situations in Which Canadians Abroad Might Require Assistance from the Government of Canada.................... 62
Expected Levels of Service from the Government of Canada.................... 64>
Awareness and Understanding of Consular Services.................... 66
Views on Vulnerable Groups.................... 66

Awareness and Credibility of Information from the Government of Canada.................... 67

Credibility of Government of Canada Information on International Travel.................... 67
Preferred Channels for Obtaining Information.................... 68
Awareness of Specific Products.................... 69
Views on Tailoring Information for Vulnerable Groups.................... 70

Assessment of Travel Advisories.................... 71

Awareness and Use.................... 71
Interpretation of Travel Advisories and Risk Levels.................... 72
Suggestions for Improving Travel Advisories.................... 73

Appendix: Research Instruments.................... 75

Questionnaires.................... 76

English Version.................... 76
French Version.................... 88

Recruitment Screeners ....................101

Travelling Public – English.................... 101
Travelling Public – French.................... 105
Travel Professionals – English.................... 109
Travel Professionals – French.................... 111

Moderator’s Guide.................... 114

Travelling Public – English.................... 114
Travelling Public – French.................... 119
Travel Professionals – English ....................124
Travel Professionals – French.................... 129

I. Executive Summary

Executive Summary

The Strategic Counsel (TSC) is pleased to provide this report to Global Affairs Canada (GAC) following completion of a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research study among Canadian citizens who travel internationally for business and/or pleasure, as well as other types of activities such as volunteer commitments or study, as well as with travel professionals. The 2018 study provides an update to previous research studies undertaken by The Strategic Counsel with Canadians traveling internationally in 2007 and 2008, although the current study contains many new areas of questioning to reflect a significant refocusing of the research objectives.

A. Background and Objectives

The number of Canadians traveling abroad has been steadily increasing, up 21% from ten years ago, and the destinations to which they travel are more diversified. According to recently available statistics, Canadians made 32.5 million overnight trips outside the country in 2015, of which 82% were for leisure. ¹ While many Canadians continue to travel frequently to the United States (which remains the top travel destination for those traveling outside Canada), as well as the ‘sun’ destinations (i.e., Mexico and the Caribbean) and Europe, travel to less familiar and more remote parts of the world is also on the rise. A growing proportion of Canadians are now travelling to the Asia/Pacific region – China, Hong Kong, Japan and Thailand are the most popular destinations in the region. Although it represents a smaller proportion of the overall travel market, adventure or experiential travel is also on the rise with increasing numbers of international travellers drawn to more exotic locations and wanting to incorporate activities involving a higher risk, such as mountain biking, rock climbing, deep sea diving or skydiving, into their vacation plans.

While most international trips are completely without incident, it is the role of the Government of Canada and specifically Consular Services within GAC to provide information to Canadian citizens on safe travel and to offer consular assistance should they find themselves in trouble while they are abroad. In keeping with the need to adapt to a changing consular environment and the evolving international travel patterns of Canadian citizens, GAC undertook to track and update the two public opinion research studies undertaken in 2007 and 2008, and which were also completed by The Strategic Counsel, with Canadian travellers and industry professionals.

The previous research concluded that Canadian travellers’ approach to trip planning is somewhat ad hoc and, while safety and security is a concern, less attention is paid to this aspect of trip planning compared to other aspects. In terms of key sources of information, the Government of Canada, while credible and generally seen as easy to find when needed, was viewed as a secondary source for both travellers and travel professionals, with many sourcing information from travel guides and Internet sites. Ultimately though, the Government of Canada was seen as travellers’ main resource in case of trouble when travelling abroad.

This current study continues to explore the behaviours, attitudes, needs and expectations of Canadian travellers a decade later. Combined, the qualitative and quantitative phases were designed to address a range of objectives, including:

Determining what sources of information Canadians require to make safer and smarter travel decisions and to explore how and when Canadians consume information to make travel decisions;
Evaluating which approach is best to provide assistance to Canadians;
Keeping Canada at the forefront of delivering its consular mandate;
Providing the Consular Bureau with direction to adapt to a changing environment; and
Informing GAC of Canadians’ attitudes and behaviours to international travel safety.

Results of this research will inform recommendations that will support government priorities while also benefitting Canadians. This research will allow GAC to develop an improved consular strategy that supports a better client experience for Canadians and safety for those abroad.

B. Methodology

This study was undertaken as a hybrid, qualitative-quantitative, research program. This mirrors the approach taken in 2007 and 2008, with some modifications in terms of defining the target audience for the research.

As a first phase, a series of 12 focus groups were conducted, each two hours in length, in five centers across Canada – Halifax, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal (in French) and Vancouver. Ten of the groups were conducted among the travelling public (2 in each center), defined as those aged 18 years and older who have travelled in the past two years and/or who plan to travel internationally within the next year. Groups were split by age, with one group undertaken among those aged 18 to 34 years and a second group in each location with those aged 35 and older. All groups comprised a mix of participants by gender, family composition, educational levels and household income. Care was also taken to ensure that the groups included participants having travelled to, or planning on travelling to, diverse destinations. In two of the five locations (Toronto and Montreal) an additional group was conducted with travel professionals (2 groups in total).

The reader should note that findings from qualitative research are not statistically reliable, and unlike national surveys, cannot be extrapolated to the broader target population with any degree of statistical validity. While participants are recruited in a manner that takes into account representation by key demographic characteristics, the groups cannot be positioned as representative of the broader travelling population. Nevertheless, focus groups are a highly effective research tool and remain a suitable methodology for the purpose and objectives of this research.

As the focus groups were being organized and completed, arrangements were also being made to conduct the quantitative phase of the research. This phase of the study involved face-to-face intercept interviews inside international departure areas at the Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal international airports. Interviewing was conducted on different days and times in each airport, depending on the blocks of time which were made available by each airport authority. A total of 846 interviews were completed with the travelling public between March 12 and April 2, 2018, and the average length of interview was approximately 15 minutes.

The survey was designed to target Canadians who were 18 years and older and who were travelling internationally. Additionally, soft quotas were established to ensure the sample included a cross-section by gender, age, and travel destination. Quotas were also put in place to ensure a sufficient number of responses from Francophones transiting through the Montreal Airport.

Readers should note that respondents to this survey are travelers flying by air to international destinations, based on soft quotas set and outlined above, and transiting through three specific airports (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver). A convenience or availability sampling approach was utilized which is a common sampling technique employed to reach highly targeted or specific audiences such as international air travelers. This sampling method involves reaching respondents wherever they can most conveniently be found (i.e., airports). As such, the results are not statistically projectable to all Canadians traveling internationally.

More details on both the qualitative and quantitative methodologies can be found in the Objectives and Methodology section of this report. The research instruments, including the recruiting script, moderator’s guide and the airport intercept survey, are contained in the Appendix.

C. Key Findings

1. The Current Trip, General International Travel Patterns and Experience

In terms of the current trip destination, soft quotas were administered to make sure that the survey captured a broad spectrum of travellers, by destination. This was done to avoid a high concentration of respondents travelling to the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean, as would likely have occurred with a more random, representative sampling approach. As such, the results are not necessarily reflective of the broader international travel patterns of Canadians. Close to one-in-five surveyed indicated they were travelling to the U.S. (20%) and Mexico/The Caribbean (22%). Just under two-thirds (60%) were travelling to other destinations mostly in Europe and Asia, including China (10%), France (7%), and the United Kingdom (7%). Smaller numbers were travelling to places such as Germany, Italy, India, Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines (about 3% in each case).
A significant share of respondents said they were travelling abroad on their own. Although a slightly higher proportion of men travel solo, this was also true for over one-third of women. Those travelling by themselves also tend to be somewhat younger. By contrast, people aged 55 and older were most likely to be travelling with other family members.
In the 10+ years that has elapsed since the previous surveys were undertaken, the 2018 findings reveal that, overall, Canadians appear to be travelling abroad with greater frequency. While in 2008 just over one-quarter (27%) of respondents said they had taken 6 or more trips abroad within the last 5 years, half (50%) now say the same in 2018.
Moreover, and as noted in other travel statistics, the more popular international travel destinations continue to be the United States, Mexico/the Caribbean, and Europe. In 2008 we noted an increase, relative to 2007, in those who cited having travelled to the U.S. and the ‘sun’ destinations in the last 5 years. The uptick in travel to the U.S. between 2007 and 2008 may have, in part, been driven by increased cross-border business activity. In 2018, this pattern holds. Although, overall, a small percentage of those surveyed (11%) indicated that the majority of their travel over the last 5 years was for business, this group was more likely to report having travelled to the United States.
Beyond the U.S., destinations travelled to are also a factor of where respondents reside in Canada. This is understandable given that some destinations are easier and less expensive to travel to depending on the point of origin. For example, the 2018 results show that the Caribbean is a more popular destination among residents of central and eastern Canada, while those on the west coast are more likely to have travelled to Mexico and Northern Asia.
Most respondents would likely consider themselves to be reasonably ‘experienced travellers.’ Many of those surveyed were familiar with their destination in that they had travelled to it at least a few times before. A relatively small proportion, under one-third (28%), had never travelled to their current destination before. And, fewer than one-in-ten indicated this was their first trip abroad (4%), or that they had not travelled abroad in the last 5 years (3%).
As in 2008, the average length of trips is generally about 1 to 2 weeks, although over one-third of those travelling abroad typically plan trips which take them overseas for a period of 3 weeks or more. At the same time, we also note a slight increase in those indicating their trips abroad are usually under a week (from 3% in 2008 to 9% in 2018). Although a higher proportion of shorter trips are taken by business travellers, comments from participants in the focus groups suggested that there is a segment of the travelling public who are more inclined to plan their trips in a highly spontaneous fashion, hoping to take advantage of ‘last-minute’ deals for airfare and accommodation.

2. Trip Planning and Preparation

The planning window for a trip abroad can be anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks to upwards of 3 months, depending on the destination, nature and purpose of the trip. Travellers rely on a variety of resources when planning and booking – online travel reservation services, especially other travellers comments, friends and family experience, airlines, and travel agents. It is important to note that while many travellers undertake much of their research online, using booking services such as Expedia and TripAdvisor (the latter was mentioned more often in focus groups than it was in the survey), there is a segment of travellers (29%) who continue to rely on the services of travel agents. While the extent to which travel agents utilize the resources of www.travel.gc.ca, receive travel alerts, and share information about safe travel varies, they remain a key conduit through to their clients and the travelling public in general.
For the most part, the degree to which travellers prepare for their trips and the steps taken in planning international travel are fairly consistent, regardless of the nature or purpose of the trip. Notably, the results for 2018 show that travellers are generally taking more steps to prepare for a trip abroad to a destination with which they are not familiar than they were in 2008. In particular, many more now arrange for health or travel insurance (almost double what was found in 2008, from 27% to 49%), and of those who do, almost three-quarters are familiar with the terms, conditions and exclusions of their coverage. Overall, these results suggest that international travellers are paying more attention to these types of details. There are, however, significant age differences in that this practice is more common among people aged 55 and older.
In a broader context, and on a somewhat cautionary note, we found a slight uptick (7-point increase since 2008) in the number of travellers who now say that it’s impossible to anticipate what might arise when travelling abroad so their general approach is to handle situations as they arise, and a corresponding decline in those who say it’s more important to be prepared. Overall, however, the majority (58%) prefer to be prepared. Again, however, views are age dependent: younger people, and those travelling with friends are more likely to take the approach of addressing situations when they come up, while older people and those travelling with family members are more inclined to want to be prepared.
In both the survey and focus groups, travellers indicated that their first order of business when planning a trip is usually booking flights and accommodations, in addition to checking the weather, and giving some thought to the types of activities and attractions they may wish to incorporate into their itinerary. Since cost is a key consideration, travellers tend to focus first on those items which, combined, represent the largest share of the overall cost of the trip. In focus groups, we heard that for many travellers it is important to at least have the first night’s accommodation booked when travelling abroad. This provides a sense of reassurance upon arriving at the destination. After that, some travellers seem prepared to ‘play it by ear,’ an approach which is more common among younger travellers and those who tend to book on the spur of the moment.
Additionally, this year’s results show an increase in the number of travellers who say they check travel advisories when travelling to a destination with which they are not familiar (up from 20% in 2007 and 21% in 2008, to 31% in 2018). Nevertheless, it is important to note that this particular step remains a common practice for just under one-third of international travellers. In focus groups, participants did flag safety and security issues among the considerations when selecting a destination and planning a trip abroad, but the majority tend to rely on information and recommendations from friends and family who have been to the location for advice, Google searches and online tourist information provided by the regional or state government or tourist bureau to put context around any official information they receive. It was clear that many participants tended to land on a Government of Canada travel advisory inadvertently, while conducting their search, rather than having actively sought it out.
Less planning is generally involved for those travelling to the U.S., Mexico or the Caribbean and, in particular, there appears to be less concern about safety and security issues with the exception of those travellers who are accompanied by younger children. Focus group participants were of the view that, should an issue arise, they could more readily return to Canada from these destinations. The same approach or mindset exists for those travelling to destinations where they have friends or family or where there are no significant language barriers.

3. Awareness, Use and Interpretation of Travel Advisories and Other Government Services for Those Travelling Abroad

As noted above, the Internet, and specifically Google, is the predominant source for information on safety and security when travellers are considering a destination with which they are less familiar. Many are generally, although not specifically, aware of travel advisories. However, in focus groups, it was clear that many travellers are less likely to seek out this information than they are to rely on what they hear in the news about destinations where events (i.e., political or civil unrest, criminal activity, natural disasters) may preclude their travelling to a particular country or region. Travel professionals refer to the travel advisories more regularly and some have signed up for alerts.
Some degree of confusion exists with regards to the source of travel advisories – while the majority believe these are produced by the Government of Canada, a significant proportion of travellers (about two-in-five) believe that these advisories are put out by the destination country, travel agents, tour operators and travel guides, among other sources.
Findings from the survey and focus groups are consistent in terms of the impact of travel advisories on travellers’ plans. Very few have changed their plans or say they would be likely to change their plans, especially once they have booked. Additional feedback in focus groups underscored that many feel it is in the Government’s interest to take a more conservative or cautious approach when it comes to assessing risk. This is not necessarily a serious criticism of Government as most focus group participants believe the Government should highlight minor as well as major risks for Canadians travelling abroad. Nevertheless, the tendency is to view the information provided in travel advisories with some degree of skepticism and to take additional steps to gather more information about the nature and extent of any risk.
At the same time, travellers do interpret the term ‘travel advisory’ as meaning strong guidance or a recommendation to avoid travel to certain locations, although about one-quarter of those surveyed took it merely as advice. That being said, when participants in focus groups were given an opportunity to review a sample travel advisory (i.e., Lebanon), the ensuing discussion did ultimately generate more mixed views regarding the interpretation of the risk assessment and the impact of a travel advisory. While many would seek additional information from other sources (i.e., people in the region, others who have travelled to the destination), there was a greater tendency to rethink travel plans based on a risk assessment indicating travellers should either exercise a high degree of caution or avoid all travel.
With respect to the content and format of travel advisories, focus group participants had a number of suggestions to offer. In general, many feel that government websites tend to be cluttered and text-heavy, although, at the same time, they appreciate the extent of information and coverage of various topics. Nevertheless, incorporating more visual cues or icons would help the user to more quickly sort through the information and find what is relevant. A strong recommendation to include a map of the region/country was put forward as many find it difficult to understand to what extent an advisory applies to part or all of the region, especially when it is a country or region they have little knowledge of.
Based on comments made in focus groups, few travellers appear to be aware of the free service known as Registration of Canadians Abroad, which allows the Government of Canada to notify travellers in case of an emergency abroad or a personal emergency at home as well as for the traveler to receive information before or during significant incidents such as a natural disaster or civil unrest. Although the survey results indicate that those who are working or volunteering abroad are more likely to use this service, overall, very few travellers registered for their current trip or indicated they generally do so when planning a trip overseas. While awareness of this service was higher among travel professionals, it was by no means ubiquitous.
Interest in the Government of Canada’s Travel Smart App is relatively high, particularly among the group aged 35 to 54, but also younger travellers and those travelling with minor dependents. Participants in focus groups, including travellers and travel professionals, while unaware of the App, were enthusiastic when provided with additional information. As most do travel with a smart phone and utilize Wi-Fi in cafes, restaurants and hotels, there was interest in being able to access information and receive updates on an as-needed basis. Travel professionals were also positively disposed to the App and, with more information, would likely promote it to their clients.

4. Familiarity with and Expectations of Consular Services

While few travellers are directly familiar with Consular Services, and very few of those surveyed (or in focus groups) have had an actual interaction with Consular Services, most believe they could readily contact the Canadian Embassy or Consulate if the need arose. Although in the focus groups, many participants indicated they would attempt to troubleshoot the majority of issues themselves, in the survey over half (59%) said they would turn to the Canadian Embassy or Consulate for assistance, typically by telephone or in-person, depending on where the office was located. Contacting the local police, calling home or seeking assistance from friends, family or the hotel staff in their location were also mentioned as options.
Travellers are not broadly familiar with the full range of services and support offered by Consular Services. In both the focus groups and the survey, travellers were most likely to believe that the main function of Consular Services is to assist travellers who have misplaced their passport or had it stolen, as well as to provide assistance to travellers affected by a natural or civil disaster. With further prompting, travellers also believe services and support are available through the Embassy or Consulate to those who have been detained by local authorities. Notably, however, about one-quarter or more also felt that Consular Services would provide assistance to travellers of a general nature about the country in which they were travelling or about Canada, offer a safe haven if required, provide document services and/or notification if there has been a death in the family.
The format for the focus groups created an opportunity for a much more in-depth discussion about travellers’ expectations with respect to Consular Services’ standards and quality. Expectations are high that services will be available 24/7, and that they should be easily located and accessible across multiple channels (telephone, in-person, e-mail) as well as broadly available to Canadians regardless of their predicament or the extent to which the traveler him or herself may be responsible for the circumstance in which they find themselves. There is an expectation that Consular officials will be able to quickly triage their issue and direct them appropriately. Travellers also expect officials to behave in a professional and empathetic manner – without necessarily pre-judging or pre-determining fault. In particular, they expect service to be delivered in a timely fashion. In the most likely situation of a lost or stolen passport, most feel this should be resolved within a few days or, at most, a week. At a minimum, travellers assume that Consular officials will begin to make some headway on their issue almost immediately, even if an actual resolution takes several days.
Some groups of travellers are clearly viewed as being more vulnerable than others and, thus, may be more likely to find themselves in situations where they require assistance from Consular Services: younger, inexperienced travellers, the elderly, women and disabled people. At the same time, the general consensus is that all Canadian travellers should expect to receive the same level of service from Consular officials, although there may be a need to provide more targeted information to these vulnerable groups in order to make them more aware of and alert to risks.
The Government of Canada and Consular Services are rated positively on key performance metrics. Just over half of respondents rated the government positively (51% gave a rating of 7-10 on a 10-point scale) in terms of the services and support Canadians receive from the Government when they are travelling abroad, although one-third (33%) did not know enough to be able to rate the Government in this regard. A similar proportion of travellers have reasonably high levels of confidence (57% gave a rating of 7-10 on a 10-point scale) that they would be able to quickly access a Consular official if needed.

D. Conclusions and Recommendations

The findings from the 2018 study underscore continued opportunities to inform and educate Canadians about safe and smart travel when they are planning a trip abroad. In particular, efforts should be made to raise awareness of the Government of Canada resources that exist, including travel advice and advisories, the Registration of Canadians Abroad database and the Travel Smart App. Overall, travellers and travel professionals are positively disposed to all of these tools or resources, but are simply unaware of their existence.

To the extent that more content and interactive tools can be made available as part of the Travel Smart Mobile App, and then promoted widely, there is likely to be reasonable uptake especially among the group of younger (and typically less experienced) travellers. Travellers want information and resources at their fingertips.

Social media channels in particular provide a more direct route to connect with and inform specific groups of travellers about safe travel tips and information, and data shows that penetration and use of these channels is likely to grow. Recent statistics indicate that, “by the end of 2017, approximately 22.7 million Canadians had a social media account, a number that has grown by 300,000 annually for the past 2 years … 64% of Canadians have an account on a major social network (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or Instagram) … two-thirds of Canadian social media users use their accounts every day.” ² Given these trends, the opportunities for public sector and government officials to engage with a broad spectrum of the public and various online communities, including travellers, has been and is likely to continue growing.

Any awareness-raising activities should keep in mind specific segments of travellers – younger, inexperienced, those travelling alone, the elderly and disabled persons, among other groups such as those travelling with minors – as well as the ways in which travellers and travel professionals are now undertaking much of their travel research, most of which is conducted online. Promotional strategies should incorporate a significant online component, targeting sites such as TripAdvisor and Expedia, and other online booking services.

Travellers are, in general, fairly self-sufficient, but this may lead to a sense of over-confidence. Few anticipate that they will find themselves in a situation where they may need assistance from the Government of Canada while they are travelling overseas and many believe that they could readily find and locate Consular Services if assistance was required. Travellers need to be reminded of the simple steps they can take to ensure their trips are safe. They also need to be reminded that the same steps apply regardless of the length of their trip, the purpose or the destination.

There are also opportunities for further outreach to travel professionals, specifically at trade shows or through their associations to ensure that they are effectively utilizing and actively promoting Government of Canada resources to their clients. Similarly, it is important to consider an outreach strategy to tour operators and those offering vacation packages or ‘all-inclusive’ deals given their popularity and the fact that some travellers book these types of trips quite spontaneously and are, therefore, even less likely to think about safety and security considerations.

Travellers expect and believe they will receive timely and appropriate emergency consular assistance should they find themselves in some sort of distress while they are abroad. Raising awareness of the 24/7 assistance that is available to Canadian citizens travelling overseas would be reassuring, while at the same time it is important to ground any messaging within the context of ‘responsible travel’ to ensure that Canadians remain aware and vigilant of their personal responsibility.

MORE INFORMATION
Supplier Name: The Strategic Counsel
PWGSC Contract Number: 08242-170471/001/CY
Contract Award Date: 2018-02-06
Contract Budget: $149,992.36
To obtain more information on this study, please e-mail Kristin.Plater@international.gc.ca.

Statement of Political Neutrality
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of The Strategic Counsel that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.

Signed:

Donna Nixon, Partner

Objectives and Methodology

A. Background

As the number of Canadians travelling abroad has been steadily increasing, up 21% from ten years ago, and the destinations Canadians are travelling to have diversified, a better understanding of how Canadians receive information while travelling abroad is crucial. In keeping with the need to adapt to a changing consular environment, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) undertook to update its public opinion research studies last undertaken in 2007 and 2008 with Canadian travellers and industry professionals.

Previous qualitative focus groups and airport intercepts were undertaken just over 10 years ago and that research concluded that:

Canadian travellers exhibit a somewhat improvised approach to trip planning. While they take most key administrative steps needed for their travels and pay attention to many important safety and security issues, they do so in a somewhat disorganized manner, increasing the chances of skipping key steps.
The Government of Canada is seen as a highly credible and useful source of information on international travel, particularly on safety and security issues. Nevertheless, it remains a secondary source for Canadian travellers and travel professionals as many prefer to use what they see as more convenient, easy-to-use sources, such as travel guides and various Internet sites.
Travellers and travel agents have a generally positive view of Government of Canada’s communications material on international travel. While some expressed reservations about the travel.gc.ca web site, a majority believe these communications tools to be well-designed and credible.
A majority of respondents stated that they had encountered international travel information emanating from the Government of Canada, even if briefly, and believe they could find it if they wanted to.
Most travellers see the Government of Canada as their main resource in case of trouble when travelling abroad.

B. Research Objectives

The purpose of the 2018 research program was to continue to explore the behaviours, attitudes, needs and expectations of Canadian travellers almost a decade later. The main objectives of the research were to:

Determine what sources of information Canadians require to make safer and smarter travel decisions and to explore how and when Canadians consume information to make travel decisions.
Evaluate which approach is best to provide assistance to Canadians
Keep Canada at the forefront of delivering its consular mandate
Provide the Consular Bureau with direction to adapt to a changing environment
To inform GAC of Canadian attitudes and behaviours to international travel safety

Results of this research will be used to inform recommendations that will support government priorities while also benefitting Canadians. This research will allow GAC to develop an new consular strategy that supports an improved client experience for Canadians and safety for Canadian citizens when they are abroad.

C. Methodology

The study was undertaken as a hybrid, quantitative-qualitative, research program. The study design was similar to that undertaken in 2008 although some important changes have been made and are noted below.

1. Quantitative Component

The quantitative phase of this study involved conducting intercepts inside international departure areas at the Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal international airports. A total of 846 interviews were completed with the travelling public. The intercepts were undertaken between March 12 and April 2, 2018 and the average length of interview was about 15 minutes.

Interviewing was conducted on different days and times in each airport, depending on timing made available by each airport authority. Details can be found in the chart provided below. Authorization was provided at each airport and security passes were issued for on-site interviewing by each airport authority.

Airport	Dates (2018)	Times	Number of Completions
Toronto	March 17, 19, 20, 21	6am-2pm, 3pm-11pm	274
Vancouver	March 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 31 April 2	7 am-11 pm	271
Montreal	March 27, 28 , 29, 31 April 2	1am-1pm, 3pm-10pm	301

The survey was designed to target Canadians aged 18 years and older who are travelling internationally. In order to ensure information was collected from international travellers as opposed to those travelling within Canada, the interviews took place beyond the security screening areas inside the international departure area.

Soft quotas were set to ensure the final sample was representative by gender, age, and travel destination as per the chart below. Additional quotas were also put in place to ensure a sufficient number of responses from Francophones transiting through the Montreal Airport. Given that a series of soft quotas for gender, age and destination were monitored and achieved, there was no requirement to weight the data in this study.

Demographic	Quota Set	Actual Completions
Gender	50% Men 50% Women	50% Men 50% Women
Age	18-34% = 27% 35-54 = 34% 55+ = 39%	18-34% = 28% 55+ = 38%
Destination	United States = 20% (1/5) Caribbean/Mexico = 20% (1/5) All Other Destinations = 60% (3/5)	United States = 20% Caribbean/Mexico = 22% All Other Destinations = 60%

The final sample includes those who self-selected for participation. In any survey, there is the potential for non-response bias exists and typically the final sample is compared with Census or other data to assess the degree to which it reflects the target audience in terms of key demographic characteristics. In this case, such a comparison is not possible given the implementation of soft quotas, particularly age and destination, which means the final sample may not be reflective of the broader international air travel patterns or demographic characteristics of Canadians who travel overseas.However, attempts have been made to reduce non-response bias by ensuring that interviews were undertaken at different times of the day, on different days of the week, and at different gates and at different locations past the security gates within each airport in order to encourage participation from as wide a range of air travelers as possible.

The response rate for the quantitative component of the research is 24.44%.This is calculated according toindustry standards using the Empirical Method calculation as follows:

	N
Total attempts	3789
UNRESOLVED (U)*	0
IN SCOPE NON-RESPONDING (IS)	2863
Refusals	2739
Break-offs (interview not completed)	124
IN SCOPE RESPONDING (R)	926
Disqualified/Quote filled	80
Completed	846
RESPONSE RATE [R / (U + IS + R)]	24.44%

* As an intercept methodology was used for this study, unresolved responses were difficult to track. Any traveller who did not speak to the field team directly (i.e. walked away) is not included in the calculation above.

2. Qualitative Component

A series of 12 focus groups were conducted in 5 major Canadian cities identified as points of origin for many international travellers. As outlined in the chart below, the groups were held across the country in Halifax (February 27th), Toronto (March 1st), Calgary (March 7th), Montreal (March 8th) and Vancouver (March 8th). Of the 12 groups, 9 were moderated in English and 3 in French (in Montreal).

Each focus group was two hours in length and these were held among two targeted subgroups as follows:

Travelling Public: General public participants who have travelled in the past two years or who plan to travel internationally within the next year.
Travel Professionals: In two locations, Toronto and Montreal (French) an additional group was undertaken with travel agents to gauge their usage and views of the Consular Services provided by Global Affairs Canada.

A total of 8 participants were recruited for each group, assuming that 6 to 8 participants would attend each group. Each participant received an honorarium in respect of their time, $90 for the travelling public and $150 for travel professionals.

The recruitment screeners and moderator’s guides can be referenced in the Appendix.

Date

City

Profile

Time

Tuesday

Feb 27/18

Halifax

Travelling public:

18-34 year olds

35-55+ year olds

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

Thursday

March 1/18

Toronto

Travel agents/Travel Professionals

Travelling public:

18-34 year olds

35-55+ year olds

12:30 pm

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

Wednesday

March 7/18

Calgary

Travelling public

18-34 year olds

35-55+ year olds

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

Thursday

March 8/18

Montreal

Travel agents/Travel Professionals

Travelling public:

18-34 year olds

35-55+ year olds

12:30 pm

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

Thursday

March 8/18

Vancouver

Travelling public:

18-34 year olds

35-55+ year olds

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

Composition of Groups with Travelling Public

In each location, two groups were composed of members of the public who were screened to ensure that they had travelled abroad at least once in the last two years and/or planned to travel abroad within the next year.

The travelling public groups were also divided into two age categories of 18 to 34 and 35 or older. The division by age group generally aligned with the methodology from 2008, whereby findings suggested a clear age gap in sources of information and attitudes towards international travel and Consular Services.

Additional qualifying criteria included:

Canadian citizenship
Travelled outside of Canada in the past two years and/or intent to travel outside Canada in the coming year

In addition to this mandatory criteria, recruitment also took into consideration the frequency of travel, type of travel, travel destinations and the amount spent on travel outside of Canada. Screeners attempted to ensure that there was good mix of participants in each group by gender, educational attainment, and household income. To the extent possible, attempts were made to include some individuals within each group who had dual citizenship.

Composition of Groups with Travel Professionals

In Montreal and Toronto, a third group was undertaken with travel industry professionals. To maximize the representative nature of the groups, travel agents were screened for the following criteria:

Senior travel professionals, with at least one year of full-time experience working as a travel agent and at least half having more than 5 years of such work experience;

The majority in each group specializing in consumer (vs corporate) travel

A good mix of those who book for a variety of international travel destinations

A good mix of travel professionals who do and do not belong to travel associations/networks

Findings from the Airport Intercepts with International Travellers

A. Travel Patterns in the Last 5 Years

Prior to asking a series of questions specifically pertaining to the current trip, respondents were asked about their general travel patterns over the last 5 years. This data is useful in developing a set of traveller profiles and, in later sections of this report, the reader will note there are differences in attitudes and behaviors regarding international travel planning and preparation according to the frequency of travel (a proxy for the degree to which individuals can be considered to be more/less experienced travelers). This is also, not unexpectedly, directly correlated with age.

1. Number of Trips Abroad

At the outset of the survey respondents were asked about their experience travelling internationally over the last five years. Just under one-third (31%) suggested by their response that they are fairly experienced travellers, having taken 10 or more trips within the last five years. Almost half of those surveyed (49%) have taken anywhere between 3 to 5 (30%) or 6 to 9 trips (19%) in the last 5 years. Relatively few have taken just 1 to 2 trips abroad (12%) and even fewer say this is their first trip (4%) or that they have not travelled abroad in the last 5 years (3%).

As such, most of those surveyed could be considered as reasonably experienced international travellers. In fact, compared to the findings in 2008, a higher proportion of respondents to the 2018 survey have travelled 6 or more times in the last 5 years (50% versus 27%).

NUMBER OF TRIPS TAKEN IN THE LAST 5 YEARS

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	850	817	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
1-2	21	25	12	13	11	15	10	11	12	14
3-5	32	36	30	31	29	31	29	30	26	44
6-9	36*	27*	19	17	20	19	20	17	19	16
10+			31	32	30	22	35	34	35	16
Don’t Know	<1	<1	2	1	2	2	2	2	2	3
This is my first trip abroad	11	13	4	3	5	7	3	3	4	3
Had not travelled in the past 5 years			3	3	3	3	3	3	2	4

Q1. TOTAL NUMBER OF TRIPS - In the last 5 years, approximately how many separate trips have you taken outside Canada to each of the following regions? (Q3 in 2007/2008) Thinking about the past five years, about how many times have you travelled outside of Canada and the U.S.? * Percentage is 6-9 and 10+ combined

There are some variations of note:

Younger travellers (aged 18-34) tend to be less experienced in terms of recent international travel, with a larger proportion of this group having only taken one or two international trips within the last five years (23%) or saying this was their first trip abroad (7%).
More experienced travellers are found more predominantly among those with higher levels of educational attainment – those with a university education report having taken between 6-9 (22%) or 10 or more (36%) international trips within the last five years.
Not surprisingly, business travellers are also likely to have travelled more frequently, with the majority (53%) stating they have taken 10 or more trips within the last five years.

2. Destinations Travelled To

Canadian travellers have visited a wide range of international destinations over the last five years. In keeping with the results of the 2008 survey, the findings show that the main destinations reflect common travel patterns for Canadians overall, with significant numbers of those surveyed having visited the United States (72%), the Caribbean/Mexico (64%), and Europe (40%) in the last five years.

However, we do note a slight shift in travel destinations with fewer reporting that their recent trips abroad have included travel to Northern Asia, or South/Central America.

DESTINATIONS TRAVELLED TO WITHIN THE LAST 5 YEARS

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	760	709	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
United States	65	72	72	74	70	70	74	71	75	62
Mexico/Caribbean	44	66	64	62	69	60	69	64	61	57
Europe	73	56	40	36	44	37	38	44	41	36
Northern Asia	25	20	15	16	15	15	19	13	16	12
Southeast Asia	19	16	15	16	14	14	18	13	17	8
South/Central America	33	22	10	10	10	9	10	10	11	7
Australia/New Zealand	9	6	9	9	9	10	7	9	9	8
The Middle East	11	7	7	8	6	8	9	5	7	8
Africa	10	7	5	5	5	5	4	5	5	3

Q1. DESTINATIONS - In the last 5 years, approximately how many separate trips have you taken outside Canada to each of the following regions? (Q6 in 2007/2008) And to which parts of the world have you travelled in the past 5 years?

There are some significant differences in destinations travelled to, by region of residence:

Residents living in British Columbia are the most likely to have travelled to the United States (86%), Mexico (45%) and Northern Asia (23%).
Those residing in the Atlantic provinces (56%), Ontario (41%) and Quebec (33%) are more likely to have mentioned travelling to the Caribbean in the last 5 years.
Residents of the Atlantic region (16%) are also somewhat more likely to have travelled to Africa.

Other subgroup differences include:

Respondents travelling for business purposes are more likely to report going to the U.S (84%) and this is also true for those whose typical stay abroad was cited as being less than one week (90%).

3. Purpose of Trips Taken Abroad

When asked about the general purpose of their travel abroad over the last five years, in line with the results of the 2008 survey, most (80% vs. 78% in 2008) mention that their trips were primarily taken for pleasure or leisure. Among these respondents, one-in-ten (10%) were visiting their country of heritage, while fewer (4%) were travelling to their country of nationality for which they have dual citizenship.

One-in-ten respondents (11%) mentioned that they typically travel for business, which is comparable to what was found in 2008 (9%), and a small percentage (6%) say that their travel combines both business and pleasure. Those whose travel in the last five years has primarily been related to volunteer work or studying abroad (2%) did not make up a significant proportion of the final sample.

PURPOSE OF TRAVEL ABROAD IN THE LAST 5 YEARS

(Single Mention)

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	760	709	842	423	419	232	292	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
BUSINESS	11	9	11	16	6	8	18	7	12	9
NET - PLEASURE/LEISURE	75	78	80	73	86	79	72	87	81	74
Pleasure / Leisure	-	-	65	60	71	70	57	69	68	55
Visiting your country of heritage for which you are not a dual citizen	-	-	10	8	12	6	12	10	9	11
Travelling to your other country of nationality for which you are a dual citizen	-	-	4	6	3	3	3	7	3	8
Family/Visiting family	-	-	<1	<1	<1	<1	-	1	<1	1
NET - VOLUNTEER/STUDYING ABROAD	-	-	2	2	1	4	1	-	2	2
Volunteer work abroad	-	-	1	1	<1	1	1	-	1	1
Studying abroad	-	-	1	2	<1	3	<1	-	1	2
BUSINESS AND PERSONAL	13	11	6	8	5	6	8	5	5	13
Don’t Know / No Answer	-	2	1	<1	2	3	<1	1	1	1

Q2. And, has the purpose of these trips been mostly related to …? (Q4 in 2007/2008) And when you travel abroad, is it generally for business, or generally for personal reasons?

Across demographic groups and regions, we note some variability in terms of the purpose of travel abroad:

Not surprisingly, older respondents, aged 55 and over (87%) are most likely to have been travelling for pleasure in contrast to those aged 35 to 54 (18%) who are most likely to report travelling primarily for business.
Women (86%) are more likely to say their travel abroad has been primarily for pleasure, compared to men (73%). The flip side of this is that men (16%) are more likely to have been travelling on business versus women (6%).
By region, respondents residing in the Prairies (89%) and in British Columbia/Northern Canada (84%) are more likely to have partaken in leisure travel. Ontarians (15%) are among those who are more likely to say their travel over the last five years has been primarily for business purposes.

4. Length of Time Travelling Abroad

The majority (58%) of respondents indicated their trips abroad average one to two weeks. Still, a significant proportion (18%) say they travel between 3 to 4 weeks. Trips shorter or much longer than that are not as common. One-in-ten (9%) say their trips have typically been under one week while slightly more (13%) say they typically travel for up to 3 months. Those who are abroad for a much longer period, more than 3 months (1%), represent a very small percentage of international travellers.

TYPICAL LENGTH OF TRIP ABROAD

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	760	709	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
<1 week	5	3	9	12	7	12	12	5	10	6
1-2 weeks	58	69	58	59	57	61	62	53	57	63
3-4 weeks	37*	27*	18	15	21	15	15	22	17	20
Up to 3 months			13	13	12	7	11	19	14	8
More than 3 months			1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Don’t Know / No Answer	<1	<1	2	1	2	5	<1	1	2	2
Mean (days)	18	19	16	17	16	15	14	19	17	14

Q3. When you travel abroad, what is the typical length of your trip, in days? (Q5 in 2007/2008) And when you travel abroad, what would be a typical length of your trip, in days?
* Percentage is 3-4 weeks, Up to 3 months, more than 3 months combined

The demographic variations, with respect to length of trip abroad, align closely with variations found in terms of the purpose of the trip:

A slightly larger proportion of men are more likely to take shorter trips (12% travel for less than one week), whereas women report taking lengthier trips abroad (21% between 3-4 weeks).
Older respondents (55+) tend to travel for longer periods of time, such as 3-4 weeks (22%) or even up to 3 months (19%).
More experienced travellers are also more likely to say that they generally have travelled for longer periods of time.

B. About the Current Trip

1. Current Destination

With respect to their current travel plans, those surveyed were heading off to a range of destinations. The reader should keep in mind that the chart below is not reflective of broader international travel patterns of Canadian citizens given that soft quotas were administered to ensure that the final sample included travellers taking trips to various regions or continents. The findings generally align with the results from 2008 in that a large proportion of travellers were destined for Western Europe (25%). Travellers were also destined for the Caribbean/Mexico/Cuba (22%), however this number has dropped significantly since the 2008 wave (41%). However, one-in-five (20%) of travellers included in the 2018 survey were heading to the United States, a destination which was excluded from the 2007 and 2008 survey design. Compared to 2008, slightly fewer were travelling to Northern Asia (15% vs. 22% in 2008).

DESTINATIONS ON CURRENT TRIP

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	850	817	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
WESTERN EUROPE	35	24	25	26	25	24	22	29	24	31
CARIBBEAN/MEXICO/CUBA	26	41	22	19	24	16	20	27	19	31
USA	-	-	20	20	20	22	22	17	20	19
NORTHERN ASIA	22	22	15	15	15	16	18	11	16	11
SOUTHEAST ASIA	5	10	10	10	10	12	11	8	13	1
MIDDLE EAST	5	3	4	5	3	6	5	3	5	2
AFRICA	6	2	4	5	2	3	3	5	4	4
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND	1	1	3	2	4	4	2	4	4	-
OTHER EUROPE (in 2018)/EASTERN EUROPE (in 2017)	2	2	3	3	3	4	4	2	3	4
SOUTH/CENTRAL AMERICA	5	2	2	2	3	2	3	2	3	1

QG. ALL MENTIONS - Which countries will you be travelling to on this trip? (Q1 in 2007/2008) Please tell me the country or countries you will be travelling to on this trip?

There are few differences across demographic groups with the exception of the following:

A higher proportion of Francophones (31%) and older travellers aged 55+ (27%) were travelling to the Caribbean/Mexico/Cuba.

2. Previous Travel to Current Destination

Most respondents were travelling to a destination with which they were at least somewhat familiar, having travelled to it many times before (37%) or a few times in the past (22%). Very few say they have travelled to the destination only once previously (13%) while over one-quarter have never travelled to their destination before (28%).

FREQUENCY OF TRAVEL TO CURRENT DESTINATION

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Travelled to many times before	37	36	39	24	40	44	39	31
Travelled to a few times before	22	23	22	21	24	21	22	24
Only travelled to once before	13	14	12	15	11	14	11	18
Never travelled to before	28	28	27	40	24	22	28	27

Q5. is the destination/are the destinations you are travelling to one(s) that you have …

An analysis of key demographic differences shows that those more likely to say they have travelled to the destination many times before includes:

Older travellers, including those aged 55 and older (44%) as well as those aged 35 to 54 (40%), compared to younger travellers, between the ages of 18 and 34 (24%);
University educated travellers (49%), versus those with college diploma (32%) or high school education (34%);
Those with dual citizenship (50%) compared to those without (32%); and
Frequent travellers – over half (54%) of those who say they have taken 10 or more trips in the last 5 years.

Across the three airports in which surveys were conducted, a much higher number of those transiting through Pearson Airport in Toronto (49%) said they had travelled to their current planned destination many times before, compared to those in Vancouver (33%) or Montreal (30%).

Some regional differences were also evident:

Travellers who reside in Ontario (45%) were most likely to say they had travelled to the destination many times before, compared to those residing in the Atlantic (39%), British Columbia/Northern Canada, the Prairies or Quebec (32%).

The nature and type of trip also correlate with familiarity with the destination:

Those travelling for business (52%) were much more likely to say they had travelled to the destination many times, compared to those travelling primarily for pleasure (34%).
By length of trip, travellers who intended to be overseas for less than a week (52%) were much more likely to say they had been to the destination on many occasions previously.
Those travelling with colleagues (53%) or alone (52%), compared to those travelling with family members (34%).

3. Purpose of Current Trip

In line with patterns of international travel over the last 5 years, the majority of travellers’ current trips were for pleasure (79%) rather than for business (11%). These results are also similar to what was found in 2007 and 2008.

PURPOSE OF CURRENT TRIP

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	850	817	842	423	419	232	292	318	817	25
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET - PLEASURE/LEISURE	81	86	79	73	86	79	72	86	79	84
Pleasure / Leisure	-	-	65	60	71	70	57	69	65	64
Visiting your country of heritage for which you are not a dual citizen	-	-	10	8	12	6	12	10	10	4
Travelling to your other country of nationality for which you are a dual citizen	-	-	5	6	3	3	3	7	4	16
Business	15	10	11	16	6	8	18	7	11	4
Combination of business and leisure / personal	4	3	6	8	5	6	8	5	6	12
NET - VOLUNTEER/STUDYING ABROAD	-	-	2	2	1	4	1	-	2	-
Volunteer work abroad	-	-	1	1	<1	1	1	-	1	-
Studying abroad	-	-	1	2	<1	3	<1	-	1	-
NET - OTHER	-	-	7	8	5	6	8	6	6	12
Family/Visiting family	-	-	<1	<1	<1	<1	-	1	<1	-
Don’t Know / No Answer	-	-	1	<1	2	3	<1	1	1	-

Q.F How would you describe the purpose of this trip? Is it mostly related to … (Q2 in 2007/2008) Would you describe the purpose of this trip to be primarily business or personal?

Across demographic groups, those travelling for pleasure are more likely to include women (86%) compared to men (73%) and those who are over age 55 (86%), compared to those aged 35 to 54 (72%).

4. Expected Length of Time Abroad On Current Trip

The majority of travellers (64%) indicated that their intended length of stay abroad was 2 weeks or less (54% say their trip is 1 to 2 weeks in duration; 10% say they plan to be away less than a week). Just under one-quarter (22%) will be overseas for 3 to 4 weeks, while relatively few say their trip is more than a month in duration (10% are travelling abroad for up to 3 months, while just 3% anticipate being overseas for more than 3 months).

LENGTH OF CURRENT TRIP

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Less than a week	10	12	9	11	14	7	11	9
1-2 weeks	54	52	55	55	56	50	53	56
3-4 weeks	22	21	24	18	22	26	23	21
Up to three months	10	10	9	10	5	14	10	8
More than 3 months	4	4	3	6	3	3	3	6
Don’t Know / No Answer	<1	<1	<1	-	-	1	<1	1

Q7. How long do you expect to be outside of Canada on this trip?

There are few relevant demographic variations other than age – specifically, a much higher proportion of those aged 65 and older (32%) indicated they will be overseas for 3 to 4 weeks, compared to the average (22%).

Regionally, residents of the Atlantic region (35%) and the Prairies (34%) were also more likely to say their trip was 3 to 4 weeks in duration, compared to those residing in Ontario (22%), British Columbia/Northern Canada (21%), or Quebec (18%).

Otherwise, length of trip depends, to a large extent, on the purpose of the trip – while 38% of those travelling primarily for business say their trip is under a week in duration (vs. 7% of those travelling for pleasure), 58% of those travelling for pleasure expect to be overseas for up to 2 weeks (vs. 37% of those travelling primarily for business). Notably, just over one-third (35%) of those who indicated the purpose of their trip is related to a volunteer commitment say they will be abroad for a period of up to 3 months and another one-in-five (22%) anticipate being overseas for more than 3 months.

5. Travelling Alone or With Others

A significant proportion of those going abroad are travelling alone (41%). About as many (40%) said they were travelling with family members, while fewer are travelling with friends (17%), as part of a group (i.e., an organized package or tour (4%)), or with colleagues (2%). Very few respondents (1%) are travelling with minor dependents.

TRAVELLING ALONE OR WITH OTHERS

(Multi-Mention)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Alone	41	44	37	45	46	33	45	26
With family members	40	38	42	25	38	54	40	42
With friends	17	15	19	26	13	15	14	29
With a group (i.e., as part of a package or group tour)	4	3	5	6	2	3	2	9
With colleagues	2	3	1	3	3	1	2	3
With minor dependents	1	<1	2	<1	2	1	1	2
Other	<1	-	<1	-	-	<1	-	1

Q8. Are you travelling …?

Not surprisingly, whether travellers are heading overseas alone, with family members or friends, is a factor of age, travel experience, familiarity with the destination, length of stay, and the purpose of the trip.

Those travelling alone are more likely to be:

Travelling on business (82%) or volunteering (70%);
People who have travelled to the destination previously – either many times (56%) or a few times (41%) before;
Frequent travellers, who have travelled 10 or more times in the last 5 years (52%);
Travellers who are transiting through Toronto (55%) and Vancouver Airports (42%) versus Montreal (26%);
Travellers who reside in Ontario (50%) and British Columbia/Northern Canada (41%);
University-educated (47%);
Younger – ages 35 to 44 (46%) or 18 to 34 (45%);
English-speaking (45%); and
Men (44%).

By contrast, those travelling with family members are more likely to be found among:

Travellers aged 55 and older (54%);
Travellers going through Vancouver (47%) and Montreal (42%) airports;
People travelling principally for pleasure (47%); and
Those with high school education or less (45%).

The profile of those more likely to be travelling with friends includes:

Those who say they have never travelled to the destination previously (29%) or have been there only once before (27%);
The younger age group, aged 18 to 34 (26%);
Residents of Quebec (26%);
Travellers going through Montreal Airport (25%);
Those who will be abroad for a period of 1-2 weeks (21%); and
Those travelling primarily for pleasure (21%).

C.Trip Planning

1. Preparation

When travelling to a new destination abroad, most travellers express a preference for being as prepared as possible for every potential situation which could arise (58%), although this represents a drop of 9 points from the 2008 survey results. It is notable that about one-third (32%) of travellers are comfortable dealing with situations as they arise, an increase of 7 points since 2008.

VIEWS ON BEING PREPARED FOR TRIP TO A NEW DESTINATION

(Single Mention)

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	850	817	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%		%
Important to be prepared	64	67	58	55	60	56	52	65	60	50
Better to deal with situations as they arise	26	25	32	33	31	34	36	27	32	34
Neither / both / depends	9	8	9	10	9	10	11	7	8	16
Don’t Know / No Answer	-	-	1	1	<1	<1	1	<1	1	-

Q4. People have different approaches to planning for a major trip to a new destination abroad. Some believe it is important to plan for every potential situation and be as prepared as possible. Other people believe it is impossible to anticipate every possible problem and would rather deal with situations as they arise. Which ONE of these two approaches is closer to your own? (Q9 in 2007/2008) People have different approaches to planning for a major trip to a new destination abroad. Some believe it is important to plan for every potential situation and be as prepared as possible. Other people believe it is impossible to anticipate every possible problem and would rather deal with situations as they arise. Which of these two approaches is closer to your own?

Attitudes in regards to the approach to planning for a major trip vary principally by age and depending on with whom the individual is travelling:

The majority of older adults aged 55 and over (65%), place importance on being prepared for any situation, although it is still the case that a majority of younger adults (56%), aged 18-34, also take this point of view.
Those travelling as a family (63%) are also more inclined to want to be prepared.
By contrast, people travelling with friends (40%) or alone (34%) are more likely to hold the view that they will deal with situations spontaneously.

2. Planning for Travel to an Unknown Destination

When planning a visit to a new destination, respondents say they undertake a series of steps to prepare for their trip. Most common is searching for information on accommodations, local attractions and weather (63%), followed by arranging for health or travel insurance (49%), checking that their passport is current (46%), and getting information about the destination country (45%).

One-third or fewer tend to do each of the following in preparation for a trip: checking visa requirements (34%), checking safety/security information (32%), getting a new passport (32%), checking travel advisories (31%), and checking the necessary health steps such as vaccinations (28%).

By comparison, relatively few get a SIM card, data plan or roaming service (16%) or register with the Government of Canada office abroad (6%).

PLANNING FOR TRAVEL TO A NEW DESTINATION

(Multi-mention)

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	850	817	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Accommodations, attractions, weather (non-security / safety information)	48	57	63	63	62	62	65	62	66	51
Arrange health and / or travel insurance	26	27	49	49	50	46	50	51	49	51
Check if passport still valid (general)	-	-	46	43	49	47	47	45	47	44
Get information about new country / countries	51	36	45	43	47	44	51	40	46	41
Check into required visas / entry requirements	28	24	34	35	33	32	37	32	33	38
Check safety / security information (general)	-	-	32	30	35	33	32	33	33	31
Get new passport / renew passport	44	41	32	32	31	34	33	29	28	45
Check travel advisories	20	21	31	34	29	28	37	29	33	24
Check into necessary health steps (vaccinations)	36	34	31	31	31	26	31	35	32	28
Check into arrangements for local currency / access to ATMs	22	16	28	26	29	28	28	27	29	23
Get SIM card / data plan / roaming services	-	-	16	17	16	21	20	9	15	21
Register with Canadian government office abroad	1	2	6	6	5	6	8	3	5	8
Other	17	13	2	1	2	3	1	2	2	2
Nothing	7	7	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	1
Don’t Know / No Answer	1	2	2	2	2	3	2	2	2	2

Mentions 1% and under not shown.

Q6. What steps do you normally take to prepare for a trip abroad to a country or region that you are not familiar with? (Q7 in 2007/2008) What steps do you normally take to prepare for a trip abroad to a country or region that you are unfamiliar with? Anything else?

The 2018 findings reveal some striking shifts relative to what was found in 2008:

In general, the proportion of travellers undertaking a range of steps in preparation for a trip to a new destination has increased across the board in the last 10 years, with a few exceptions. This suggests that, despite the response to the earlier question, travellers are more aware of what they should.
There has been a 22-point increase in those arranging for health or travel insurance (from 27% in 2008 to 49% in 2018), the largest increase in terms of any of the specific preparation activities which were examined.
Those saying they check into arrangements for local currency or access to ATMs has increased by 12 points (from 16% in 2008 to 28% in 2018).
Those saying they check travel advisories has increased by 10 points (from 21% in 2008 to 31% in 2018).
And, although relatively few (6%) are registering with the Government of Canada while they are abroad, this reflects an uptick from 2008 (2%).

3. Planning for the Current Trip

When respondents were asked about the specific steps taken to plan their current trip, the responses were slightly different. Travellers appear to take a number of more precautionary steps. The majority of respondents ensured that their passport was current for the travel period (68%), obtained or verified their insurance coverage (57%) and provided a copy of their travel itinerary to someone at home (51%). The majority of travellers (58%) also consulted with family and friends as part of their pre-trip planning activities.

Just over one-third (37%) checked travel advice on the country of destination. In line with earlier results, few (10%) registered with the Government of Canada, although this is a higher number than what respondents reported among their ‘typical’ planning activities.

PLANNING FOR CURRENT TRIP

(Multi-mention)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Check to make sure your passport is current for the travel period	68	66	70	69	67	67	71	57
Consult friends and family	58	53	63	58	55	61	61	49
Obtain or ensure you have health and / or travel insurance coverage	57	54	59	51	56	61	60	44
Leave a copy of your travel itinerary with someone at home	51	50	53	44	51	57	54	41
Get information about local currency and options for getting cash	42	39	45	45	43	39	45	32
Check visa or entry requirements for the countries to be visited	37	36	39	44	38	32	40	28
Read travel advice on your country of destination	37	37	36	37	38	36	38	31
Check into the need for health vaccinations	31	31	32	33	30	31	31	31
Prepare documentation for travelling with children (e.g., consent letter to travel abroad)	12	12	12	9	19	8	12	13
Register with the Canadian Government to let them know where you will be travelling	10	9	10	9	10	10	9	13

Q14. When preparing for this trip, please tell me if you did each of the following.

Overall, the steps taken to prepare for a trip did vary across sub-groups:

Women are more likely to have consulted family and friends before departing on their trip (63% vs. 53% for men).
Younger respondents, aged 18-34 (44%), are the most likely to have checked visa or entry requirements for the countries they will be visiting.
Older respondents, aged 55 or more (61%), are more likely to have obtained or verified that they have health or travel insurance coverage when planning for trips.
Travellers who are volunteering or working abroad (30%) were more likely to report registering with the Government of Canada prior to their trip.
The longer an individual plans to travel, the more likely they are to have undertaken more of the travel planning steps listed above prior to their trip.

Specific to insurance, respondents who reported having or getting health or travel insurance for their current trip, were asked about how familiar they are with the terms and exclusions of their coverage. Approximately three quarters (74%) of travellers mentioned that they were either very (30%) or somewhat (44%) familiar with these clauses. The balance (26%) claimed low to no famiiarity.

FAMILIARITY WITH INSURANCE CLAUSES AND EXCLUSIONS

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	479	230	249	120	164	195	399	80
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET - FAMILIAR	74	71	77	63	82	74	73	80
Very familiar	30	28	31	17	33	35	28	38
Somewhat familiar	44	43	45	46	49	39	44	43
Not very familiar	18	20	16	28	12	18	19	16
Not at all familiar	8	9	7	10	7	7	9	4
NET - NOT FAMILIAR	26	29	23	38	18	25	27	20
Don’t Know / No Answer	<1	<1	-	-	-	1	<1	-

Q15. How familiar are you with the clauses and exclusions in your health or travel insurance? Would you say you are …?

Familiarity with the details of health and travel insurance varies by gender and age:

A higher proportion of women claim to be familiar compared to men (77% vs 71%); and
Familiarity generally increases with age, although a larger share of those aged 35 to 54 (82%) say they are familiar compared to those aged 55 and over (74%). While a majority of those aged 18 to 34 say they are familiar, almost two-in-five (38%) among this group claim low or no familiarity with their insurance details.

4. Types of Activities Planned for the Current Trip

The types of activities that travellers intend to do, or have planned for, on their current trip generally reflect the fact that a majority are travelling for pleasure. As a result, many plan to sightsee (58%), shop (52%) visit cultural or historical sites of interest (49%), enjoy the beach or pool (46%) or visit friends and family (46%). Nevertheless, one-quarter (26%) are planning to participate in some type of adventure activity. Far fewer will be attending business meetings (13%) or conferences (11%), which again aligns with the smaller proportion of those surveyed who were travelling on business.

TYPES OF ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR CURRENT TRIP

(Multi-Mention)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Sightsee	58	55	61	62	53	60	64	36
Shopping	52	40	64	57	45	54	56	35
Visit cultural or historic sites of interest	49	44	54	55	43	51	52	38
Enjoy beaches / pool	46	40	52	47	39	52	47	41
Visit friends or family	46	44	47	40	44	52	49	33
Participate in adventure activities such as hiking, biking, skydiving or scuba diving	26	28	25	37	26	19	30	15
Attend business meetings	13	18	8	9	19	10	13	12
Attend a conference	11	15	8	9	17	8	11	14
Attend sporting events	11	15	7	13	13	7	12	8
Study or undertake educational activities	6	6	6	11	6	2	6	7
Other	<1	<1	<1	<1	<1	-	<1	-

Mentions of 1% and under not shown

Q11. I’m going to read you a list of activities and, for each, please tell me if this is something you are planning to do on this trip?

Adventure activities are of greater interest to those aged 18 to 34 (37% plan to participate in adventure activities on this trip), compared to those aged 35 to 54 (26%) or those aged 55 and older (19%).

5. Timelines for Booking the Current Trip

The timelines for booking travel abroad varies widely. The majority (76%) of respondents booked their current trip somewhere between 3 weeks and more than 3 months ahead of their departure date (22% booked 3 to 4 weeks prior, 32% within 3 months prior to departure, and 22% more than 3 months in advance). Spur of the moment bookings were less common by comparison – just 6% booked their trips less than a week before departure, and another 17% within 1 to 2 weeks of the departure date.

LENGTH OF TIME IN ADVANCE OF DEPARTURE THAT CURRENT TRIP WAS BOOKED

(Single Mention)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Less than a week	6	5	7	6	8	4	7	3
1-2 weeks	17	17	17	20	18	14	16	19
3-4 weeks	22	23	21	21	26	20	23	19
Up to three months	32	31	32	36	30	30	32	29
More than 3 months	22	22	23	17	17	31	21	27
It really depends on the type of trip	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2
Don’t Know / No Answer	<1	<1	<1	-	<1	1	-	2

Q12. How much in advance of your departure did you book your trip?

The time taken to make arrangements varies across sub-groups:

Business travellers are more likely to book trips with less lead-up time (14% booked their current trip less than a week before departure), although the majority of business travel was booked typically within a month prior to departure, either 1-2 weeks (29%) or 3-4 weeks (28%) before.
Among those travelling for pleasure, approximately one third (34%) booked up to three months prior to departure.
Those volunteering or studying abroad were most likely to indicate an extended planning timeline, with over half (55%) stating that they booked more than 3 months before their departure.

Not surprisingly, trip length taken correlated to the time taken to plan and book the trip. Those taking shorter trips (i.e., under two weeks), were most likely to book their travel arrangements less than two weeks before their departure. Similarly, those who planned to be abroad for more than 3 months typically booked their travel arrangements over 3 months in advance of leaving.

6. Purchasing Flights and Accommodations

About equal numbers of respondents reported purchasing their flights and/or accommodations through a travel agent (29%), directly with an airline (28%) or via an online travel website (27%). Other responses with fewer mentions included having someone else purchase the trip – either a family member/friend (12%) or their employer (7%).

HOW FLIGHT AND ACCOMODATIONS WERE PURCHASED

(Multi-Mention)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	821	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Through a travel agent	29	28	30	21	29	35	28	34
Directly through the airline	28	28	29	29	27	30	30	21
Through an online travel reservation service	27	27	27	33	28	21	29	18
Family member or friend purchased the trip	12	10	13	11	6	17	8	24
Your employer purchased the trip	7	9	5	7	10	4	6	9
Through reward points (e.g., Air miles, Avion, Visa points)	1	1	1	<1	1	2	1	-
School	1	<1	1	1	1	-	<1	2
Tour company/Broker/Agency	<1	<1	1	<1	<1	1	<1	-
Other	1	2	1	<1	2	1	2	1

Q16. How did you purchase your trip, including your flight and accommodation?

Results were fairly consistent among sub-groups, with some differences by age, language and nature of travel:

Younger respondents were more likely to purchase their flight accommodations online, whereas older respondents were more inclined to book through a travel agent.
Notably, Francophones were less likely to book directly through an airline (21% vs 30%) or through an online reservation service (18% vs 29%) compared to their Anglophone counterparts, but were more likely to have had a friend or family member purchase the trip on their behalf (24% vs. 8%).
Those travelling for leisure were likely to book through a travel agent (32%) and/or through an online travel booking service (29%). Business travellers were more likely to have their employer purchase their trip (44%).
Travel agents were the most utilized when booking for a group (47%) or for Canadians travelling with friends (39%) or family members (35%).

For travellers who mentioned that they had purchased their flight and accommodations through an online travel service, Expedia emerged as the most frequently used booking service (34%). Other, less significant, sources mentioned include Flight Hub (8%), Air Canada (8%) and Cheap Air (7%).

ONLINE TRAVEL BOOKING SERVICES USED

(Open-End)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	226	114	112	77	83	66	193	33
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Expedia	34	36	31	39	39	21	31	48
Flight Hub	8	8	8	9	8	6	9	-
Air Canada	8	4	12	5	8	9	7	9
Cheap air/Cheap on air	7	8	5	10	5	5	8	-
Google	4	6	2	4	5	3	4	3
Sunwing	4	4	4	3	2	6	4	3
Travelocity	3	2	4	1	4	5	4	-
Agency/Travel agency	3	4	1	-	2	6	3	-
Rewards/Points (e.g., Air miles, Choice awards)	3	4	2	-	1	8	3	-
Kayak	2	2	3	3	4	-	2	3
Orbitz	2	2	2	4	1	-	2	3
TripAdvisor	2	2	2	4	1	-	1	6
Booking.com	1	3	-	1	-	3	2	-
Smarter Travel	1	2	1	-	2	2	1	3
American Airlines	1	2	1	-	2	2	1	6
WestJet	1	2	-	-	2	-	1	-
Vacations to go	1	2	-	3	-	-	1	-
Sell off vacations	1	-	2	1	-	2	1	3
Last minute vacations	1	1	1	-	-	3	1	3
Other	13	11	14	10	11	18	12	15
Not Stated	<1	1	-	1	-	-	1	-
Can’t recall	9	8	10	8	10	9	10	3

Mentions 1% and under not shown.

Q17. ALL MENTIONS - Which online travel reservation services did you use?

D. Use of Technology while Travelling

Most travellers appear to have some ability to stay connected while they are overseas. The vast majority of travellers carry a smart phone (86%) while fewer travel with a tablet (38%) or a laptop (27%).

CONNECTIVITY WHILE TRAVELLING ABROAD

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
A smart phone	86	87	85	94	95	71	87	81
A tablet	38	35	40	34	38	40	39	32
A laptop	27	31	23	29	34	19	29	21
None of the above	8	8	8	1	2	19	7	12

Q9. On this trip, are you travelling with …?

Men (31%) are somewhat more likely than women (23%) to be travelling with a laptop.

Age is also a critical factor driving travellers’ connectivity while abroad:

Those aged 18 to 34 (94%) or 35 to 54 (95%) are much more likely than those 55 and older (71%) to be travelling with a smart phone, although it is clear that carrying a smart phone is common across the board, regardless of age;
Just under one-third of those aged 65 and over (29%) do not travel with any devices such as a smart phone, tablet or laptop. This compares with less than 1 per cent (1%) among those aged 18 to 34 who said the same.

The purpose of the trip also drives use of technology while travelling:

Those travelling primarily for business are more likely to carry a smart phone (97%) and a laptop (73%), compared to those travelling primarily for pleasure (83% and 19% respectively).

Notably, the extent to which one is more likely to travel with various devices does not vary significantly by the length of the trip. However, those travelling alone (40%) and experienced travellers who have taken at least 10 or more trips in the last 5 years (37%) are more likely to travel with a laptop, compared to the average (27%).

Respondents who indicated they were travelling with any or all the devices noted above (i.e., a smart phone, tablet or laptop) were further asked about the degree to which they will be connected while they are overseas. Notably, many (57%) turn off their cellular data access and use Wi-Fi instead. About one-third (34%) have access to international roaming while they are travelling abroad, just under one-third (29%) use Google Voice or Skype to make calls, and about one-in-five (21%) purchase a SIM card in order to make local calls at their destination. Under one-in-ten (8%) download travel apps for use while travelling abroad.

USE OF WI-FI, INTERNATIONAL ROAMING AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS WHILE ABROAD

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	778	391	387	232	287	259	620	158
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Turn off your cellular data and use Wi-Fi available at cafes, restaurants, hotels abroad	57	54	59	60	56	54	58	54
International roaming	34	36	33	30	39	32	35	32
Use Google Voice or Skype instead of making calls	29	29	28	34	27	25	25	41
Purchase a SIM card and credits to be able to use your phone in your destination	21	20	22	26	22	15	21	19
Download travel apps	8	8	7	13	6	4	9	4
None of the above	8	9	6	7	6	10	7	11

Q10. Do you have access to or plan to do any of the following while you are abroad on this trip? (ASKED ONLY OF THOSE WHO SAY THEY ARE TRAVELLING WITH ANY OR ALL OF SMART PHONE, TABLET OR LAPTOP AT Q.9)

Access to international roaming is more common among:

Travellers who are away for under a week (61%);
Those travelling on business (59%);
Those aged 35 to 44 (41%);
People travelling along (40%); and
Experienced travellers who have taken 10 or more trips in the last 5 years (40%).
Use of Google Voice or Skype is more prevalent among those travelling with friends (65%) or family members (62%).

The propensity to download travel apps is highest among those aged 18 to 34 (13%) and drops off significantly for those aged 35 to 54 (6%) or 55 and older (4%). Use of travel apps is also slightly higher among English-speaking travellers (8%) relative to those who speak French (4%). Of interest, those who say they have travelled to the destination many times before (11%) are also more likely to have downloaded a travel app, compared to those who have never travelled to the destination (6%).

E. Sources of Travel Information

1. Likely Actions Taken by Travellers Who Need Help When Abroad

When travellers find themselves in trouble abroad their first thought is typically to seek assistance from the Canadian Embassy and/or Consulate (59%). However, a significant number of respondents also said they would contact the local police (41%), call home (30%) or contact local friends or family (29%). Smaller numbers would contact their travel agent or tour operator (16%), seek assistance from the local hotel (15%), contact consular officials from another country’s embassy or mission (11%) or handle the situation on their own (9%).

HOW TRAVELLERS WOULD REACT IF IN TROUBLE ABROAD

(Multi-Mention)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Contact the Canadian Embassy or Consulate	59	58	60	55	65	57	67	31
Contact Local police	41	43	38	39	40	43	42	37
Call home	30	27	33	37	29	26	30	29
Contact Local friends / family	29	27	30	26	30	29	31	20
Contact Travel Agent / Tour Operator	16	13	19	18	13	17	12	29
Seek assistance from local hotel	15	14	16	18	15	14	15	16
Contact Embassy representatives at another mission / for another country	11	14	9	7	15	11	7	28
Would handle the situation on my own	9	10	8	12	8	7	8	13
General (call someone)	3	4	3	2	5	3	1	13
Seek assistance online	2	1	2	2	1	2	2	-
Other	1	1	1	-	1	2	1	2
Not Stated	<1	<1	<1	-	-	1	<1	-
Don’t Know / No Answer	1	1	<1	-	2	1	1	1

Mentions 1% and under not shown.

Q18. What would you do, or where would you turn to for help if you found yourself in some kind of trouble in a foreign country?

Across sub-groups of travellers, those most likely to contact the Canadian Embassy or Consulate include:

Travellers between the ages of 35 and 54 (65% vs. 55% among those aged 18 to 34); and
Anglophones (67% vs. 31% for Francophones).

Those most likely to handle the situation on their own include:

Younger travellers between the ages of 18 and 34 (12%); and
Francophones (13%).

Francophones were also much more likely than their English-speaking counterparts to say they would be likely to contact their travel agent or tour operator (29% vs. 12% respectively).

2. Sources of Information on Safety and Security

The Internet (57%) remains the primary source of information on safety and security issues for travellers when they are going abroad particularly to a destination with which they are less familiar. Moreover, use of the Internet as a source has grown significantly since 2007 (up 23 points) and 2008 (up 9 points). In addition, other online sources have also shown an increase in usage, including Government of Canada websites (19%) as well as social media (13%) neither of which were specifically mentioned in 2007 or 2008. The Government of Canada (general) is mentioned by almost one-quarter of travellers (24%, up from 15% in 2008) and printed publications from the Government of Canada are mentioned by one-in-ten (9%).

Friends and family who have been to the destination are viewed as a reliable source (40%), as well as those who live there (26%). About one-in-five mention travel agents (21%) and television (20%).

Travel books (13%), radio (10%), governments of the destination country (8%) and tour companies (1%) are mentioned with much less frequency. Notably, the trendline for use of travel books is down (4 points since 2007) while the reverse is true for government of destination countries (up 6 points since 2007).

MAIN SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON SAFETY AND SECURITY WHEN VISITING A NEW DESTINATION

(Multi-Mention)

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	850	817	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
The Internet	34	48	57	57	56	67	61	45	64	30
Friends and / or family who have been there	10	11	40	36	44	47	35	40	38	47
Friends and / or family who live there	8	8	26	22	30	28	24	27	26	28
Travel agent	-	9	21	20	22	18	19	26	19	29
Television	-	-	20	22	19	15	15	28	21	22
NET - Canadian government	17	15	24	24	24	20	26	24	24	24
Canadian government websites	-	-	19	19	19	17	21	18	21	12
Canadian government printed publication	-	-	9	9	8	6	12	8	7	14
Social Media (i.e., Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat)	-	-	13	12	15	21	14	7	14	11
Travel books (i.e., Fodor’s, Lonely Planet, Eyewitness)	17	15	13	11	15	14	11	14	14	11
Radio	-	-	10	12	8	6	7	15	9	12
Government of destination countries	3	4	9	7	10	9	10	8	6	17
Local resources at the destination (i.e., hotel concierge, tourist bureaus)	-	-	8	8	8	9	8	8	9	5
Tour company	-	-	7	6	9	6	6	10	7	11
Other	19	9	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Nothing	5	9	2	2	2	1	2	2	1	4
Don’t Know / No Answer	6	8	2	1	2	2	1	2	2	-

Q19. What sources do you rely on most for information about safety and security issues when travelling abroad, particularly when you are travelling to a place you are less familiar with? (Q11 in 2007/2008) Where would you be most likely to go to get information about safety and security issues when preparing to travel abroad to someplace you are unfamiliar with?

Reliance on various sources of information about safety and security does vary across sub-groups:

Women are somewhat more likely than men to rely on advice from friends and family who have been to the destination (44% v. 36%) or who live there (30% vs. 22%).
Younger travellers are more likely to rely on the Internet (67% among those aged 18 to 34 vs. 45% for those aged 55 and older) and social media (21% among those aged 18 to 34 vs. 7% for those aged 55 and older).
By contrast those aged 55 and older are more likely to rely on television (28%), travel agents (26%) and the radio (15%), compared to those aged 18 to 34 (15%, 18% and 6% respectively).

Those who had cited the Internet as a source of information on safety and security abroad were asked a follow-up question to identify specific sites. Not unexpectedly, the majority (52%) simply use Google to obtain information, most likely inputting key words reflecting the destination, and this has risen dramatically from 2008 (17%) and 2007 (12%).

INTERNET SOURCES FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY INFORMATION

(Open-end)

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	289	391	478	244	234	156	180	142	424	54
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Google	12	17	52	53	51	47	52	58	58	11
Canadian government website	3	2	6	6	6	5	7	6	4	19
TripAdvisor	-	-	6	5	7	8	5	4	6	6
Government websites of country/various countries	5	5	5	6	4	5	8	1	2	24
Travel/tourism websites (other and non-specific)	3	3	3	3	4	4	5	1	2	11
News/BBC news/CBC news	-	-	3	5	2	4	3	2	3	-
General search/ no site in particular	2	1	3	4	1	1	2	6	3	-
Website of country/ website of specific city	4	5	2	2	2	1	1	4	2	4
Wikipedia	-	-	2	3	1	3	2	1	2	2
Facebook	-	-	2	2	2	4	2	-	1	6
Expedia	-	-	2	2	2	1	2	2	2	2
Government/Government sites (general)	-	-	2	2	2	2	1	2	2	-
Other	6	17	4	5	3	5	4	2	3	15
Can’t recall	-	-	18	15	21	21	15	18	18	17

Mentions of 1% and under not shown.

Q20. ALL MENTIONS - You mentioned you rely on the Internet. What sites specifically? (Q11 in 2007/2008) Probe for type of site. Similarly respondents who mentioned a Government of Canada website were asked if they could name specific sites. About one-quarter (24%) cited the Travel Advisories specifically. Some (13%) also mentioned the main Government of Canada website and/or the travel.gc.ca website (9%).

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WEBSITES FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY INFORMATION

(Open-end)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	160	79	81	39	63	58	139	21
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Travel Advisory/Canadian travel advisory	24	19	30	28	21	26	26	14
Canada Government/Gov.ca/Federal government site	13	14	12	10	14	14	14	10
Travel.gc.ca	9	10	7	15	13	-	6	29
Gouv.qc.ca	6	6	6	3	13	2	3	29
Google	4	8	1	3	5	5	5	-
Canada.ca/Org.ca	4	5	2	3	3	5	4	-
Foreign affairs	4	3	5	-	3	7	2	14
Passport Canada	3	-	6	3	3	3	4	-
Other	10	13	7	8	11	10	9	19
Can’t recall	30	32	28	28	27	34	32	14

Q21. ALL MENTIONS - You mentioned you rely on Canadian government websites. What sites specifically?

Women (30%) and English-speaking respondents (26%) were more likely to cite Travel Advisories by name. French-speaking respondents were more likely to cite the travel.gc.ca or gouv.gc.ca sites (29% each).

For those respondents who indicated they use social media to obtain information on safety and security, Facebook emerges as the most widely used platform (71%). Just over one-in-five respondents (21%) mentioned Instagram, while mentions of Twitter (13%), Google (8%), Snapchat (5%) and YouTube (4%) were much fewer.

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY INFORMATION

(Open-end)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	112	50	62	50	41	21	92	20
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Facebook	71	70	71	70	73	67	71	70
Instagram	21	14	27	42	7	-	20	30
Twitter	13	14	11	10	22	-	12	15
Google	8	10	6	4	5	24	10	-
Snapchat	5	8	3	12	-	-	3	15
YouTube	4	2	6	4	7	-	1	20
Other	6	8	5	6	5	10	7	5
Can’t recall	7	8	6	6	10	5	9	-

Q22. ALL MENTIONS - You mentioned you rely on the social media. What social media specifically?

Younger respondents, aged 18 to 34 years (42%) were much more likely to cite Instagram, while those aged 35 to 54 (22%) were more likely to cite Twitter and those aged 55 and older were more likely to identify Google (24%).

3. Awareness and Use of Travel Advisories

The majority of Canadians travelling internationally (68%) report being aware of travel advisories, an increase of 5-points from 2008 (63%). As the table below shows, most of this increase is however a result of those who indicate they are aware of them, but haven’t actually checked them (up from 22% in 2008 to 28% in 2018). Nevertheless, fully two-in-five (40%) say they have used the advisories, although this level has remained flat since 2007/08.

AWARENESS AND USE OF TRAVEL ADVICE OR ADVISORY PAGES

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
Total Answering	850	817	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET - YES	62	63	68	67	70	67	75	64	67	73
Yes – aware of and checked	42	41	40	40	41	36	44	41	42	34
Yes – aware of, but not checked	19	22	28	27	29	31	31	23	25	38
NO	38	36	30	32	28	30	25	35	31	24
Don’t Know / No Answer	-	-	2	2	2	3	<1	2	1	3

Q23. Are you aware of or ever checked travel advice or travel advisory pages that are online which provide up-to-date information about safety, security, laws and culture in connection with travelling to specific countries? (Q14 in 2007/2008) Are you aware of "travel advisories" that provide up-to-date information about safety and security issues in connection with travelling to specific countries? (Q15 in 2007/2008) Have you checked such travel advisories yourself in preparing for a trip abroad in the past five years?

Awareness is higher among those:

Between 34 and 54 years of age (75%);
With higher educational attainment (74% among those with a university degree); and
Who are more experienced travellers – those who have taken 6 to 9 (79%) or 10 or more trips (71%) in the last five years.

A new question in the 2018 survey asked travellers how they interpret the term ‘travel advisory’. Results were split with a slight skew towards those believing the term is meant to offer counsel which should be taken seriously: about the same proportions interpreted the term as strong guidance (37%) or as a clear recommendation to avoid travel to certain locations (35%). The remainder (25%) interpreted the term ‘travel advisory’ as a mere suggestion.

INTERPRETATION OF THE TERM ‘TRAVEL ADVISORY’

(Single Mention)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Strong guidance	37	33	41	39	33	39	38	35
A recommendation to avoid travel to certain locations	35	36	33	27	40	35	35	33
A suggestion	25	27	24	29	26	23	24	29
Don’t Know / No Answer	3	4	2	5	2	3	3	3

Q24. Which one of the following best reflects how you interpret the term ‘travel advisory’ when you hear it in the context of travel to certain regions or countries?

Interpretation of the term does not vary significantly across sub-groups of travellers, although women (41%) are somewhat more inclined relative to men (33%) to view it as strong guidance. Interestingly, among the 35 to 54 age group of travellers, two-in-five (40%) interpreted the term as a recommendation more so than strong guidance (33%) or a suggestion (26%).

Among those who indicated an awareness of travel advisories, the majority (59%) believe that they originate from the Government of Canada, reflecting a slight increase since 2008 (54%). However, another one-in-five (21%, vs 5% in 2008) believe that they emanate from the government of the destination country, which suggests that although respondents recognize these as a government issued advisory, they are confused about the source (domestic or foreign). Others report having come across travel advisories in travel guides (15%, vs 11% 2008), on social media sites (12%), or from information provided by their travel agent (12%, vs 5% in 2008).

PERCIEVED SPONSOR OF TRAVEL ADVISORIES

(Multi-Mention)

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	359	337	579	284	295	157	220	202	448	131
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Canadian / Federal Government	69	54	59	60	59	64	56	59	61	53
Government of destination country	2	5	21	23	19	18	25	19	16	38
Travel guides	7	11	15	15	15	17	13	16	14	19
Social media	-	-	12	12	13	16	11	10	13	8
Travel agent	-	5	12	7	16	11	10	13	10	15
U.S. Government	6	1	11	14	8	8	14	10	10	15
Any other government	-	-	8	10	6	7	12	5	6	15
Google	-	-	5	6	3	3	5	6	6	-
Tour company	-	-	3	2	5	1	2	6	3	5
Other	15	13	3	1	5	4	3	3	4	1
None	-	-	<1	1	-	1	<1	-	<1	-
Not Stated	-	-	<1	<1	<1	-	<1	<1	<1	-
Don’t Know / No Answer	6	4	10	9	10	10	11	8	9	12

Q26. ALL MENTIONS - And, where do you come across these travel advisories? That is, who authors or sponsors them? (Q16 in 2007/2008) Where have you found these travel advisories; that is, who sponsors them? AMONG THOSE WHO ARE AWARE OF TRAVEL ADVISORIES AT Q.23.

While most respondents, regardless of language spoken, identified travel advisories as coming from the Government of Canada, a large share of French-speaking respondents (38%) link the advisories to a foreign government or the government of the destination country.

A majority of respondents (78%) typically review travel advisories prior to booking their travel rather than after (16%).

WHEN TRAVEL ADVICE OR ADVISORY PAGES ARE CHECKED

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	342	169	173	85	128	129	280	62
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Before	78	79	77	75	80	78	79	76
After	16	14	18	20	11	19	14	24
Don’t Know / No Answer	6	7	5	5	9	4	7	-

Q25. Do you typically check travel advice or travel advisory pages BEFORE or AFTER you have booked your travel?

Regardless, few have actually changed their travel plans as a result of information found in a government travel advisory (31%), although this does reflect a slight increase over the results from 2008 (27%). Most (65%) say that the information found in a travel advisory has not caused them to change their trip preparations or alter their plans in some way.

IMPACT OF TRAVEL ADVISORIES ON TRIP PREPARATION

	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	338	296	343	170	173	100	124	119	274	69
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes	29	27	31	31	32	28	32	34	31	35
No	68	70	65	67	64	67	65	64	66	64
Don’t Know / No Answer	3	3	3	2	4	5	2	3	4	1

Q27. Did information you found in a government travel advisory ever cause you to change your trip preparations or alter your travel plans in some way? (Q19 in 2007/2008) Same phrasing.

There are no significant variations across demographic or other sub-groups of international travellers.

4. Interest in Government of Canada Travel App

Although few are currently using travel apps, there is significant interest in a Government of Canada travel app which would allow travellers to receive automatic travel updates – almost two-thirds (63%) are interested, split about evenly between those who are ‘very’ (30%) and those who are only ‘somewhat’ (33%) interested. Just over one-third (35%) are either ‘not very’ (18%) or ‘not at all’ (17%) interested.

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET - INTERESTED	63	59	66	65	71	53	64	59
Very interested	30	30	30	27	38	25	30	31
Somewhat interested	33	29	37	38	34	28	34	29
Not very interested	18	19	17	21	16	18	18	17
Not interested at all	17	19	15	12	10	26	16	18
NET - NOT INTERESTED	35	38	31	32	27	44	34	36
Don’t Know / No Answer	3	3	2	3	2	3	2	5

Q28. How interested are you in a Government of Canada travel app that you can download and which allows you to receive automatic travel updates?

Those who express greater interest in a travel app include:

People travelling with minor dependents (89%);
Business travellers (73%)
Travellers aged 35 to 54 (71%);
Women (66%); and
Those with higher educational attainment (66%)

F. Awareness of and Support to Canadians Travelling Abroad

1. Familiarity with Consular Services and Support

Most travellers (55%) are not familiar with the services and support offered by Consular Services to Canadians travelling abroad. Slightly more than one-third (36%) say they have some level of familiarity with Consular Services, but this is soft – 29% are somewhat familiar and just 7% say they are very familiar.

FAMILIARITY WITH CONSULAR SERVICES AND SUPPORT

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET - FAMILIAR	36	37	35	29	44	34	31	53
Very familiar	7	6	7	3	11	6	5	15
Somewhat familiar	29	31	27	26	33	28	27	38
Not very familiar	33	34	31	36	31	32	36	22
Not familiar at all	22	21	23	24	17	26	24	16
NET - NOT FAMILIAR	55	55	54	59	48	58	59	38
Don’t Know / No Answer	9	8	11	12	9	8	9	12

Q30. How familiar are you with the range of services and support offered by Consular Services which is the group within the Government of Canada that provides assistance to Canadians when they are travelling abroad?

Familiarity varies by age and language:

Familiarity is lower among the younger and older age groups (29% among those aged 18 to 34; 34% among those 55 and older), while it is slightly higher among those aged 35 to 54 (44%).
French-speaking respondents (53%) reported being much more familiar with the support provided by Consular Services, compared to English-speaking travellers (31%).
Those with higher educational attainment also express higher familiarity with Consular services and the range of services and supports provided.

Among those who were familiar with Consular Services, the plurality have learned about them through the Government of Canada website (34%), another internet site (22%) or on TV (20%). Fewer than one-in-five heard about Consular Services via a friend or family member (18%), the newspaper (17%), Government of Canada publications (14%), a travel agent/tour operator (10%), radio (9%) or through their employer (4%).

SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON CONSULAR SERVICES

(Multi-Mention)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	580	303	277	151	220	209	445	135
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Government of Canada website	34	35	34	34	40	29	34	36
Internet (other than the Government of Canada)	22	22	21	26	23	17	22	20
TV	20	18	22	20	15	25	20	21
From a friend, family member or colleague	18	16	21	20	21	14	18	21
Newspaper	17	16	18	12	15	23	16	21
Government of Canada publications	14	14	14	8	17	16	11	26
From a travel agent or tour operator	10	9	11	6	11	11	8	16
Radio	9	10	8	11	7	9	8	12
From my employer	4	4	5	5	6	2	4	7
Public awareness/Knew about it/General knowledge	2	2	3	3	2	1	3	-
Other	1	1	1	-	1	1	1	-
Don’t Know / No Answer	13	14	13	16	10	14	13	13

Mentions 1% and under not shown.

Q31. Where have you heard about Canadian Consular Services?

Of note:

Those travelling with friends (30%) and younger respondents (27%), aged 18 to 34, are more likely to have come to know about Canadian Consular Services via the Internet (other than the Government of Canada website).
Those residing the Prairies (53%), aged 35-54 (40%), and with university levels of education (40%) are most likely to say that they heard about Consular Services through the Government of Canada website.
Travellers aged 55 or older are most likely to say that they have heard about Consular Services in the newspaper (23%).

2. Role of the Government of Canada Assisting Canadians Travelling Abroad

Most travellers continue to feel that the Government of Canada primarily supports Canadian travellers with replacement of missing passports, a result which is similar to what was found in the survey undertaken a decade ago (56% in 2018; 53% in 2008).

Increasingly, however, respondents are now more likely to indicate that the Government also provides assistance during a disaster (50% in 2018, up from 31% in 2008).

There have also been increases in the proportion of respondents who are now aware of the broader range of support from the Government of Canada including: assistance about the local country (27% vs. 15% in 2008), contacting travellers when there has been a death (24% vs. 10%), document services (24%), assistance finding a missing child (20% vs. 7%) and registering with the Government of Canada as a Canadian travelling or living abroad (19% vs. 2%). GAC marketing, communications or education about these services, increased media attention to natural disaster assistance by GAC or attention given to high profile consular cases in the media may all be having an impact.

WAYS THE GOVERNMENT ASSISTS CANADIAN TRAVELLERS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES

(Multi-Mention)

Note:Mentions 1% and under not shown.	TOTAL 2007	TOTAL 2008	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	850	817	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Getting or replacing a missing passport	50	53	56	54	58	53	59	55	56	57
During a disaster, either natural (like a hurricane) or a civil disaster (rioting)	31	31	50	47	53	50	57	44	51	46
When arrested, detained by local authorities	20	29	32	35	30	35	34	29	32	33
Providing safe haven within the Embassy	-	-	28	26	30	26	32	26	25	37
Assistance or information about local country or Canada (i.e., how to extend VISA, what can be brought back to Canada)	20	15	27	27	28	27	32	24	25	37
When there has been a death in the family	9	10	24	22	27	22	29	22	26	19
Document services (i.e., notary / legal services)	-	-	24	21	26	27	27	18	21	33
Assistance in finding a missing child / child abduction	6	7	20	19	21	21	22	17	20	21
Registering with the Government as a Canadian travelling or living abroad	2	2	19	19	18	18	21	17	17	23
Helping get out of jail	-	-	18	19	17	20	21	14	17	22
Interpretation or translation services	-	-	14	12	16	15	19	9	17	22
In case of sickness/accident/ medical emergency	-	7	2	1	2	2	2	2	2	-
Other	19	7	1	2	<1	1	1	1	1	-
Not Stated	26	24	<1	<1	<1	<1	<1	<1	<1	-

Q32. To the best of your knowledge, in what ways does the Canadian Government assist Canadian travellers when they need help in a foreign country? (Q32 in 2007/2008) Same phrasing.

3. Performance of Government in Providing Assistance to Canadians Travelling Abroad

The Government of Canada receives relatively strong positive ratings in terms of the services and support it provides to Canadians when they are travelling abroad. On a 10-point scale, just over half (51%) offer a rating of 7-10. Just over one-in-ten (13%) provide a more neutral rating of 5 or 6, while very few rate the government poorly (3% give a rate of 1-4). Notably, one-third (33%) were unable to respond to this question – they ‘don’t know.’

RATINGS OF GOVERNMENT OF CANADA SUPPORT AND SERVICES FOR TRAVELLING ABROAD

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
TOP 4 BOX (10/9/8/7)	51	52	50	53	51	48	45	71
.../9/10 (Excellent)	19	18	20	17	19	19	14	38
.../7/8	32	34	30	36	32	29	32	32
.../5/6	13	14	12	13	12	14	14	8
.../3/4	2	3	2	2	2	3	3	1
.../1/2 (Very Poor)	1	1	<1	<1	<1	2	1	-
BOTTOM 4 BOX (1/2/3/4)	3	4	2	3	3	4	4	1
Don’t Know / No Answer	33	30	36	31	34	34	36	21

Q29. Now I would like to ask you a few questions about assistance to Canadians when they are travelling abroad. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is very poor and 10 is very good, in general, how would you rate the services and support that Canadians receive from the Government of Canada when they are travelling abroad?

Ratings are higher among:

French-speaking respondents (71% give a rating of 7-10 vs. 45% of English-speaking respondents). Notably, a higher percentage of Anglophones compared to Francophones were unable to offer a rating (36% vs. 21% respectively);
Those with higher educational attainment; and
Those travelling with minors (78% gave a rating of 7-10).

G. Perceptions of Consular Service Delivery

The last section of the survey asked respondents about their views on Consular Services, including their sense as to how easily they could access services, how they would be most likely to do so, their expectations of service and their experience, among those who have interacted with Consular Services.

1. Confidence in Ability to Quickly Access Consular Officials

Most (57%) are confident that they would be able to readily access a Consular official if they found themselves in a situation where they needed assistance while travelling abroad. Relatively few (11%) expressed a lack of confidence, although about the same number (10%) weren’t sure how easy or difficult it might be. Another one-in-five (22%) gave a neutral rating (5 or 6 on a 10-point scale), which could also be interpreted as being at least fairly confident, but not entirely certain.

CONFIDENCE IN CONSULAR SERVICES

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET – TOP 4 (7-10)	57	58	57	58	60	54	54	70
9/10	21	22	21	15	21	26	17	36
7/8	36	36	36	43	38	29	36	34
5/6	22	24	20	16	22	26	25	11
3/4	7	6	9	9	6	7	8	5
1/2	3	2	4	4	3	3	4	1
NET – BOTTOM 4 (1-4)	11	8	13	12	9	10	12	6
Don’t Know / No Answer	10	10	10	14	9	9	10	13

Q33. How confident are you that you would be able to quickly access a Consular official if you found yourself needing some assistance while travelling abroad? Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 means you are not confident at all and 10 means you are extremely confident.

Confidence is higher among:

Francophones (70%); and
Those with a university education (68%).

2. Likely Methods of Contacting Consular Officials

If a traveller needed to contact a Consular official, most would do so by telephone (62%) while far fewer would be likely to go to the consulate or embassy in-person (22%). E-mail (8%) and text messaging (3%) are much less likely options.

LIKELY WAYS OF CONTACTING A CONSULAR OFFICIAL

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
By telephone	62	62	63	65	63	60	66	49
In person	22	23	21	16	21	27	19	32
By e-mail	8	7	9	8	9	6	8	7
By text message	3	4	3	6	3	2	3	7
Travel agency	<1	<1	<1	-	-	1	<1	1
Other	1	1	1	-	1	2	1	1
Don’t Know / No Answer	3	4	3	5	2	3	4	3

Q34. How would you be most likely to contact a Consular official? Would it be …?

Anglophones (66%) are more likely to contact the consulate by telephone, compared to Francophones (49%). A higher percentage of Francophones (32%) indicated they would be more likely to go the consulate in-person.

3. Expectations of Assistance to Travellers

Many travellers (57%) expect a Consular official to be able to answer questions and provide advice. Expectations are not as high that consular officials would directly intervene in a situation and manage all aspects of it (22%) or that they would refer the traveller to local service providers for help (14%).

EXPECTATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM CONSULAR OFFICIALS

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
They would answer questions and provide advice on how to handle the situation	57	62	53	52	60	59	61	44
They would directly intervene and manage all aspects of my problem	22	17	26	21	21	22	19	30
They would refer me to local service providers who could help	14	14	15	19	13	12	12	21
Don’t Know / No Answer	7	8	5	8	6	7	7	5

Q35. If you contacted a Consular official, which one of the following best describes the kind of assistance you would expect?

Expectations do vary by key demographic sub-groups:

Men (62%) are more inclined to expect that Consular officials will simply answer questions, compared to women (53%). By contrast, a higher proportion of women expect direct intervention (26%) compared to men (17%).
This pattern also holds between Anglophones and Francophones – English-speaking respondents (61%) were more likely to expect Consular officials would answer questions and provide advice while a higher proportion of Francophone (30%) expect more direct intervention.

Those who primarily have travelled overseas for business in the last 5 years (72%) are among the most likely to assume that Consular Services would tend to focus more on advice.

4. Interactions and Experience with Consular Services

Very few of those surveyed (8%) have had an interaction with the Government of Canada or Consular Services while they have been abroad within the last five years. The vast majority (91%) have not.

CONTACT WITH CONSULAR SERVICES WITHIN THE LAST 5 YEARS

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	846	426	420	234	294	318	666	180
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET - YES	8	9	6	6	10	7	6	14
Yes, I contacted them	5	6	3	3	6	5	4	9
Yes, they contacted me	1	1	1	2	1	1	1	2
Yes both	2	3	1	2	3	1	2	3
No, never	91	89	93	91	90	92	93	82
Don’t Know / No Answer	1	2	1	3	<1	2	1	4

Q36. Within the last 5 years, have you contacted the Government of Canada / Consular Services or have they contacted you while you were travelling abroad?

Those groups more likely to have had some contact with Consular Affairs include:

Francophones (14%) compared to Anglophones (6%)
Those aged 35 to 54 (10%) compared to those who are younger or older

For that small number of respondents who had an interaction with Consular Services, most (88%) found it easy to reach a Consular official – in fact, fully 42% said it was ‘very easy’ while another 46% said it was at least ‘somewhat easy.’

EASE OR DIFFICULTY IN REACHING A CONSULAR OFFICIAL

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	57	37	20	11	26	20	35	22
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET - EASY	88	86	90	82	92	85	86	91
Very easy	42	43	40	27	46	45	43	41
Somewhat easy	46	43	50	55	46	40	43	50
Somewhat difficult	7	8	5	9	4	10	9	5
Very difficult	4	3	5	-	4	5	3	5
NET - DIFFICULT	11	11	10	9	8	15	11	9
Don’t Know / No Answer	2	3	-	9	-	-	3	-

Q37. How easy or difficult was it for you to reach a Consular official? ASKED AMONG THOSE WHO SAID ‘YES’ AT Q.36.

The reasons given for having contacted Consular Services were varied, ranging from Registering with the Government as a Canadian travelling abroad (29%), to replacing a missing passport (15%), stolen ID or credit cards (15%), a health issue (14%), assistance about the local country (12%), assistance or information during a disaster (9%), document services (6%) or a death in the family (6%).

NATURE OF THE INTERACTION

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	66	40	26	15	29	22	41	25
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Registering with the Government as a Canadian travelling or living abroad	29	33	23	27	31	27	24	36
Getting or replacing a missing passport	15	18	12		21	18	20	8
Stolen ID or credit cards	15	18	12	27	10	14	17	12
A health issue	14	18	8	13	14	14	17	8
Assistance or information about local country or Canada (i.e., how to extend VISA, what can be brought back to Canada)	12	5	23	13	17	5	2	28
During a disaster, either natural (like a hurricane) or a civil disaster (rioting)	9	5	15	13	14	-	12	4
Document services (i.e., notary / legal services)	9	8	12	7	7	14	12	4
A death in the family	6	5	8	-	3	14	5	8
Other	2	3	-	-	-	5	2	-
Don’t Know / No Answer	3	5	-	13	-	-	5	-

Q38. What was the nature of your interaction(s)? ASKED AMONG THOSE WHO SAID ‘YES’ AT Q.36.

The small sample size of those who had interactions with Consular Services does not permit analysis of significant differences across sub-groups.

Although interactions were few in number, most (92%) were satisfied with the support and services provided. Fully two-thirds (67%) were ‘very satisfied’ and another quarter (26%) were somewhat satisfied.

SATISFACTION WITH THE INTERACTION

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
	66	40	26	15	29	22	41	25
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
NET - SATISFIED	92	93	92	100	97	82	90	96
Very satisfied	67	68	65	67	83	45	59	80
Somewhat satisfied	26	25	27	33	14	36	32	16
Somewhat dissatisfied	5	5	4	-	-	14	5	4
Very dissatisfied	2	-	4	-	3	-	2	-
NET - DISSATISFIED	6	5	8	-	3	14	7	4
Don’t Know / No Answer	2	3	-	-	-	5	2	-

Q39. Overall, how satisfied were you with the support and services they provided to you? ASKED AMONG THOSE WHO SAID ‘YES’ AT Q.36.

Those who were anything other than ‘very satisfied’ with the support and services they received were asked a follow-up question as to what could have been done better. Over one-third (38%) mentioned an issue related to timeliness in the delivery of the service or the process, while another two-in-five (19%) felt that officials could have been more helpful or compassionate, in general.

SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE SERVICE FROM CONSULAR OFFICIALS

(Open-Ended)

	TOTAL 2018	Male	Female	Age 18-34	Age 35-54	Age 55+	English	French
*Note: Small base size.	21*	12*	9*	5*	5*	11*	16*	5*
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Could have been a faster process/Took a bit of time	38	50	22	20	40	45	25	80
More helpful/Expected more compassion (i.e. stressful situation)	19	25	11	-	20	27	19	20
Other	29	8	56	60	40	9	38	-
Not Stated	14	17	11	20		18	19	-

Q40. What could have been done differently or better to make this a more satisfactory experience for you? OPEN-END. ASKED OF THOSE WHO RESPONDED ‘SOMEWHAT SATISFIED, SOMEWHAT DISSATISFIED OR VERY DISSATISFIED’ AT Q.39.

Findings from Qualitative Research: Focus Groups with the Public and Travel Professionals

A. Planning International Travel

1. Views of the Travelling Public

As noted in the methodology section of this report, both younger and older participants to the focus groups were reasonably experienced international travellers. Trips taken varied considerably, in terms of destinations, duration, nature or purpose. In line with existing travel data, many of the trips participants have taken or plan to take are to destinations in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. However, the majority of participants also had experience travelling to a wider range of destinations in Europe, South and East Asia, Central and South America, and North Africa, among others.

Based on comments from participants, the majority of trips taken are principally for personal reasons or for pleasure, although a minority of participants indicated that some of their international travel pertains to business activities. A very few of those who participated in the groups had travelled abroad as an international student or were volunteering in some capacity. Those travelling for personal reasons were typically visiting family members, touring sites of cultural or historical significance, partaking in specific types of activities (i.e., horseback riding), or simply relaxing.

Some participants mentioned that they tend to favour resorts or ‘all-inclusive’ vacation packages for the obvious advantages – upfront payment, affordability, convenience, access to amenities, certainty – while others were more likely to strike out on their own.

“I like to venture off on my own … hiking trails, getting off the resort and finding new places.”

“J’aime découvrir. Apprendre une nouvelle langue, comme aller au Costa Rica [I love to discover. Learn a new language, like going to Costa Rica].”

While most participants tended to travel as part of a group, frequently with friends or other family members, some preferred to travel on their own. Notably, travelling as a single person was the case for a number of younger participants (aged 18 to 34), including young women. This included overseas trips to destinations such as Asia and South America with which they were quite unfamiliar and did not have any local contacts. Adventure travel was not a strong focus across the board, but was more often mentioned by younger travellers. Based on comments from the four focus groups conducted with younger participants, aged 18 to 34, this group is more likely to engage in activities while overseas that take them off the beaten path.

Others, more commonly, were travelling to countries of origin, where they continue to have family connections.

“Avant j’allais souvent à Paris, en Europe, parce que ma grand mère a un appartement là. [I used to go to Paris, to Europe frequently because my grandmother has an apartment there]”

“Mon prochain voyage sera probablement au Liban parce que j’ai de la famille là-bas [My next trip will probably be to Lebanon because I have family there].”

Considerations When Choosing a Destination

The considerations which go into selecting a destination ultimately depend on the purpose of the trip and specifically whether the destination is one with which the traveller is familiar. However, when considering a destination that is more ‘unknown,’ the top four factors which participants were most focused on included:

Cost – encompassing both the cost of flights and accommodation. Notably, a number of participants indicated that they frequently track trip pricing online and, when a good deal comes up, are prepared to take a spontaneous vacation;
Time off/Travel time – the choice of destination depends, not surprisingly, on how much time individuals had or were prepared to take (i.e., 5 days, a week, 10 days, two weeks or more). Similarly, the time required to get to the destination is a key consideration;
Weather – while this was not necessarily a key concern for all participants, the majority did stress that they prefer to travel to destinations when they can be more assured of good weather conditions (i.e., avoid hurricanes, rainy season, etc.). Participants in Montreal expressed a particular fondness for travelling to ‘sun destinations’ and were somewhat less inclined to heed advice about hurricane season or other weather-related events;
Attractions – specific sites of interest; and
Safety/Security – many participants did indicate that their choice of a location is based on their perception as to how safe it is. For the most part, participants are thinking about political turmoil and crime in the region.
For the younger participants in Montreal, the cost of food is also a consideration.“Je suis allée en Asie et avec le « street food » tu peux manger pour quelques dollars par jour [I’ve been to Asia and with street food, you can feed yourself for a few dollars a day]!”

Additional considerations mentioned by others included:

Language barriers – “If you want to get service somewhere, I wonder how difficult it would be?”
Food allergies
Health risks in general (i.e., Ebola, Zika virus) and specifically any vaccinations that might be required – the WHO website was referenced in this regard

Trip Planning Activities and Timelines

As noted earlier, the timelines for planning an overseas trip are quite variable. Those trips that are booked very spontaneously naturally involve very minimal planning. By contrast, other trips, typically to destinations much further afield and/or to places with which the traveller is less familiar, often take several months of planning – up to six month or more. For these types of trips, participants indicated that they would likely spend at least two to three months organizing the trip, including booking flights, accommodation as well as researching activities including sites, restaurants and other points of interest. The motivation to plan ahead was driven primarily by potential cost savings.

“You generally get better deals if you plan ahead.”

Planning activities usually center on:

Identifying costs related to the trip;
Determining how much time will/can be spent at the destination(s);
Reviewing and booking accommodation;
Identifying tourist attractions;
Transportation and transit while abroad; and
Checking travel distance/flying time.

Few participants appear to develop detailed itineraries for their trips, although the extent to which this is done varies by destination, the nature of the trip (i.e., whether a number of stops are being made) and the length of the trip.

“Moi je vais acheter mon billet d’avion et booker la première nuit, mais pour le reste je décide rendu sur place

[I will book my plane ticket and my first night, but then, I decide once I’m there].”

‘’Moi je vais avoir mon hotel, mais je vais voir rendu là pour les activités et les repas [I will have my hotel, but will see once I’m there as fas as activities and meals are concerned].‘’

The almost universal exception to this is those travelling with children.

Key Sources of Information

The vast majority of participants utilize sources of information that are available online including websites, such as TripAdvisor to book flights and accommodation, Yelp (mentioned in Montreal), and social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, blogs, including video blogs, YouTube videos (a source more often used by younger people). In addition to TripAdvisor, the most commonly mentioned online sources included: Expedia, Kayak, Airbnb, and airline websites. Skyscanner.ca was mentioned by younger participants in Vancouver. Many seek out trip reviews that are available online to gain a better understanding of what is more or less important to see and do while overseas – often this occurs once the destination has been selected. They also lean on advice from friends and family.

"look at reviews and ask friends for their input on certain places.”

“I compare reviews that I read online.”

“I ask people’s opinions on social media about places that I am going to.”

“I rely heavily on other people’s reviews.”

“Je vais demander à des amis ou de la famille qui y sont déjà allés [I’ll ask friends or family that have been there].’’

Not unexpectedly, the vast majority of those planning a trip simply ‘Google’ the destination to find out more about it. This is generally the starting point for planning purposes.

Travel experts and authorities, such as Lonely Planet or Fodor’s and the Guide du routard (in Montreal), are a source of information for some, although not necessarily the majority. As noted above, most cast a wide net searching online and then narrow down the search. Only a very few number of participants indicated that they utilize these sites and fewer still access travel books in print. A key concern is having the most up-to-date information which participants felt was more often the case online. That said, one Francophone respondent in Montreal suggested that having printed copy (i.e., the travel book) was particularly useful at destination and was a more practical alternative given travellers cannot always be connected. Another mentioned the benefits of being able to read it on the plane.

“They’re expensive and somewhat obsolete now with all the apps.”

“I like having the book version, but I am always worried about when it was printed.”

“Je vais toujours avoir un livre comme Lonely Planet…parce-que je n’ai pas tout le temps accès à internet [I will always have a book like Lonely Planet with me…because I do not always have internet access].”

It is important to note that most participants make all of their travel arrangements themselves, typically booking flights and accommodations, etc. online. Very few mentioned seeking the services of a travel agent, although some did say they occasionally visited store front outlets such as Flight Center. This should not, however, be taken to mean that travel agents do not play a key role as a source of information or in influencing travellers’ choice of destination or in terms of the activities undertaken while abroad. As noted in a later section specifically focusing on the views of travel professionals, they remain quite active in this regard, although this group is also heavily utilizing online sources to gather information and advice regarding travel abroad.

The Government of Canada was identified as a ‘go to’ source of information by some participants, mainly those in the 35 and older age bracket. More commonly, participants rely on the news media to keep them informed of issues the might impact their decision to go to a particular destination. It is notable, however, that a number of participants did in fact access Government of Canada information although this was often a result of Googling the country by name, which brought up the Government of Canada travel advisory for the country. More discussion of participants’ views on Government of Canada travel advisories is included in a later section of this report, but at this point in the discussion, views were somewhat mixed as to the degree of credibility participants placed on these advisories. While some would be inclined to change their plans if a government advisory indicated their chosen destination was unsafe, others said they would likely proceed as planned. The latter was the case for younger people in particular whose commentary suggested a slightly higher tolerance for risk, compared to older participants.

“I didn’t know whether to book to go to Bali when the volcano was possibly going off. But I was really desperate to go, so I took the risk.”

At first blush, participants tend to feel that the Government of Canada travel advisories are quite conservative and generally over-state any risks. They is also a perception that they are vague, out-of-date and probably more useful to those travelling on business rather than for pleasure. In general, participants felt that it was difficult to find useful travel information from the Government and those participants who spoke about using Government of Canada information as a travel planning resource underscored that they would still conduct additional research.

“It’s too broad. You still need to do more research.”

Must-Do Activities

Participants identified numerous ‘must-do’ activities which they undertake prior to departure:

Ensuring the first night’s accommodation is booked – many participants agreed that this was a crucial step to ensuring their trip got off to a good start;
Checking to ensure their passport is valid – a small number of participants mentioned that they also take photocopies of or a flash drive containing a copy of their passport to carry with them in case of loss;
Checking baggage/luggage restrictions;
Currency exchange;
Ensuring travellers have their medications in order (this was mentioned more often by participants aged 35 and older);
Taking steps to organize and secure their home while they are away;
Obtaining a visa, if required;
What, if any, vaccinations are required; and
Climate or weather to determine what to wear.

Purchasing travel insurance was not consistently undertaken by all participants. About as many did as did not. A number of participants felt they were adequately covered by the insurance benefits they received through their employer, although many could not provide much detail on the specifics of their coverage. The perceived need for travel insurance depends on:

The destination – those going to destinations closer to home (i.e., the U.S. or Caribbean) were less likely to be concerned about taking out travel insurance. Should anything occur while they are away, they believe it would be relatively easy to return to Canada.
Length of stay overseas – travel insurance was thought to be more essential for trips of a longer duration.

Taking the time to research the laws and culture of the destination was also not a standard practice, and less so among younger travellers, although some did focus specifically on what would be appropriate attire. Here again, the tendency is to Google this type of information.

“Google is a resource.”

“I’ll look up travel blogs to understand what clothes you should be wearing.”

“Moi je like certaines pages de voyages sur Facebook et ça te donne des idées d’où aller [I like certain pages on Facebook and it gives you ideas of where to go and what to do].”

Many lean heavily on information available on country/regional websites and, even more so, on discussions with other friends and family members who have travelled to the same destination or people they meet while travelling. As several younger participants commented: “I mostly go with the flow” or “I have a lot of family there, so I take their advice on which places to be careful.”

Very few participants (two or three across all groups, except for Montreal where the numbers were even fewer) spontaneously mentioned registering with the Government of Canada before going abroad. Ascertaining how to get assistance from the Government of Canada was not mentioned, unprompted, as a standard pre-trip activity. When explicitly asked whether knowing how to reach the Canadian consulate or embassy or where it is located is the type of information that they gather prior to departing on an overseas trip, very few acknowledged regularly doing so. For the small number who did, this information was felt to be more vital when they were heading to less familiar destinations and/or places where they did not speak the language. Most felt this information would be easy to find online if they needed it, so didn’t consider it to be vital to obtain before leaving the country.

It also came up, as part of this discussion, that travellers don’t generally consider the range of issues that could arise while travelling abroad and often don’t know how to reach emergency services abroad – a general acknowledgement that travellers could do more to prepare for unanticipated events or circumstances.

“What would 911 be? Do you dial 911? Nobody thinks about that.”>

A number of young people, in particular, indicated that they would be more likely to contact a family member back home rather than the Government of Canada if they got into some kind of predicament while overseas. In general, participants’ comments, and younger people specifically, have a lot of confidence in their own ability to navigate through most issues that could arise

“I feel like I could just think on my feet if something does go wrong.”

“Moi, je me retournerai vers les autorités locales, quelqu’un là-bas. Ça ne m’aurait même pas effleuré l’esprit de contacter le Gouvernement du Canada [Personally, I would turn to local authorities, someone there. It would never have even crossed my mind to contact the Canadian government].”

Familiar versus Less Familiar Destinations

The process for planning a trip to a more familiar destination is quite different and typically much less involved. For example, participants take a very different approach to trip preparation if they are travelling to the United States – which they view as being similar to travelling in Canada – or to destinations such as Mexico and the Caribbean. Many participants commented that it was less important for them to know where Canadian consulates/embassies were located or to purchase travel insurance, especially when travelling throughout the United States, as their sense was that, should an urgent situation arise, it would be much easier to handle there or to return to Canada quickly, if needed. That said, a few people in Montreal agreed that travel insurance was probably more of a necessity in that country, as opposed to anywhere else, given the high cost of receiving health care and the potential for it to be personally financially ruinous.

A key factor playing into attitudes and behaviours here has to do with language. Comments suggest that participants are much more comfortable and confident in their ability to manage, should unanticipated circumstances arise, when they can easily communicate with others. Difficulties arise when there are language barriers and, it is under these conditions, that most participants feel they would access the services of Government of Canada officials overseas or back home.

“You see it [the U.S.] as a neighbor, in that it has the same language and a lot of the rules are the same.”

“I feel like I don’t need it [travel insurance] in the U.S. I feel like I could communicate better there.”

Trip planning is also somewhat less onerous if travelling to a country of origin or a destination where friends or relations reside. In these situations, travellers feel much more secure knowing that they can rely on individuals who have a very good understanding of the local environment, including how to access emergency services or assistance.

Travelling with Children

When travelling with children, participants generally agreed that safety becomes a more important priority. As such, decisions regarding the destination and the types of activities are made on the basis of those that would be most suitable for young children – more family-oriented – and which would not expose them to any sort of risks. Often this meant choosing all-inclusive packages.

Some participants also underscored that appropriate paperwork is required when travelling with children.

Use of Travel Apps and Technology

Use of travel apps is not necessarily widespread, although a larger proportion of younger travellers indicated they tend to use apps to track flight times and other relevant trip information. Google Translate is a popular app, mentioned by several participants, and is seen as quite useful when travelling abroad to destinations where English is not commonly spoken. In Montreal, participants did not mention Google Translate to the same extent, but they did indicate a preference for online services such as TripAdvisor.

At issue for many participants is the cost associated with roaming. This is a particular concern for younger people who appeared to be more cost conscious. This is one reason why offline maps from Google Maps were mentioned in Montreal. While many do travel with a smart phone, the common practice is to disable the roaming function while overseas and/or to obtain a plan or SIM card which would allow them to make local calls only. Most felt that, if it was absolutely necessary, they could readily enable their phone.

“Wi-Fi is like everywhere!”

“Moi je cherche le wifi [I seek out wifi]. ‘’

It is not always the case that travellers will carry their own laptop or tablet with them on an overseas trip. However, most felt comfortable that they could access the Internet when and if they needed at their hotel or at a local café. This is where they might, for example, upload photos on Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat.

2. Views of Travel Professionals

Two discussion groups were held with travel agents (16 participants in total) in Toronto and Montreal. It was clear from these discussions that they take their responsibility to provide clients with appropriate and useful travel advice quite seriously. In many ways, their comments aligned with those of the travelling public. In terms of their motivation, the use of the expression “on est dans l’obligation [we have an obligation],” which came up a few times in Montreal, suggests that they are to some or a great degree motivated by the issue of potential liability.

Considerations When Developing a Travel Plan or Itinerary

Travel agents listed a wide range of considerations which are taken into account when developing a travel itinerary, including:

Client’s budget;
Length of time abroad;
Time of year at destination, particularly in terms of the weather;
Locations in terms of access to hotels and accommodation;
Clients’ interests with respect to activities, and what they have done on other trips;
Clients’ travel history (previous destinations);
Clients’ travel experience (extent to which they have travelled);
Whether the client is travelling alone or with a group and, if the latter, the age of other members of the group;
Health restrictions, including general health, mobility and accessibility issues, special needs, allergies, dietary restrictions, etc.;
Safety; and
Documentation.

Advising clients with respect to any risks is something that most travel agents do, particularly as it relates to weather patterns (i.e., travelling to the Caribbean during hurricane season). However, in Montreal, where sun destinations are extremely popular, numerous professionals stated that clients frequently disregard this warning.

Directing clients to purchase travel insurance or to Government of Canada resources is common practice for some and not for others. In Montreal, the Fonds d’indemnisation des clients des agents de voyages [Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agents] came into play in that discussion. Travel professionals in Montreal also said that it was

obligatoire de leur proposer des asssurances de voyages [an obligation to suggest travel insurance to them].”

Key Sources of Information

Similar to the general public, travel agents conduct much of their research online, accessing many of the same resources (i.e., TripAdvisor). Beyond this, travel professionals obtain information from:

Trade shows;
Suppliers and vendors (i.e., hotels, resorts, cruise lines, tour operators, etc.);
The destination’s tourism website (this was mentioned more often in Montreal); and
Government alerts.

Notably, some travel agents mentioned that they subscribe to the Government of Canada alerts and would review them when they receive an alert. However, many don’t actively seek out information from the Government of Canada. Off the top of their heads, and with the exception of travel professionals in Montreal, most can’t recall the Government of Canada website URL for travel information – “it’s gc.on or something” – but like others, they simply Google it to find this information

Travels professionals in Montreal also say they consult the consulates of the destinations to which their clients wish to travel. And, they frequent “voyage.gc.ca,” as they consider it an essential tool. They say that it is the site “auquel As an example, they will use the site to obtain the requirements for consent of both parents, in the case of a divorce, to allow one parent to leave the country with the children.

“C’est la bible de l’agent de voyage [It’s the travel agent’s bible]!”

Advice to Clients before Travelling

The standard advice provided to clients prior to taking a trip overseas includes:

Ensuring all their official documentation is current; and
Information regarding local issues: currency, medical facilities, etc.

Some of the travel profressionals in Montreal tended to provide advice on the basis of the clients’ travel experience (overall or at destination) and the degree to which their client is considered an ‘anxious’ traveler.

As noted above, some travel agents are more diligent when it comes to advising clients to purchase medical insurance, although most do remind clients to consider doing so. In Montreal, they are particularly diligent about reminding clients of this when it comes to travelling to the U.S., even if they plan to be away for a few days. As one agent put it, “ils peuvent perdent leurs chemise avec trois jours d’hospitalisation [they could lose the shirt off their backs with just three days of hospitalisation]!”

Similarly, there are mixed views on the utility of registering with the Government of Canada before going abroad. Travel professionals in Montreal do typically provide their clients with customs declaration forms before departure and will also share brochures about travelling obtained from the Government of Canada.

“I send them something that links to the website to register.”

“The value is that if something happens … at least the government knows who is there.”

“I don’t think it’s that valuable.”

“Je ne le fait pas sytématiquement, mais parfois c’est après coup, après que l’ouragan est passée et qu’ils sont pris dans un palmier en quelque part et que je me dis que j’aurai dû les inscrire [I don’t do it systematically. Sometimes it’s afterwards, after the hurricane has passed and they are stuck in a palm tree somewhere that I tell myself ‘I should have registered them’].”

When clients are travelling with children, travel agents do consider where they are going, who is going and the age of the children and specifically focus on any safety concerns, including dietary food safety.

“Children are more sensitive than adults.”

They also provide clients with guidance in regards to documentation and letters of consent that may be required, particularly in instances where only one adult is accompanying children under the age of 13.

B. Expectations Regarding Government Support

Participants in both sets of focus groups with the travelling public and travel agents participants were asked about their expectations of support from the Government of Canada for citizens who are travelling abroad. Specifically this portion of the discussion focused on:

How they expect the Government of Canada to help and under what circumstances;
What level of service should be provided;
How they would expect to be able to access support and services while overseas; and
Whether specific sub-groups of the population may require more targeted information or support from the Government of Canada when they are travelling abroad.

It should be noted that relatively few participants have ever sought out assistance from the Government of Canada while abroad. For those who did, experiences and satisfaction with the service received was mixed. One participant commented that while in Dubai, the hotel in which she was staying had a fire which required all occupants to vacate. Documents such as birth certificates and passports as well as cash were destroyed in the fire and resulted in this individual having to contact the Consulate General of Canada in Dubai. The feedback provided by this participant suggested that the experience was a positive one – while the Government of Dubai directed them to another hotel and covered these costs, the Consulate assisted with re-issuing of documents in a reasonably timely fashion. Yet another positive example came from a travel professional who was accompanying a small group of older travellers and one of them passed away while in Tokyo. He lauded the service he received from the Canadian Embassy. Another participant was somewhat more critical of his experience while travelling in Vietnam, highlighting difficulties in obtaining a replacement passport after he was pick-pocketed and his bag was stolen. After going online and determining that the closest Consulate was in Ho Chi Minh City, he went there to request a new passport. Without going into too much detail, he described it as a "horrible process". Clearly, his expectation was that the Consulate would have more authority to issue a temporary passport on-site.

For the most part, the views of travellers and travel agents regarding their expectations of government support for Canadian citizens travelling abroad were aligned. Where there were differences, these are noted.

1. Situations in Which Canadians Abroad Might Require Assistance from the Government of Canada

Most participants defaulted to the more obvious scenarios where a traveller might require some assistance while abroad, including:

Lost or stolen passport
Natural disasters – At the same time, som participants felt that local residents might be able to provide more assistance than the Canadian Government. Thinking about this type of situation also raised questions about how the Government would know how many Canadian citizens were in the affected area. Interestingly, there is a belief that the Government of Canada, working with customs officials from other countries, can readily track and monitor the movements of Canadians citizens as they are travelling abroad. As one participant asked: “When we travel, is there a way to report where we are?”
Political instability
Persons needing sanctuary
When encountering and/or unable to overcome language barriers

As one participant clearly stated: “something that prevents you from getting home is when I need the Government of Canada.” It may have been a result of the many Quebec residents who were stranded last fall in the Caribbean due to hurricanes, but “pouvoir se faire rapatrier [being able to get repatriated]” was definitely a top of mind concern and expectation for many in Montreal.

Other scenarios were clearly felt to be in the purview of the traveller and not situations where one should expect to be able to obtain assistance from the Government of Canada:

Lost or stolen medications
Lost or stolen wallets, including cash and credit cards – While some felt that the Government should provide temporary funding, the general consensus was that this was a situation which, working their financial service provider, the traveller him or herself should readily be able to resolve without Government support.

Situations where participants had mixed views included:

Medical emergencies – In very extreme cases, such as a death for example, participants felt that support from Consular officials should be available, if needed. However, in most situations, participants were generally of the view that they would or should seek out medical assistance on their own.
Breaking the law – It was difficult for participants to definitively say that an individual should or should not have access to Consular support even under a circumstance where a traveller had very clearly and knowingly broken the law. At a minimum, many expected that a Canadian citizen should have the right to contact Consular officials and seek out information on legal support. What was clearer, however, is that the Government of Canada should not be paying for legal support to someone who has broken the law. In other circumstances, especially where it may not have been evident to a traveller that they had broken the law, participants were much more likely to advocate for Consular officials to provide more, and more immediate, support. Yet, even in situations involving a clear case of criminal activity, with only a few exceptions, many believed that advocating for due process is the duty of the Government of Canada with respect to one of its citizens. This was a more strongly held position in Montreal.

Even faced with the most extreme or challenging situations, many travellers’ first instinct would be to resolve the situation themselves, as exemplified by the following remarks:

“If my husband died, I would try and contact them [Consular Services].But I would contact my insurance first.”

“Moi, j’appellerais les autorités locales [I would call the local authorities].”

As a general rule, the distinction between situations where one should or should not expect support from the Government of Canada appeared to rest, to a large extent, on whether circumstances were within or beyond the traveller’s control. This view was somewhat more nuanced in Montreal where participants were mainly of the view that government should offer reasonable help to citizens travelling overseas if they request it. Although a minority view, it should be noted that some participants had expectations that Consular officials would be able to provide general ‘tourism’ advice and support: recommendations of hotels, restaurants, maps, etc.

2. Expected Levels of Service from the Government of Canada

Key for many travellers is assistance from the Government of Canada in helping to navigate local services and resources when there is a language barrier. The expectation is that a Canadian travelling abroad should be able to access services from the Canadian Embassy or Consulate in English or French. While they recognize that some local employees may be staffing the Embassy or Consulate, they expect them to be able to converse adequately in either or both of Canada’s two official languages. As one younger Montrealer put it, “je m’attends à ce que le service soit disponoble en français, parce qu’il ne l’est pas toujours [I expect service to be provided in French because it is not always the case].”

In terms of service levels or the quality of service provided, participants also expected the following:

Easy to find and locate – it was the general consensus that Consular services should have a strong presence and visibility
Supportive response – their expectation is that Consular officials would behave in a calm, but empathetic fashion
Professional, friendly, informative and respectful approach
Triage – officials should be able to quickly identify the urgency associated with the situation and guide the traveller accordingly
24-hour availability – participants full expect that Consular services should be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While they may not expect to be able to physically access the Embassy or Consulate before or after regular business hours, they do want the ability to access someone by telephone or e-mail. Some suggested a 1-800 number should be more widely publicized
In-person support – while various channels may be used to contact Consular officials, participants also wanted to know that they would have direct access to a ‘live person’ when and if they requested it
Convenient, easy access – while some participants would be inclined to go directly to the Consulate or Embassy in the region, others would interact by telephone, e-mail or text, suggesting that travellers want and need multiple ways in which to access Consular services. Travel agents also identified a ‘live chat’ function included in an app as a means of communicating with Consular services that would be quite useful
Timely response – For the most part, participants expect that acknowledgement of an issue should be immediate, while resolution might take more time. Ongoing communication with the traveller is important so that they have a sense of when the issue might be resolved. In a situation where a passport has been stolen or lost, while some felt it would be reasonable to wait up to a week for new documents, most felt the situation should be rectified within 24-48 hours
Up-to-date information – travellers expect that the information they request and receive should be current, especially in regions where the political situation and resulting internal strife or conflict is fluid
Pro-active communications – many participants expect the government to be reaching out to them pro-actively to provide information about travel restrictions or issues that might affect Canadian citizens planning to travel abroad. The most obvious channels suggested by participants to relay this type of information were the news media, social media, airlines, travel agents and/or online travel booking sites

The general expectation of many travellers is summarized in the following two quotes from two different participants:

“I would expect them to be available, receptive and open to whatever issue the traveler has.”

Les urgences, ça arrive à n’importe quelle heure [I expect them to be available 24 hours a day. Emergencies happen at all hours]!”

For most participants the bottom line is that if they approach Consular services for assistance they want immediate access and guidance until the issue is resolved.

“You should be able to walk in the door and they should be able to help you instantly.”

“I want them to not turn you away until you come to a solution.”

“I don’t think there should be a time where they ever refuse services. They should still be able to provide resources and guide you.”

On s’attend à une assistance. Un corps diplomatique à l’étranger est là pour rendre assitance à son citoyen, peu importe la raison [we expact some kind of assistance, a foreign diplomatic corps is there to render assistance to its citizen when they are abroad…regardless of the reason].”

Travel agents were equally adamant that Canadians should have access to support and assistance regardless of the circumstances in which they find themselves.

“I think there’s an obligation to provide support – guidance, direction, advice, and support in some way – no matter where we are in the world.”

“Although the Canadian Government is not responsible for every situation, they should try to do their utmost.”

“Nous sommes un état de droit au Canada et ils doivent faire respecter nos droits à l’étranger [Canada is a country which is governed by laws and they must help ensure our rights abroad are respected].”

Whether travellers should have to pay for services received from Consular officials was heavily debated in virtually all groups and no strong consensus emerged.Some situations were clearer than others.

“If you decide to travel off the grid, the cost is on that person.”

“If you choose to be in a dangerous country or area, then all issues faced are the responsibility of the traveler.”

“Si le gouvernement t’a dit de ne pas aller là, que c’est dangeureux et que tu y vas quand même, bien c’est ta responsabilité [If the government told you not to go there, that it is dangerous and you go anyway, then it’s your responsibility].”

The uniqueness of many circumstances was a factor and many participants found it challenging to define, with absolute clarity, the conditions under which an individual should pay versus not. What did seem to be a majority view was that the default approach taken should be to help first and work out the details of payment later. In some instances, participants indicated that Canadians travelling abroad should expect the same response overseas from their government as they would at home.

“Travellers should be accountable for themselves and should expect to receive attention from consular services … they can deal with the repercussions once back in Canada.”

“If there’s an immediate threat, you treat everyone who needs help first. Then you deal with everything else later.”

“Payments or punishment can be dealt with after you arrive back in Canada.”

“Si tu fais quelque chose d’illégale, ils devrait t’aider…mais c’est à toi de payer pour ton avocat [If you do something illegal, they should help you, but it’s up to you to pay for your lawyer].”

3. Awareness and Understanding of Consular Services

When asked if they knew what the group of individuals within the Government of Canada who provide services and support to Canadians travelling abroad is, most could not specifically identify them as Consular Services. And, while many are unfamiliar with the term – Consular Services – they suspect that this group would provide assistance with virtually anything a Canadian might require while they are in a foreign country. In Calgary and in Halifax, the term Consular Services seemed to evoke connotations of a concierge service – general consulting and advice, travel tips and guidance.

4. Views on Vulnerable Groups

A range of groups were identified as being more vulnerable, for different reasons, when travelling abroad:

Younger, inexperienced travellers – due to a lack of understanding or exposure to different cultures and/or general lack of life experience, it was the view of many participants that younger people (including those in their 20’s) might not be able to handle certain situations as adeptly as older people or those who have travelled more
Elderly – in as much as younger travellers are thought to be more vulnerable due to their lack of experience travelling abroad, older travellers are viewed as targets of scams and crime either because they may not be as alert to these issues or able to ascertain the credibility of those who may approach them for assistance. Some also felt that health issues might also put them at greater risk while travelling overseas
Women – especially those travelling on their own, but also women in general who are seen to be more vulnerable
Disabled people – who are felt to be more susceptible to scams and who are likely to encounter barriers to accessibility

Journalists were mentioned, but not with the same degree of frequency as the above-noted groups. Other groups, less commonly cited, included: families travelling with children, visible minorities, military personnel, women who are pregnant, people working and living abroad, low income travellers and students.

For most participants, LGBTQ travellers were not top-of-mind as a vulnerable group when travelling. But, when specifically mentioned, most agreed that there are a number of countries or regions where it remains either unpopular to freely present one’s self as LGBTQ, or illegal to engage in homosexual activities.

Similarly, few spontaneously identified those with mental illnesses as being more vulnerable. In fact, in some cases, participants, including a couple of travel professionals in Montreal, remarked that those with mental illness probably shouldn’t be travelling abroad. One younger participant in Montreal went so far as to say “moi je les considère comme étant dans le groupe des personnes handicapées [I consider them as part of the disabled people group].” This type of remark likely reflects continuing misunderstanding of mental illness and the resulting societal stigma around it. When it was explained that mental illness encompasses a wide spectrum of conditions including issues such as anxiety and depression and for which there are medications, most concluded that this population might be at least somewhat more vulnerable. However, it was felt that a bigger issue would be to ensure they have an adequate supply of medications before going overseas.

Travel agents were more inclined to emphasize inexperienced travellers as being most at risk, in addition to those who are older, as well as those travelling by themselves.

While some were of the view that these groups might require more targeted information and services, most felt that the level of service should be standard across all groups (i.e., that no one should be either advantaged or disadvantaged). Furthermore, some Montrealers agreed there should be an effort made to forewarn vulnerable groups when appropriate, for example members of the LBGTQ community travelling to certain countries prior to departure. More importantly, it was felt that the issue facing the traveller is what should drive the response, not necessarily who the traveller is.

“The level of service should be the same across all types of people, but then they should prioritize based on the issue.”

“Ça devrait être la même chose pour tout le monde [it should be the same for everybody]’’

‘’ Ils devraient avoir la même attention, mais peut-être plus de prévention [They should receive the same level of attention, but maybe more prevention].’’

C. Awareness and Credibility of Information from the Government of Canada

1. Credibility of Government of Canada Information on International Travel

Although the Government of Canada is not the primary source for information when travelling abroad, it is seen as generally credible and trustworthy.

At the same time, participants did question Government’s motivations for either downplaying or highlighting possible risks with some saying that that it may understate issues of concern so as not to be alarmist, or conversely dramatize issues in order to persuade Canadians not to travel to certain areas.

“[The Government of Canada may] downplay any issues that may be a concern to not upset certain groups of people.”

“[The Government of Canada may] make something more drastic than it is [in order to] scare travellers away”

“Excessively conservative.”

“Ils sont credible, mais parfois je trouve qu’ils exagèrent un peu, mais c’est mieux qu’ils exagère un peu que pas assez [They are credible, but sometimes I find that they exaggerate a little, although it’s better that they exaggerate a bit than not enough].”

Some other remarks included that the website was “not up to date” and “vague”.

2. Preferred Channels for Obtaining Information

Travellers

Travellers get information from a variety of sources. In terms of their preferences to access information from the Government of Canada, by far, most preferred a centralized website. There is a broad consensus among travellers to receive information through a travel app, although limited numbers are aware of the current Government of Canada Travel Smart App. In terms of their ideal app, participants are interested in something that is easy to use and suggested a discussion forum layout where you can “ask questions and share travel experiences” On the App itself, Canadians are looking for the Government of Canada to provide information such as contact details (local and in Canada), a map locator (to find the nearest embassy), and information on culture and safety precautions. In Montreal, it was also suggested that the App be available offline.

“An app that would provide accurate timing information, what’s going on there, [and] safety [information].”

“Up to date advice.”

‘’Il faudrait que l’application soit disponible hors ligne [The app would have to be available offline].’’

It is apparent that there is also a need for the Government of Canada to take on more of a ‘push’ strategy to provide information to travellers. As such, travellers believe that making this information more connected to the flight booking process and accessible at airports would be beneficial.

“Would be helpful if it did that [provided information] automatically when you were booking your flights.”

“Il devrait me donner l’information quand je fais mes reservations, m’envoyer quelque chose [They should give the information when I make my reservations, they should send me something].”

“When you’re getting on your flight, pamphlets should be given out. A contact 1-800 number should be provided.”

In the 2018 round of focus groups, not surprisingly, we noted significantly more mention of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, as one of the preferred information channels among both younger and older participants. One respondent specifically stated they receive information from special interest groups on social media.

Other less frequently mentioned channels included the news media, radio ads and travel alerts. In Montreal, travel vaccination clinics were also suggested as a good venue to distribute information, as were airports and all government buildings.

Travel Professionals

Travel professionals put forward a number of suggestions for ways in which the Government of Canada could provide them with information to help them brief their clients. Among the top mentions were engaging with travel associations, such as ACTA (the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies), or membership-based consortiums, as travel professionals regularly interact with these organizations. Tradeshows and workshops (i.e., Travel Marketplace) were also mentioned frequently by travel professionals, as many attend several throughout the year. In Montreal, Tourisme Plus and PAXnouvelles were mentioned as effective channels. Travel professionals in that city also suggested having video segments or webinars on the www.voyage.gc.ca website.

Agents mentioned that their least preferred means of receiving this type of information was by email or regular mail, as it is already a cluttered space. Montreal travel professionals did, however, suggest that a regular newsletter would be an effective way to communicate with them.

“Emails is a problem because you’re not going to look at it.”

“Snail mail is going to be thrown out.”

“Je sais qu’on est déjà inondé, mais un bulletin ça serait bon [I know that we are already inundated, but a newsletter would be good].”

3. Awareness of Specific Products

The majority of participants were not aware of the Registration of Canadians Abroad, travel advice and advisories, or the Travel Smart App provided by the Government of Canada. This is true for both travellers and travel professionals, although travel professionals were more likely to be aware of some of these products.

It is clear that travellers and agents view the Registration of Canadians abroad as a useful resource, but one that could be better promoted by the Government. Following a discussion explaining how the registry works, many participants stated that they would consider registering in the future. Take-up on registration was identified as more likely when travellers are heading to a more dangerous destinations, including destinations where a natural disaster might be a more likely occurrence, or locations to which travellers had never been to before.

“Did not know it existed but would use it.”

“I like the idea of this and will use it next time.”

“If the area I am visiting is dangerous, at least I can register”

“I would use it if I knew there was a service attached to it”

“C’est pour ça que le monde doit s’incrire, s’il arrive quelque chose et qu’on ne s’est pas inscrit, ils ne sauront même pas qu’on est là [That is why people must register, if something happens and we didn’t register, they won’t even know we’re there]!”

Similarly, many international travellers said they were not aware of the travel advice and advisories provided by the Government of Canada. Despite low awareness, some participants mentioned that they remember “Googling” it and landing on the Government of Canada website. Travel agents were more aware of the government travel advice and advisories and some use them to brief clients.

Awareness of the Travel Smart app was very low in all groups – both travellers and travel professionals. However, the majority were enthusiastic when they were shown App or had downloaded it themselves, which happened in many groups. Many positive comments were offered unprompted in terms of the ease of use and speed of the App on their smartphones. Travel professionals mentioned they would suggest it to their clients.

“[It’s] fast and easy on a smartphone.”

“Walked away with a lot of information.”

Je la téléchargerai, mais je voudrais être sûr qu’elle ait une ‘plus-value’ [I would download it, but «I would want to know that it has value-added].

“Ils l’ont en application maintenant?...À l’avenir je vais leur suggérer [They have it as an app now?...Going forward, I will suggest it to them].”

4. Views on Tailoring Information for Vulnerable Groups

There were mixed views from the travelling public as to whether the Government of Canada should tailor information to specific vulnerable groups within the population. As previously mentioned, these groups included the elderly, inexperienced travellers, in addition to others such as disabled persons and LGBTQ. It should also be said that in Montreal, some travel professionals suggested that members of the LGBTQ community already know where they should and should not travel, although they were not suggesting that the advisories were unnecessary.

“Quatre-vingt pourcent de ma clientele est LGBTQ et je vous dirais qu’ils ne demandent pas d’aller en Russie ou en Jamaïque [Eighty percent of my clientel is LGBTQ and I can tell you that they don’t ask to go to Russia, nor to Jamaica]. ”

While most felt that travel information specific to these ‘higher risk’ or vulnerable groups should be easy to find and access, the over-riding view was that communications should be broad-based and that information should not necessarily be highly targeted or tailored. Notably, and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the concern was that a more targeted approach might in fact be seen as less inclusive, in the sense that it brings attention to specific sub-groups rather than assuming that these groups may face many of the same issues as other travellers regardless of their age, health or sexual orientation.

“I think it should be general, but cover all aspects.”

“You need to start with general information and then that should lead to pathways where people can get answers to more specific questions that reflect their unique situation.”

“If I fell into any of these categories, I would find it really hepful if they were segregated on a website.”

“If you’re going to start saying you’re LGBTQ, you’re calling them out.”

D. Assessment of Travel Advisories

1. Awareness and Use

The overall awareness of Government of Canada travel advice and advisories was moderate, with fewer travellers and more travel professionals being familiar with travel advice and advisories prior to the discussion. However, once participants were shown the travel advice pages online they were more likely to state that they had seen or used them before. Most participants mentioned that the travel advisories would be a useful resource for them, in addition to the channels that they already use. Others found these particularly important, interesting and credible.

“It would just be another resource for me.”

“I’d take it into consideration, but wouldn’t be my be all end all.”

“S’ils me disaient de ne pas y aller, je n’irais pas [If they told me not to go, I wouldn’t go].”

Discussions about how and when travellers would use the travel advisories yielded interesting commentary. As anticipated, the majority said they would consult the website prior to deciding to go to a specific destination and some would access the travel advice and advisories while they were travelling abroad, but primarily when they required assistance.

Travel agents were more familiar than travellers with the travel advisories and they were also more likely to utilize them, mostly as a tool to brief their clients on certain destinations. One participant in particular mentioned that there is a commitment of travel agents to provide this type of information to their clients.

As a travel agent I have an obligation to let them know that is the advisory”

“If I had someone who was concerned, I would send this to them right away”

“On est dans l’obligation de dévoiler les risques [We have an obligation to tell them about the risks].”

2. Interpretation of Travel Advisories and Risk Levels

Overall the term ‘travel advisory’ did not resonate strongly with participants although, upon further discussion, it was clear. Many likened the term ‘advisory’ to ‘advice’ while others interpreted it as a notice or alert rather than a webpage one could go to for travel advice and information.

“Advisory sounds like an option, but alert is something you should know.”

Participants’ comments underscore both the positive aspects and current strengths of the travel advice and advisories as well as areas and opportunities for improvement. Comments were similar between international travellers and travel professionals.

The key strengths of the travel advice and advisories as identified by participants were:

The information was comprehensive and relevant
The items highlighted in red clearly stood out to the user
The tabs make it easy to navigate
The shaded text box between the first two and the last two risk levels in the definitions pop-up was found to be helpful by participants in many groups as a means of differentiating between lower and higher risk categories. At the same time,
it was felt that it might be more effectively displayed through a more visual rather than text description.

“Ça démontre l’importance [It shows the importance].”

“C’est comme le surligner [It’s like highlighting it].”

Participants also made a number of suggestions for improvements:

The pages were lengthy and could be reduced with plain language
It is hard to navigate to find the important information
All of the basic information should be included on the main landing page
Information could be more up to date
Risk levels, specifically level 2 (‘exercise a high degree of caution’) may be overstated
Contact information should be included on the landing page – this was thought to be quite important and, as such, should appear on the landing page for the site

While participants express interest in travel information from the Government of Canada provides for travel, they also suggested modifications to the pages to clarify the content. In addition, they recommended that awareness-raising intiatives are key to ensuring that more travellers know about these Government of Canada resources.

“Having all the information in one website is great, should be promoted more.”

“Je trouve ça intéressant, il faudrait peut-être en parler plus [I find this interesting, it should be talked about more].’’

‘’Là je vais avoir une seule ressource et regarder ça de manière facile. [Now I can have a single resource and find things easily].’’

3. Suggestions for Improving Travel Advisories

There was an overwhelming consensus to have contact information for local emergency and consular services shown more prominently on the Advisory and permit easier access for users, without having to navigate to the last tab. Notably, many said that adding this information (from the assistance tab) to the landing page would be beneficial. This suggestion originated from the idea if travellers are in need of emergency assistance from the Government of Canada, they should be able to quickly and easily find this type of contact information.

“When someone is in trouble it’s not quick to get assistance”

Specific to the risk levels, there were multiple suggestions to make this page of the travel advisory easier to understand. The vast majority of participants mentioned that it would be useful to include a color coding scale (of red, yellow and green, for example) for the risk levels so that these could be more easily understood. Participants are also interested in seeing the description associated with the risk level upfront on the landing page (vs. clicking on a pop out box).

“Color-coding the levels would help me navigate threats easier.”

On the landing page multiple red high risk location alerts are prominent. While the bright red text attracted the user’s attention, it was difficult for participants to decipher exactly what this meant for them and their travel plans. Many comments underscored that the presentation (i.e., many areas highlighted in red) makes it seem as if the entire country is a huge risk. The description of the areas meant nothing to those who had never been there and they could therefore not make an informed decision as to the degree of risk associated with travelling to the country. In fact, some felt that the advisories were greatly exaggerated as to the actual level of risk. Most of these comments were made by individuals who had been to the country previously, but also by some who had not but simply felt that the extent of red highlighting likely exaggerated the extent of the country affected by a travel advisory. Participants in multiple groups suggested including a map whereby users could easily see and understand which parts of the country were actually affected by a travel advisory. Similarl to the risk levels, color coding could be implemented for ease of understanding.

“A map would be useful with colours of danger.”

In addition to the suggestions above, there were a number of other requests for improvements to the Travel Advisories:

Include Visa and currency information
Include updated weather reports
Add a search bar for specific questions
Make it more prominent on the site when the advice was last updated or reviewed. In one case, Montreal participants pointed to advisory page which provided information on an incident dating back multiple years and thereby lessened the credibility of all advisories
Try to make the site more interactive
Include a tab which provides travellers’ rights (vis-à-vis airlines, travel agents, operators, etc.)

Appendix: Research Instruments

A. Questionnaires

1. English Version

GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA – CONSULAR ASSISTANCE TO CANADIANS

FINAL QUESTIONNAIRE – Mar. 14, 2018

SECTION 1: Introduction and Screening
Confirm whether respondent would prefer to be spoken to in English or in French.

A. Language

English

□

CONTINUE

French

□

CONTINUE

Good morning/afternoon/evening. My name is [insert interviewer name] from The Strategic Counsel, a Canadian public opinion research firm. We are currently conducting a survey of Canadian travellers for the Government of Canada about travel planning and assistance to Canadians travelling abroad. I’d like to ask you a few questions if you have time.

This survey is registered with the National Survey Registration System.

IF ASKED: The survey should not take more than 15 minutes, depending on your answers to some of the questions.

IF ASKED: I can tell you a bit more about the background of this study at the end of the survey

IF ASKED: The registration system has been created by the Canadian survey research industry to allow the public to verify that a survey is legitimate, get information about the survey industry or register a complaint. The registration system’s toll-free telephone number is [insert number].

B. Are you a Canadian citizen?

Yes

□

CONTINUE

No

□

THANK AND TERMINATE

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

□

THANK AND TERMINATE

C. Do you, your partner or spouse work for the Government of Canada?

Yes

□

THANK AND TERMINATE

No

□

CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

□

THANK AND TERMINATE

D. Gender (By observation)

Male

□

CONTINUE

Female

□

CONTINUE

Non-binary

□

CONTINUE

QUOTA-SET. 50/50 SPLIT.

E. Before we begin, I’d just like to ask you a few questions to make sure you we get a good mix of respondents. In what year were you born? RECORD AND CATEGORIZE.

______________ RECORD AGE

Under 18

□

THANK AND TERMINATE

18-34

□

CONTINUE

35-44

□

CONTINUE

45-54

□

CONTINUE

55-64

□

CONTINUE

65+

□

CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

□

CONTINUE

QUOTA-SET. AGE 18-34 = 27%. 35-54=34%. 55+ = 39%.

F. How would you describe the purpose of this trip? Is it mostly related to … READ LIST. ACCEPT ONE RESPONSE ONLY.

Business

□

CONTINUE

Pleasure/Leisure

□

CONTINUE

Visiting your country of heritage

□

CONTINUE

Volunteer work abroad

□

CONTINUE

Studying abroad

□

CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Combination of business and leisure/personal

□

CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Other: Please specify ______________

□

CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

□

THANK AND TERMINATE

G. Which countries will you be travelling to on this trip? RECORD ALL COUNTRIES UP TO A MAXIMUM OF THREE.

1. _________________________________

2. _________________________________

3. _________________________________

Prefer not to answer □ THANK AND TERMINATE

QUOTA-SET. RECODE COUNTRIES BY REGION.

1/5 UNITED STATES. 1/5 SUN DESTIINATIONS (MEXICO/CARIBBEAN). 3/5 OTHER REMAINING DESTINATIONS – TRY TO INCLUDE EVERY CONTINENT.

IF MEETS CRITERIA/QUOTAS, CONTINUE. OTHERWISE THANK AND TERMINATE.

SECTION 2: General Travel in Last 5 Years

1. In the last 5 years, approximately how many separate trips have you taken outside Canada to each of the following regions? READ LIST AND RECORD NUMBER OF TRIPS.

REGIONS

RECORD NO. OF TRIPS

The United States

Mexico

The Caribbean

Europe

Northern Asia (i.e., China, Japan)

Southeast Asia (i.e., India, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia)

The Middle East (i.e., Egypt, Israel)

Australia or New Zealand

Africa

South/Central America

Other, please specify: ____________________________________

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer

□

This is my first trip abroad [PN: EXCLUSIVE]

□

2. And, has the purpose of these trips been mostly related to … READ LIST. ACCEPT ONE RESPONSE ONLY.

Business

□

CONTINUE

Pleasure/Leisure

□

CONTINUE

Visiting your country of heritage for which you are not a dual citizen

□

CONTINUE

Travelling to your other country of nationality for which you are a dual citizen

□

CONTINUE

Volunteer work abroad

□

CONTINUE

Studying abroad

□

CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Combination of business and leisure/personal

□

CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Other: Please specify ______________

□

CONTINUE

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer

□

CONTINUE

3. When you travel abroad, what is the typical length of your trip, in days? RECORD NUMBER OF DAYS – ACCEPT ESTIMATE.

________ Number of days

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer □

4. People have different approaches to planning for a major trip to a new destination abroad. Some believe it is important to plan for every potential situation and be as prepared as possible. Other people believe it is impossible to anticipate every possible problem and would rather deal with situations as they arise. Which ONE of these two approaches is closer to your own? ONE RESPONSE ONLY.

Important to be prepared

□

Better to deal with situations as they arise

□

VOLUNTEERED Neither/both/depends

□

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer

□

Travel Planning, Preparation and Arrangements

Now I have a few questions about this trip and how you planned for it.

5. First, [DEPENDING ON RESPONSE AT QG] is the destination/are the destinations you are travelling to one(s) that you have … READ LIST. ACCEPT ONE RESPONSE.

Travelled to many times before

□

Travelled to a few times before

□

Only travelled to once before

□

Never travelled to before

□

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer

□

6. What steps do you normally take to prepare for a trip abroad to a country or region that you are not familiar with? DO NOT READ – CODE ALL THAT APPLY. PROBE: Anything else?

Accommodations, attractions, weather (non-security/safety information)

□

Get information about new country/countries

□

Check travel advisories

□

Check safety/security information (general)

Get new passport/renew passport

□

Check if passport still valid (general)

□

Check into required visas/entry requirements

□

Check into necessary health steps (vaccinations)

□

Arrange health and/or travel insurance

□

Check into arrangements for local currency/access to ATMs

□

Register with Canadian government office abroad

□

Get SIM card/data plan/roaming services

□

Other, please specify: ____________________________________

□

Nothing

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

7. How long do you expect to be outside of Canada on this trip?READ LIST.

Less than a week

□

1-2 weeks

□

3-4 weeks

□

Up to three months

□

More than 3 months

□

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer

□

8. Are you travelling … READ LIST. ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES.

Alone

□

With friends

□

With family members

□

With colleagues

□

With a group (i.e., as part of a package or group tour)

□

With minor dependents

□

VOLUNTEERED Other: Please specify _______________________

□

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer

□

9. On this trip are you travelling with … READ LIST. ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES.

A smart phone

□

A tablet

□

A laptop

□

None of the above

□

[IF ‘NONE OF THE ABOVE’ AT Q.9, SKIP TO Q.11]

10. Do you have access to or plan to do any of the following while you are abroad on this trip? READ LIST. CHECK AS MANY AS APPLY

International roaming

□

Purchase a SIM card and credits to be able to use your phone in your destination

□

Turn off your cellular data and use Wi-Fi available at cafes, restaurants, hotels abroad

□

Use Google Voice or Skype instead of making calls

□

Download travel apps

□

None of the above

□

11. I’m going to read you a list of activities and, for each, please tell me if this is something you are planning to do on this trip? READ LIST. RANDOMIZE ITEMS. CHECK ALL THAT APPLY

Visit friends or family

□

Visit cultural or historic sites of interest

□

Attend sporting events

□

Participate in adventure activities such as hiking, biking, skydiving or scuba diving

□

Attend a conference

□

Study or undertake educational activities

□

Sightsee

□

Shopping

□

Enjoy beaches/pool

□

Attend business meetings

□

Other: Please specify _________________________

□

12. How much in advance of your departure did you book your trip? READ LIST. ACCEPT ONE RESPONSE ONLY

Less than a week

□

1-2 weeks

□

3-4 weeks

□

Up to three months

□

More than 3 months

□

VOLUNTEERED It really depends on the type of trip

□

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer

□

13. DELETED

14. When preparing for this trip, please tell me if you did each of the following. READ IN RANDOM ORDER. CHECK ALL THAT APPLY.

Read travel advice on your country of destination

□

Obtain or ensure you have health and/or travel insurance coverage

□

Check to make sure your passport is current for the travel period

□

Check visa or entry requirements for the countries to be visited

□

Check into the need for health vaccinations

□

Register with the Canadian Government to let them know where you will be travelling

□

Get information about local currency and options for getting cash

□

Prepare documentation for travelling with children (e.g., consent letter to travel abroad)

□

Leave a copy of your travel itinerary with someone at home

□

Consult friends and family

□

15. [IF ‘HEALTH/TRAVEL INSURANCE’ CHECKED AT Q.14, ASK] How familiar are you with the clauses and exclusions in your health or travel insurance? Would you say you are … READ LIST. ONE RESPONSE ONLY.

Very familiar

□

Somewhat familiar

□

Not very familiar

□

Not at all familiar

□

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer

□

16. How did you purchase your trip, including your flight and accommodation? READ LIST. ACCEPT AS MANY AS APPLY.

Directly through the airline

□

Through an online travel reservation service

□

Through a travel agent

□

Family member or friend purchased the trip

□

Your employer purchased the trip

□

Other: Please specify _______________________________

□

VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer

□

17. [IF ‘ONLINE TRAVEL SERVICES’ CHECKED AT Q.16, ASK] Which online travel reservation services did you use? NAME UP TO THREE.

1. _______________________

2. _______________________

3. _______________________

Can’t recall □

SECTION 4: Sources of Travel Information

These next few questions ask about where you typically get travel information from, specifically on the topic of safety and security, and where you might go if you needed help while abroad.

18. What would you do, or where would you turn to for help if you found yourself in some kind of trouble in a foreign country? DO NOT READ. PROBE.Anything else?

The Canadian Government - general (PROBE FOR SPECIFICS)

□

The Canadian Embassy or Consulate

□

Local police

□

Local hotel

□

Local friends/family

□

Call home

□

Embassy representatives at another mission/for another country

□

Travel Agent/Tour Operator

□

Would handle the situation on my own

□

Other, please specify: ____________________________________

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

19. What sources do you rely on most for information about safety and security issues when travelling abroad, particularly when you are travelling to a place you are less familiar with? DO NOT READ. CODE ALL THAT APPLY. Anything else?

The Internet

□

Travel books (i.e., Fodors, Lonely Planet, Eyewitness)

□

Social Media (i.e., Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat)

□

Television

□

Radio

□

Friends and/or family who have been there

□

Friends and/or family who live there

□

Travel agent

□

Tour company

□

Canadian government printed publication

□

Canadian government websites

□

Government of destination countries

□

Local resources at the destination (i.e., hotel concierge, tourist bureaus)

□

Other, please specify: ____________________________________

□

Nothing

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

20. [IF ‘INTERNET’ AT Q.19, ASK] You mentioned you rely on the Internet. What sites specifically? ACCEPT UP TO 3 RESPONSES,

1. _______________________

2. _______________________

3. _______________________

Can’t recall □

21. [IF ‘CANADIAN GOVERNMENT WEBSITE’ AT Q.19, ASK] You mentioned you rely on Canadian government websites. What sites specifically? ACCEPT UP TO 3 RESPONSES,

1. _______________________

2. _____________________

3. _______________________

Can’t recall □

22. [IF ‘SOCIAL MEDIA’ AT Q.19, ASK] You mentioned you rely on the social media. What social media specifically? ACCEPT UP TO 3 RESPONSES,

1. _______________________

2. _____________________

3. _______________________

Can’t recall □

23. Are you aware of or ever checked travel advice or travel advisory pages that are online which provide up-to-date information about safety, security, laws and culture in connection with travelling to specific countries?

Yes – aware of and checked

□

Yes – aware of, but not checked

□

No

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

24. Which one of the following best reflects how you interpret the term ‘travel advisory’ when you hear it in the context of travel to certain regions or countries?READ LIST. ACCEPT ONE RESPONSE ONLY.

A suggestion

□

Strong guidance

□

A recommendation to avoid travel to certain locations

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

25. [IF ‘YES – AWARE OF AND CHECKED’ AT Q.23, ASK] Do you typically check travel advice or travel advisory pages BEFORE or AFTER you have booked your travel?

Before

□

After

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

26. [IF ‘YES’ AT Q.23, ASK] And, where do you come across these travel advisories? That is, who authors or sponsors them? DO NOT READ. CODE ALL THAT APPLY.

Canadian/Federal Government

□

U.S. Government

□

Government of destination country

□

Any other government

□

Travel guides

□

Social media

□

The Internet (PROBE FOR SPONSOR OF SITE)

□

Travel agent

□

Tour company

□

Other, please specify: ____________________________________

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

27. [IF ‘CANADIAN/FEDERAL GOVT’ AT Q.26 AND ‘YES’ AT Q.23, ASK] Did information you found in a government travel advisory ever cause you to change your trip preparations or alter your travel plans I some way?

Yes

□

No

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

28. How interested are you in a Government of Canada travel app that you can download and which allows to receive automatic travel updates?

Very interested

□

Somewhat interested

□

Not very interested

□

Not interested at all

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

SECTION 5: Traveller Assistance While Abroad and Consular Service Delivery Perceptions

Now I would like to ask you a few questions about assistance to Canadians when they are travelling abroad.

29. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is very poor and 10 is very good, in general, how would you rate the services and support that Canadians receive from the Government of Canada when they are travelling abroad?

Very Poor

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Excellent

10

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

30. How familiar are you with the range of services and support offered by Consular Services which is the group within the Government of Canada that provides assistance to Canadians when they are travelling abroad?

Very familiar

□

Somewhat familiar

□

Not very familiar

□

Not familiar at all

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

31. [IF ‘VERY, SOMEWHAT, NOT VERY FAMILIAR’ AT Q.30, ASK] Where have you heard about Canadian Consular Services? READ LIST. CHECK ALL THAT APPLY. PROBE.Anywhere else?

Government of Canada website

□

Government of Canada publications

□

Newspaper

□

TV

□

Radio

□

Internet (Other than Government of Canada)

□

From a friend, family member or colleague

□

From my employer

□

From a travel agent or tour operator

□

Other, please specify: ____________________________________

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

32. To the best of your knowledge, in what ways does the Canadian Government assist Canadian travellers when they need help in a foreign country?DO NOT READ. CODE ALL THAT APPLY.PROBE.Anything else?

When arrested, detained by local authorities

□

Assistance or information about local country or Canada (i.e., how to extend VISA, what can be brought back to Canada)

□

Assistance in finding a missing child/child abduction

□

When there has been a death in the family

□

During a disaster, either natural (like a hurricane) or a civil disaster (rioting)

□

Getting or replacing a missing passport

□

Registering with the Government as a Canadian travelling or living abroad

□

Document services (i.e., notary/legal services)

□

Helping get out of jail

□

Providing safe haven within the Embassy

□

Interpretation or translation services

□

Other, please specify: ____________________________________

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

33. How confident are you that you would be able to quickly access a Consular official if you found yourself needing some assistance while travelling abroad? Please use a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 means you are not confident at all and 10 means you are extremely confident.

Not confident at all

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Extremely confident

10

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

34. How would you be most likely to contact a Consular official? Would it be … READ LIST. CHECK ONE RESPONSE ONLY.

By telephone

□

In person

□

By e-mail

□

By text message

□

Other: Please specify ___________________________________

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

35. If you contacted a Consular official, which one of the following best describes the kind of assistance you would expect? READ. ACCEPT ONE RESPONSE ONLY.

They would answer questions and provide advice on how to handle the situation

□

They would refer me to local service providers who could help

□

They would directly intervene and manage all aspects of my problem

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

36. Within the last 5 years, have you contacted the Government of Canada/Consular Services or have they contacted you while you were travelling abroad?

Yes, I contacted them

□

Yes, they contacted me

□

Yes both

□

No, never [SKIP TO Q41]

□

Don’t Know/No Answer [SKIP TO Q41]

□

37. [IF ‘YES, CONTACTED THEM OR BOTH’ AT Q.36, ASK] How easy or difficult was it for you to reach a Consular official?

Very easy

□

Somewhat easy

□

Somewhat difficult

□

Very difficult

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

38. [IF ‘YES’ AT Q.36, ASK] was the nature of your interaction(s)? DO NOT READ. CODE ALL THAT APPLY. PROBE. Anything else?

Being arrested, detained by local authorities

□

Assistance or information about local country or Canada (i.e., how to extend VISA, what can be brought back to Canada)

□

Assistance in finding a missing child/child abduction

□

A death in the family

□

A health issue

During a disaster, either natural (like a hurricane) or a civil disaster (rioting)

□

Getting or replacing a missing passport

□

Stolen ID or credit cards

□

Registering with the Government as a Canadian travelling or living abroad

□

Document services (i.e., notary/legal services)

□

Seeking safe haven within the Embassy

□

Other, please specify: ____________________________________

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

39. [IF ‘YES’ AT Q.36, ASK] Overall, how satisfied were you with the support and services they provided to you?

Very satisfied

□

Somewhat satisfied

□

Somewhat dissatisfied

□

Very dissatisfied

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

40. [IF ‘SOMEWHAT SATISFIED, SOMEWHAT/VERY DISSATISFIED’ AT Q.39] What could have been done differently or better to make this a more satisfactory experience for you?OPEN END.

40a. [IF ‘YES AT Q.36 ASK] Did you provide feedback (either positive or negative) on the support and services Government of Canada/Consular Services provided to you?

Yes

□

No, but I knew how to provide feedback

□

No, because I didn’t know how to provide feedback

□

Don’t Know/No Answer

□

SECTION 6: Respondent Profile

I’d like to finish with a few general questions about you which will help us to analyse the results. Please be assured that this information will remain fully confidential.

41. Were you born … READ LIST. ACCEPT ONE REPSONSE ONLY.

In Canada

□

Another country

□

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

□

42. Are you also a citizen of a country other than Canada? CLARIFY IF NECESSARY. That is, are you a dual citizen?

Yes

□

No

□

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

□

43. What is the highest level of education that you have completed? READ LIST. CODE ONE REPSONSE ONLY.

Some high school

□

High school graduate

□

Some college

□

Graduated college

□

Some university

□

Graduated university

□

Graduate school

□

Prefer not to answer

□

44 Are you currently residing in Canada or in another country?

In Canada

□

In another country

□

VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer

□

45. [IF ‘IN CANADA’ AT Q.44, ASK] In which province or territory do you currently reside?

Alberta

□

British Columbia

□

Manitoba

□

New Brunswick

□

Newfoundland/Labrador

□

Northwest Territories

□

Nova Scotia

□

Nunavut

□

Ontario

□

Quebec

□

Prince Edward Island

□

Saskatchewan

□

Yukon

□

Prefer not to answer

□

THESE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATING IN THE SURVEY.

[IF ASKED] THIS SURVEY IS BEING CONDUCTED BY GLOBAL AFFFAIRS CANADA TO EVALUATE HABITS, VIEWS AND PERCEPTIONS OF CANADIAN TRAVELLERS AND TO IDENTIFY HOW TRAVEL INFORMATION MIGHT BE IMPROVED.

46. RECORD AIRPORT

Toronto

□

Vancouver

□

Montreal

□

RECORD DATE/TIME/INTERVIEWER ID.

DATE: ___________________

TIME: ____________________

INTERVIEWER ID: ____________________

2. French Version

AFFAIRES MONDIALES CANADA – AIDE CONSULAIRE OFFERTE AUX CANADIENS

QUESTIONNAIRE FINAL – Le 14 mars 2018

SECTION 1 : Introduction et pré-sélection

Confirmer si le/la répondant(e) préfère parler français ou anglais.

A. Langue

Anglais

□

CONTINUER

Français

□

CONTINUER

Bonjour/bon après-midi/bonsoir. Je m’appelle [insérer le nom de l’intervieweur] de la firme The Strategic Counsel, une société canadienne de recherche sur l'opinion publique. Nous menons présentement une enquête auprès de voyageurs canadiens pour le gouvernement du Canada qui porte sur la planification des voyages et l’assistance voyage pour les Canadiens qui vont à l’étranger. J’aimerais vous poser quelques questions si vous avez un moment à me consacrer.

Ce sondage est enregistré auprès du Système national d'enregistrement des sondages.

SI LA QUESTION EST POSÉE :Répondre au sondage ne devrait pas prendre plus de 15 minutes selon les réponses que vous donnerez à certaines questions.

SI LA QUESTION EST POSÉE :Je pourrai vous donner plus de détails sur le contexte de cette étude à la fin du sondage.

SI LA QUESTION EST POSÉE : Le système d’enregistrement a été créé par l'industrie canadienne de la recherche par sondage pour permettre au public de vérifier la légitimité d’un sondage, obtenir de l’information sur le secteur étudié ou déposer une plainte. Le numéro sans frais du système d’enregistrement est le [insérer le numéro].

B. Êtes-vous citoyen(ne) canadien(ne)?

Oui

□

CONTINUER

Non

□

REMERCIER ET TERMINER

A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre

□

REMERCIER ET TERMINER

C. Est-ce que vous ou votre conjoint-e travaillez pour le gouvernement du Canada?

Oui

□

REMERCIER ET TERMINER

Non

□

CONTINUER

A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre

□

REMERCIER ET TERMINER

D. Genre (selon l’observation)

Un homme

□

CONTINUER

Une femme

□

CONTINUER

Non binaire

□

CONTINUER

QUOTA-SET. 50/50 SPLIT.

E. Avant de commencer, j’aimerais vous poser quelques questions pour assurer la diversité des répondants. En quelle année êtes-vous né(e)? NOTER ET CATÉGORISER.

_______________NOTER L’ÂGE

Moins de 18 ans

□

REMERCIER ET TERMINER

18-34 ans

□

CONTINUER

35-44 ans

□

CONTINUER

45-54 ans

□

CONTINUER

55-64 ans

□

CONTINUER

65 ans et plus

□

CONTINUER

A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre

□

CONTINUER

QUOTA-SET. AGE 18-34 = 27%. 35-54=34%. 55+ = 39%.

F. Comment décririez-vous l’objectif de ce voyage? Est-il principalement lié…? LIRE LA LISTE.ACCEPTER UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Aux affaires

□

CONTINUER

À l’agrément ou aux loisirs

□

CONTINUER

À la visite de votre pays d’origine

□

CONTINUER

À du bénévolat à l’étranger

□

CONTINUER

À des études à l’étranger

□

CONTINUER

A RÉPONDU Combinaison d’affaires et de loisirs

□

CONTINUER

A RÉPONDU Autre : veuillez préciser ______________

□

CONTINUER

A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre

□

REMERCIER ET TERMINER

G. Quels pays visiterez-vous pendant ce voyage? NOTER TOUS LES PAYS JUSQU’À UN MAXIMUM DE TROIS.

1. _________________________________

2. _________________________________

3. _________________________________

Préfère ne pas répondre □ REMERCIER ET TERMINER

QUOTA-SET.RECODE COUNTRIES BY REGION.

1/5 UNITED STATES. 1/5 SUN DESTIINATIONS (MEXICO/CARIBBEAN). 3/5 OTHER REMAINING DESTINATIONS – TRY TO INCLUDE EVERY CONTINENT.

SI LE OU LA RÉPONDANT-E RÉPOND AUX CRITÈRES/QUOTAS, CONTINUEZ. SINON REMERCIER ET

TERMINER

SECTION 2 : Voyages généraux au cours des 5 dernières années

1. Au cours des 5 dernières années, environ combien de voyages distincts avez-vous faits à l’extérieur du Canada à destination de chaque région suivante? LIRE LA LISTE ET NOTER LE NOMBRE DE VOYAGES.

RÉGIONS

NOTER LE NOMBRE DE VOYAGES

États-Unis

Mexique

Caraïbes

Europe

Nord de l’Asie (p. ex. : Chine, Japon)

Sud de l’Asie (p. ex. : Inde, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonésie)

Moyen-Orient (p. ex. : Égypte, Israël)

Australie ou Nouvelle-Zélande

Afrique

Amérique du Sud ou Amérique centrale

Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

C’était mon premier voyage à l’étranger [NP : EXCLUSIF]

□

2. Et l’objectif de ces voyages était-il principalement lié…? LIRE LA LISTE. ACCEPTER UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Aux affaires

□

CONTINUER

À l’agrément ou aux loisirs

□

CONTINUER

À la visite de votre pays d’origine pour lequel vous n’avez pas une double citoyenneté

□

CONTINUER

Au déplacement vers votre autre pays de nationalité pour lequel vous avez une double citoyenneté

□

CONTINUER

À du bénévolat à l’étranger

□

CONTINUER

À des études à l’étranger

□

CONTINUER

A RÉPONDU Combinaison d’affaires et de loisirs

□

CONTINUER

A RÉPONDU Autre : veuillez préciser ______________

□

CONTINUER

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

CONTINUER

3. Quand vous voyagez à l’étranger, quelle est la durée typique de votre séjour en termes de jours? NOTER LE NOMBRE DE JOURS – ACCEPTER UNE ESTIMATION.

________ Nombre de jours

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

4. Les gens adoptent différentes approches à la planification d’un voyage important vers une nouvelle destination à l’étranger. Certains estiment qu’il est important de planifier en vue de chaque situation éventuelle et d’être aussi bien préparé que possible. D’autres pensent qu’il est impossible d’anticiper chaque problème éventuel et préfèrent composer avec les problèmes quand ils apparaissent. QUELLE approche se rapproche le plus de celle que vous adoptez? UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Il est important d’être préparé

□

Il est préférable de composer avec les problèmes quand ils apparaissent

□

A RÉPONDU Ni l’un ni l’autre/les deux/cela dépend

□

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

SECTION 3 :

À présent, je vais vous poser quelques questions sur ce voyage et vous demander comment vous l’avez planifié.

5. Tout d’abord, le/la/l’/les [SELON LA RÉPONSE DONNÉE À LA QG] est-elle/sont-elles une/des destination(s) où vous…? LIRE LA LISTE. ACCEPTER UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Avez voyagé plusieurs fois

□

Avez voyagé quelques fois

□

Avez voyagé une fois seulement

□

N’avez jamais voyagé

□

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

6. Quelles mesures avez-vous l’habitude de prendre pour vous préparer en vue d’un voyage à l’étranger vers un pays ou une région que vous ne connaissez pas? NE PAS LIRE – CODER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT. SONDER : Y a-t-il autre chose?

Hébergement, attractions, météo (information qui ne concerne pas la sécurité)

□

Obtenir de l’information sur le(s) nouveau(x) pays

□

Consulter les avis aux voyageurs

□

Obtenir l’information concernant la sécurité (générale)

Obtenir un nouveau passeport/renouveler le passeport

□

Vérifier si le passeport est toujours valide (général)

□

Consulter les exigences requises en ce qui a trait aux visas ou à l’entrée

□

Consulter les mesures à prendre en matière de santé (vaccins)

□

Souscrire une assurance maladie/voyage

□

Prendre des dispositions pour vous procurer de la monnaie locale ou
accéder à des guichets automatiques

□

Vous inscrire auprès du bureau du gouvernement du Canada à l’étranger

□

Obtenir une carte SIM, un forfait de données ou des services d’itinérance

□

Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________

□

Rien

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

7. Combien de temps prévoyez-vous passer à l’extérieur du Canada pendant ce voyage?

Moins d'une semaine

□

1-2 semaine(s)

□

3-4 semaines

□

Jusqu’à 3 mois

□

Plus de 3 mois

□

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

8. Voyagez-vous…? LIRE LA LISTE. ACCEPTER DES RÉPONSES MULTIPLES.

Seul(e)

□

Avec des amis

□

Avec des membres de votre famille

□

Avec des collègues

□

Avec un groupe (p. ex. : dans le cadre d’un forfait ou d’un de groupe)

□

Avec des personnes à charge mineures

□

A RÉPONDU Autre : veuillez préciser _______________________

□

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

9. Pendant ce voyage, voyagez-vous avec…? LIRE LA LISTE. ACCEPTER DES RÉPONSES MULTIPLES.

Un téléphone intelligent

□

Une tablette

□

Un ordinateur portatif

□

Aucune de ces réponses

□

[SI LA RÉPONSE « AUCUNE DE CES RÉPONSES » A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.9, PASSER À LA Q.11]

10. Avez-vous accès à l’un des éléments suivants ou prévoyez-vous faire l’un des éléments suivants pendant ce voyage à l’étranger? LIRE LA LISTE. COCHEZ TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT.

Itinérance internationale

□

Acheter une carte SIM et des crédits pour pouvoir utiliser votre téléphone à votre destination

□

Désactiver les services de données de votre téléphone et utiliser le réseau Wi-Fi disponible dans les café-restaurants, les restaurants et les hôtels à l’étranger

□

Utiliser Google Voice ou Skype au lieu de faire des appels

□

Télécharger des applications liées aux voyages

□

Aucune de ces réponses

□

11. Je vais vous lire une liste d’activités et, pour chacune d’elles, dites-moi s’il s’agit de quelque chose que vous prévoyez faire pendant ce voyage. LIRE LA LISTE. RANDOMISER LES ÉLÉMENTS COCHER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT.

Rendre visite à des amis ou de la famille

□

Visiter des sites culturels ou historiques d’intérêt

□

Assister à des événements sportifs

□

Participer à des activités d’aventure, comme la randonnée pédestre, le cyclisme, le parachutisme ou la plongée sous-marine

□

Assister à une conférence

□

Étudier ou entreprendre des activités éducatives

□

Visiter des endroits

□

Magasiner

□

Profiter des plages ou de la piscine

□

Assister à des réunions d’affaires

□

Autre : veuillez préciser _________________________

□

12. Combien de temps avant la date de départ avez-vous fait les réservations de votre voyage? LIRE LA LISTE. ACCEPTER UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Moins d'une semaine

□

1-2 semaine(s)

□

3-4 semaines

□

Jusqu’à 3 mois

□

Plus de 3 mois

□

A RÉPONDU Cela dépend vraiment du type de voyage

□

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

13. DELETED

14. Quand vous vous êtes préparé(e) en vue de ce voyage, dites-moi si vous avez fait chaque élément suivant. LIRE DANS UN ORDRE ALÉATOIRE. COCHER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT.

Lire les conseils en matière de voyage qui portent sur votre pays de destination

□

Obtenir une protection d’assurance maladie/voyage ou vous assurer d’en avoir une

□

Vérifier si votre passeport est valide pendant la période de voyage

□

Consulter les exigences requises en ce qui a trait aux visas ou à l’entrée pour les pays à visiter

□

Vérifier le besoin d’obtenir des vaccins

□

Vous inscrire auprès du gouvernement du Canada pour l’informer de l’endroit où vous prévoyez aller

□

Obtenir de l’information relative à la monnaie locale et aux options pour vous procurer de l’argent comptant

□

Préparer les documents requis pour les voyages avec des enfants (p. ex. : lettre de consentement qui autorise les voyages à l’étranger)

□

Laisser une copie de votre itinéraire de voyage à quelqu’un chez vous

□

Consultez des amis et des parents

□

15. [SI LA RÉPONSE « ASSURANCE MALADIE/VOYAGE » A ÉTÉ COCHÉE À LA Q.14, DEMANDER] Dans quelle mesure connaissez-vous les clauses et les exclusions de votre assurance maladie ou voyage? Diriez-vous que vous…? LIRE LA LISTE.UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Les connaissez très bien

□

Les connaissez assez bien

□

Ne les connaissez pas très bien

□

Ne les connaissez pas du tout

□

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

16. De quelle façon avez-vous acheté votre voyage, y compris le vol et l’hébergement?LIRE LA LISTE. ACCEPTER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT.

Directement par l’entremise de la compagnie aérienne

□

Par l’entremise d’un service de réservation de voyages en ligne

□

Par l’entremise d’un agent de voyages

□

Un membre de ma famille ou un ami a acheté le voyage

□

Votre employeur a acheté le voyage

□

Autre : veuillez préciser _______________________________

□

A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

17. [SI LA RÉPONSE « SERVICES DE VOYAGES EN LIGNE » A ÉTÉ COCHÉE À LA Q.16, DEMANDER] Quels services de réservation de voyages en ligne avez-vous utilisés? NOMMER JUSQU’À TROIS SERVICES.

4. _______________________

5. _______________________

6. _______________________

Ne m’en souviens pas

SECTION 4 : Sources d’information sur les voyages

Les quelques questions suivantes portent sur l’endroit où vous avez l’habitude de vous procurer de l’information sur les voyages, particulièrement en ce qui a trait à la sécurité, et où aller si vous avez besoin d’aide alors que vous êtes à l’étranger.

18. Que feriez-vous ou à qui vous adresseriez-vous pour obtenir de l’aide si vous aviez des ennuis dans un pays étranger? NE PAS LIRE. CODER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT.SONDER. Y a-t-il autre chose?

Gouvernement du Canada - général (SONDER POUR OBTENIR DES RÉPONSES PRÉCISES)

□

Ambassade du Canada ou consulat canadien

□

Police locale

□

Hôtel local

□

Amis/parents locaux

□

Appeler chez vous

□

Représentants d’ambassade d’une autre mission ou pour un autre pays

□

Agent/organisateur de voyages

□

Gérer la situation seul(e)

□

Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

19 Quelles sources utilisez-vous le plus pour obtenir de l’information sur les questions de sécurité quand vous voyagez à l’étranger, particulièrement lorsque vous voyagez à un endroit que vous connaissez moins?NE PAS LIRE.CODER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT.Y a-t-il autre chose?

Internet

□

Livres sur les voyages (p. ex. : Fodors, Lonely Planet, Eyewitness)

□

Médias sociaux (p. ex. : Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat)

□

Télévision

□

Radio

□

Amis ou parents qui y sont déjà allés

□

Amis ou parents qui y vivent

□

Agent de voyages

□

Compagnie d’excursions

□

Publication imprimée du gouvernement du Canada

□

Sites Web du gouvernement du Canada

□

Gouvernement des pays de destination

□

Ressources locales à la destination (p. ex. : concierge de l’hôtel, bureaux d’information touristique)

□

Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________

□

Rien

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

20. [SI LA RÉPONSE « INTERNET » A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.119, DEMANDER] Vous avez dit que vous utilisez l’Internet. À quels sites particuliers faites-vous référence? ACCEPTER JUSQU’À 3 RÉPONSES

1. _______________________

2. _______________________

3. _______________________

Ne m’en souviens pas                              □

21. [SI LA RÉPONSE « SITE WEB DU GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA » A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.119, DEMANDER] Vous avez dit que vous utilisez des sites Web du gouvernement du Canada. À quels sites particuliers faites-vous référence? ACCEPTER JUSQU’À 3 RÉPONSES

1. _______________________

2. _______________________

3. _______________________

Ne m’en souviens pas

22.[SI LA RÉPONSE « MÉDIAS SOCIAUX » A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.119, DEMANDER] Vous avez dit que vous utilisez les médias sociaux. À quels médias sociaux faites-vous référence?ACCEPTER JUSQU’À 3 RÉPONSES

1. _______________________

2. _______________________

3. _______________________

Ne m’en souviens pas

23. Êtes-vous au courant des pages de conseils en matière de voyage ou d’avis aux voyageurs en ligne qui fournissent des renseignements à jour sur la sécurité, les lois et la culture liés aux voyages dans des pays particuliers, ou avez-vous déjà consulté ces pages?

Oui – je suis au courant et je les ai consultées

□

Oui – je suis au courant, mais je ne les ai pas consultées

□

Non

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

24 Quel élément suivant reflète le mieux votre interprétation de l’expression « avis aux voyageurs » quand vous l’entendez dans le contexte des voyages dans certains pays ou régions?LIRE LA LISTE.ACCEPTER UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Une suggestion

□

Des directives claires

□

Une recommandation pour éviter de voyager à certains endroits

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

25. [SI LA RÉPONSE « OUI – JE SUIS AU COURANT ET JE LES AI CONSULTÉES » A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.223, DEMANDER]Avez-vous l’habitude de consulter les pages de conseils en matière de voyage ou d’avis aux voyageurs AVANT ou APRÈS que vous avez fait les réservations de votre voyage?

Avant

□

Après

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

26. [SI LA RÉPONSE OUI A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.223, DEMANDER] Et où trouvez-vous ces avis aux voyageurs, c’est-à-dire, qui les écrit ou les commandite?NE PAS LIRE. CODER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT.

Gouvernement du Canada ou gouvernement fédéral

□

Gouvernement des États-Unis

□

Gouvernement du pays de destination

□

Autre gouvernement

□

Guides de voyage

□

Médias sociaux

□

Internet (SONDER POUR CONNAÎTRE LE COMMANDITAIRE DU SITE)

□

Agent de voyages

□

Compagnie d’excursions

□

Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

27. [SI LA RÉPONSE GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA OU GOUVERNEMENT FÉDÉRAL A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.226 ET OUI À LA Q.223, DEMANDER] Les renseignements que vous avez trouvés dans les avis aux voyageurs vous ont-ils déjà incité(e) à apporter des changements à vos préparatifs de voyage ou modifier vos plans de voyage d’une manière ou d’une autre?

Oui

□

Non

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

28. Dans quelle mesure une application de voyage du gouvernement du Canada que vous pouvez télécharger et qui vous permet de recevoir des mises à jour automatiques sur les voyages vous semble-t-elle intéressante?

Très intéressante

□

Quelque peu intéressante

□

Pas très intéressante

□

Pas du tout intéressante

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

SECTION 5 : Aide aux voyageurs à l’étranger et perceptions relatives à la prestation des services consulaires

J’aimerais maintenant vous poser quelques questions sur l’aide apportée aux Canadiens quand ils voyagent à l’étranger.

29. Sur une échelle de 1 à 10, où 1 signifie « très mauvais » et 10 signifie « excellents », indiquez en général comment vous évalueriez les services et le soutien que les Canadiens reçoivent du gouvernement du Canada quand ils voyagent à l’étranger.

Très mauvais

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Excellents

10

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

30. Dans quelle mesure connaissez-vous la gamme de services et de soutiens offerts par les services consulaires, le groupe au sein du gouvernement du Canada qui fournit de l’aide aux Canadiens quand ils voyagent à l’étranger?

Très bien

□

Un peu

□

Pas très bien

□

Pas du tout

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

31. [SI LA RÉPONSE TRÈS BIEN UN PEU OU PAS TRÈS BIEN A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.30, DEMANDER] Où avez-vous entendu parler des services consulaires du Canada? LIRE LA LISTE. COCHER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT. SONDER. Y a-t-il d’autres endroits?

Site Web du gouvernement du Canada

□

Publications du gouvernement du Canada

□

Journaux

□

Télévision

□

Radio

□

Internet (pas un site du gouvernement du Canada)

□

D’un ami, membre de la famille ou collègue

□

De mon employeur

□

D’un agent ou organisateur de voyages

□

Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

32. Au meilleur de votre connaissance, de quelles façons le gouvernement du Canada apporte-t-il son soutien aux voyageurs canadiens quand ils ont besoin d’aide dans un pays étranger? NE PAS LIRE. CODER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT.SONDER.Y a-t-il autre chose?

Quand ils se font arrêter et sont détenus par des autorités locales

□

Aide ou information sur le pays visité ou le Canada (p. ex. : comment prolonger un VISA, ce qui peut être apporté au Canada)

□

Aide à trouver un enfant disparu ou aide relative à un enlèvement d’enfant

□

En cas de décès d’un membre de la famille

□

Lors d’une catastrophe naturelle (ouragan) ou une catastrophe civile (émeutes)

□

Obtenir ou remplacer un passeport disparu

□

Enregistrement auprès du gouvernement en tant que Canadien(ne) qui voyage ou habite à l’étranger

□

Services relatifs aux documents (p. ex. : services notariaux/légaux)

□

Aider à sortir de prison

□

Fournir un refuge sûr à l’ambassade

□

Services d’interprétation ou de traduction

□

Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

33. Dans quelle mesure êtes-vous confiant(e) que vous pourriez communiquer rapidement avec un agent consulaire si vous aviez besoin d’aide alors que vous voyagez à l’étranger? Utilisez une échelle de 1 à 10, où 1 signifie pas du tout confiant(e) et 10 signifie extrêmement confiant(e)

Pas du tout confiant(e)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Extrêmement confiant(e)

10

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

□

34. De quelle façon seriez-vous le plus susceptible de communiquer avec un agent consulaire? Le feriez-vous…? LIRE LA LISTE. COCHER UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Par téléphone

□

En personne

□

Par courriel

□

Par message texte

□

Autre : veuillez préciser ___________________________________

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

35. Si vous communiquiez avec un agent consulaire, quel énoncé suivant décrit le mieux le type d’aide que vous vous attendriez à recevoir? LIRE. ACCEPTER UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Il répondrait à mes questions et me donnerait des conseils sur la façon de gérer la situation

□

Il me transférerait aux fournisseurs de services locaux qui pourraient m’aider

□

Il interviendrait directement et gérerait tous les aspects de mon problème

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

36. Au cours des 5 dernières années, avez-vous communiqué avec le gouvernement du Canada ou les services consulaires, ou ont-ils communiqué avec vous alors que vous voyagiez à l’étranger?

Oui, j’ai communiqué avec lui/eux

□

Oui, il(s) a/ont communiqué avec moi

□

Oui, les deux

□

Non, jamais [PASSER À LA Q441]

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse [PASSER À LA Q441]

□

37. [SI LA RÉPONSE OUI, J’AI COMMUNIQUÉ AVEC LUI/EUX OU OUI, LES DEUX A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.336, DEMANDER] Dans quelle mesure a-t-il été facile ou difficile pour vous de rejoindre un agent consulaire?

Très facile

□

Assez facile

□

Assez difficile

□

Très difficile

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

38. [SI LA RÉPONSE OUI A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.336, DEMANDER]Quelle a été la nature de votre/vos interaction(s)? NE PAS LIRE. CODER TOUTES LES RÉPONSES QUI CORRESPONDENT. SONDER.Y a-t-il autre chose?

Se faire arrêter et être détenu(e) par des autorités locales

□

Aide ou information sur le pays visité ou le Canada (p. ex. : comment prolonger un VISA, ce qui peut être apporté au Canada)

□

Aide à trouver un enfant disparu ou aide relative à un enlèvement d’enfant

□

Le décès d’un membre de la famille

□

Un problème de santé

Lors d’une catastrophe naturelle (ouragan) ou catastrophe civile (émeutes)

□

Obtenir ou remplacer un passeport disparu

□

Cartes d’identité ou de crédit volées

□

Enregistrement auprès du gouvernement en tant que Canadien(ne) qui voyage ou habite à l’étranger

□

Services relatifs aux documents (p. ex. : services notariaux/légaux)

□

Chercher un refuge sûr à l’ambassade

□

Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

39. [SI LA RÉPONSE « OUI » A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.3336, DEMANDER] En général, dans quelle mesure avez-vous été satisfait(e) du soutien et des services qu’il vous a fournis?

Très satisfait(e)

□

Assez satisfait(e)

□

Assez insatisfait(e)

□

Très insatisfait(e)

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

40. [SI LA RÉPONSE ASSEZ SATISFAIT(E) ASSEZ INSATISFAIT(E) OU TRÈS INSATISFAIT(E) A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.339, DEMANDER] Qu’est-ce qui aurait pu être fait différemment ou être mieux fait pour rendre votre expérience plus satisfaisante? RÉPONSE OUVERTE.

40a.[SI LA RÉPONSE A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.336, DEMANDER]Avez-vous fourni une rétroaction (positive ou négative) sur le soutien et les services fournis par le gouvernement du Canada ou les services consulaires?

Oui

□

Non, mais je savais comment fournir une rétroaction

□

Non, parce que je ne savais pas comment fournir une rétroaction

□

Ne sais pas/aucune réponse

□

SECTION 6 : Profil du/de la répondant(e)

J’aimerais terminer ce sondage en vous posant quelques questions d’ordre général qui nous aideront à analyser les résultats. Je tiens à vous assurer que l’information fournie demeurera entièrement confidentielle.

41 Êtes-vous né(e)…? LIRE LA LISTE. ACCEPTER UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Au Canada

□

Dans un autre pays

□

A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre

□

42. Êtes-vous aussi citoyen(ne) d’un pays autre que le Canada? CLARIFIER AU BESOIN. En d’autres mots, avez-vous une double citoyenneté?

Oui

□

Non

□

A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre

□

43. Quel est le plus haut niveau de scolarité que vous avez atteint? LIRE LA LISTE. CODER UNE SEULE RÉPONSE.

Études secondaires partielles

□

Diplôme d'études secondaires

□

Études collégiales partielles

□

Diplôme d’études collégiales

□

Études universitaires partielles

□

Diplôme d'études universitaires

□

Études supérieures

□

Préfère ne pas répondre

□

44. Habitez-vous présentement au Canada ou dans un autre pays?

Au Canada

□

Dans un autre pays

□

A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre

□

45. [SI LA RÉPONSE « AU CANADA » A ÉTÉ DONNÉE À LA Q.44, DEMANDER] Dans quelle province ou quel territoire habitez-vous présentement?

Alberta

□

Colombie-Britannique

□

Manitoba

□

Nouveau-Brunswick

□

Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador

□

Territoires du Nord-Ouest

□

Nouvelle-Écosse

□

Nunavut

□

Ontario

□

Québec

□

Île-du-Prince-Édouard

□

Saskatchewan

□

Yukon

□

Préfère ne pas répondre

□

VOILÀ TOUTES LES QUESTIONS QUE J’AI À VOUS POSER. AU NOM DU GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA, NOUS VOUS REMERCIONS D’AVOIR RÉPONDU À CE SONDAGE.

[SI LA QUESTION EST POSÉE] CE SONDAGE EST RÉALISÉ PAR AFFAIRES MONDIALES CANADA AFIN D’ÉVALUER LES HABITUDES, LES POINTS DE VUE ET LES PERCEPTIONS DES VOYAGEURS CANADIENS ET DE DÉTERMINER COMMENT AMÉLIORER L’INFORMATION FOURNIE SUR LES VOYAGES.

46.NOTER L’AÉROPORT

Toronto

□

Vancouver

□

Montréal

□

NOTER LA DATE/L’HEURE/L’IDENTIFICATION DE L’INTERVIEWEUR

DATE : ___________________

HEURE : ____________________

IDENTIFICATION DE L’INTERVIEWEUR : ____________________

B. Recruitment Screeners

1. Travelling Public – English

Recruitment Screener – Global Affairs Canada

Consular Services – Policy and Program Focus Groups

Travelling Public

FINAL – February 15, 2018

Good morning/afternoon. My name is ______________ and I am calling from The Strategic Counsel a national public opinion research firm. We would like to invite you to participate in a series of discussion groups with Canadians that are being conducted on behalf of the Government of Canada. The discussion will focus on your views on issues surrounding international travel.

Your participation is completely voluntary and all your answers are confidential. They will be used for research purposes only. We are simply interested in hearing your opinions – no attempt will be made to sell you anything.

The format is a focus group discussion which will be led by a research professional. Each discussion would last about two hours and you would receive $90 compensation for your participation. Any personal information that you share with us will remain confidential. Any reports that are produced from the series of focus groups we are conducting will not contain comments that are attributed to specific individuals. And, upon completion of the project, all reports will be made publicly available through the Library and Archives of Canada and the Library of Parliament.

But before we invite you to attend, we need to ask you a few questions to ensure that we get a good mix/variety of people across the series of focus groups that we are conducting. May I ask you a few questions?
Yes - CONTINUE

No – THANK AND TERMINATE

First, are you or is any member of your household or your immediate family employed in: Market Research, Advertising, Marketing, Public Relations, any Media (print, radio, television), or with the Government of Canada?
IF YES, THANK AND TERMINATE CALL
IF NO, CONTINUE
IF REFUSED, THANK AND TERMINATE CALL

Are you a Canadian citizen?
YES – CONTINUE
NO – THANK AND TERMINATE

Are you a dual citizen? That is, do you also have citizenship in another country? MAXIMUM OF 3 PARTICIPANTS PER GROUP WITH DUAL CITIZENSHIP.
YES – RECORD WHICH OTHER COUNTRY. CONTINUE
NO – CONTINUE

Have you travelled outside Canada in the past 2 years?
YES – SKIP TO Q.6
NO – ASK Q.5

Are you planning to travel outside Canada over the course of the coming year?
YES – CONTINUE
NO – THANK AND TERMINATE

Which of the following best describes your use of the Internet when planning your travel?
I use/would use the Internet exclusively when planning my travel – CONTINUE
I use/would use the Internet along with other resources when planning my travel – CONTINUE
I would not rely much on the Internet – THANK AND TERMINATE

Are you familiar with the concept of a focus group?
IF YES, CONTINUE
IF NO, EXPLAIN FOLLOWING “a focus group consists of eight to ten participants and one moderator.
During a two-hour session, participants are asked to discuss a wide range of issues related to the topic
being examined.”

How comfortable are you in expressing your views in public, reading written materials or looking at images projected onto a screen?
Very Comfortable
Somewhat Comfortable
Somewhat Uncomfortable (THANK & TERMINATE)
Very Uncomfortable (THANK & TERMINATE)

Have you previously participated in a focus group or an in-depth interview for which you received a sum of money?
YES NO – GO TO Q.10 AND CONTINUE
IF YES – How long ago was that? ______

(TERMINATE IF LESS THAN 12 MTHS)
How many have you been involved with? ________
(TERMINATE IF MORE THAN 3 FOCUS GROUPS)
Were any of these groups being conducted on behalf of the Government of Canada?
(IF YES, THANK AND TERMINATE)

We’d like to know a little more about your international travel habits. How many times have you travelled outside Canada over the past 5 years? TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, ENSURE A MIX OF FREQUENT AND LESS FREQUENT TRAVELLERS
Once
2-3 times
4-5 times
More than 5 times

When you travel, is the purpose of your travel mostly for … ENSURE A MIX OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAVELLERS, WITH SLIGHT SKEW TO THOSE TRAVELLING FOR PLEASURE.
Business
Volunteering
Pleasure - Vacation
Pleasure - Visiting friends or family
Combination of the above (RECORD)
Other Purpose (RECORD)

Which continents, regions or countries have you travelled to (or do you intend to travel to)? ENSURE THAT NO MORE THAN 2 PARTICIPANTS PER GROUP HAVE TRAVELLED TO/INTEND TO TRAVEL TO THE U.S./SUN DESTINATIONS (I.E., CARIBBEAN). ENSURE THAT NO MORE THAN 1 PARTICIPANT HAS TRAVELLED TO/INTENDS TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE. REMAINING PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BE A GOOD CROSS-SECTION WITH FOCUS ON ASIA, AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST.

U.S.

Europe

Asia

Central America

Caribbean

South America

Middle East

Africa

Oceania

Approximately how much do you spend in a year on travel outside of Canada, including plane tickets, accommodation and activities? ENSURE GOOD MIX ACROSS EXPENDITURE BUCKETS.
Under $1000
$1000-just under $3000
$3000-just under $5000
$5000-just under $10000
$10,000-just under $15,000
$15,000-just under $20,000
$20,000 or more

Which of the following age categories do you fall into? (IN EACH CENTRE, ENSURE THAT ONE GROUP IS COMPOSED OF PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-34, AND THE OTHER GROUP SHOULD BE COMPOSED OF PEOPLE 35+. WITHIN THESE TWO GROUPS, ENSURE PROPER MIX OF AGES, AS NOTED BELOW.)
Under 18 – THANK AND TERMINATE
ELIGIBLE FOR FIRST GROUP IN EACH LOCATION. ENSURE 4 PARTICIPANTS AGED 18-24 AND 4
PARTICIPANTS AGED 25-34.
18-24
25-34
ELIGIBLE FOR SECOND GROUP IN EACH LOCATION. ENSURE APPROX. 1/3 OF EACH GROUP FROM EACH OF THE 3 AGE CATEGORIES.
35-44
45-54
55+

What is the highest level of education that you have completed? (ENSURE MIX OF EDUCATIONAL LEVELS, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN EACH GROUP)
Have not completed high school
Completed high school
Some college/university
Completed college/university
Prefer not to answer

And, which of the following income categories would your annual household income for 2017 fall into? (ENSURE MIX OF INCOME LEVELS, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN EACH GROUP)
Under $25,000
$25,000-$39,999
$40,000-$64,999
$65,000-$99,999
$100,000 or more
Prefer not to answer

Record gender (NOT ASKED – ENSURE 50/50 SPLIT IN EACH GROUP)
Male
Female
Non-binary

I would like to invite you to participate in a focus group (give city particulars, dates and times):

SCHEDULE OF GROUPS

Date

City

Facility

Profile

Time

Tuesday

Feb 27/18

Halifax

MQO

1883 Upper Water Street,4th floor

Halifax, NS B3J 1S9

902 465 3034

18-34 year olds

35+ year olds

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

Thursday

March 1/18

Toronto

Consumer Vision

3^rd floor, 2 Bloor Street, W

Toronto, ON M5W 3E2

416 967 1596

18-34 year olds

35+ year olds

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

Wednesday

March 7/18

Calgary

Qualitative Coordination
Suite 120, 707 10th Avenue SW

Calgary, AB T2R 0B3

403 229 3500 tel

18-34 year olds

35+ year olds

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

Thursday

March 8/18

Montreal

(in French)

Consumer Vision/Leger Marketing

507 Place D'Armes, Suite 700
Montreal, QC H2Y 2W8
514 982 2464 tel

18-34 year olds

35+ year olds

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

Thursday

March 8/18

Vancouver

Vancouver Focus

5th Floor 1080 Howe St. #503

Vancouver, BC V6Z 2T1

604 682 4292

18-34 year olds

35+ year olds

5:30 pm

7:30 pm

This is a firm commitment. If you envision anything preventing you from attending (either home- or work-related), please let me know now and we will keep your name for a future study. As we may be reviewing some written documents during the focus group, please make sure to bring along your reading glasses if you require them. Please arrive 10 to 15 minutes in advance of the group so that we are able to start and finish on time.

2. Travelling Public – French

Questionnaire de recrutement – Affaires mondiales Canada

Affaires consulaires – Groupes de discussion sur les politiques et les programmes

Voyageurs

VERSION FINALE – 15 février 2018

Bonjour. Mon nom est______________ et je vous appelle du Strategic Counsel, une entreprise nationale de recherche sur l’opinion publique. Nous aimerions vous inviter à participer à une série de groupes de discussion réunissant des Canadiens, organisés pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada. La discussion vise à recueillir votre opinion sur des questions touchant aux voyages internationaux.

Votre participation est entièrement volontaire. Vos réponses seront traitées de façon confidentielle et serviront uniquement dans le cadre de cette étude. Nous souhaitons simplement connaître vos opinions –Nous n’essaierons pas de vous vendre quoi que ce soit.

Chaque groupe de discussion sera animé par un professionnel de la recherche. La discussion durera environ deux heures et vous toucherez un montant de 90 $ pour votre participation. Tout renseignement personnel que vous communiquerez sera confidentiel. Nos rapports sur cette série de groupes de discussion ne contiendront aucun commentaire attribué à des participants individuels. À la fin du projet, les rapports seront rendus publics par l’intermédiaire de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada et de la Bibliothèque du Parlement.

Mais avant de vous inviter à participer, je dois vous poser quelques questions qui nous permettront de former des groupes suffisamment diversifiés. Puis-je vous poser quelques questions?

Oui – CONTINUER
Non – REMERCIER ET METTRE FIN À L’APPEL

Tout d’abord, est-ce que vous, un membre de votre ménage ou un membre de votre famille immédiate travaillez dans le domaine des études de marché, de la publicité, du marketing, des relations publiques, des médias (presse, radio, télévision) ou pour le gouvernement du Canada?
SI OUI, REMERCIER ET CONCLURE
SI NON, CONTINUER
EN CAS DE REFUS, REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Avez-vous la citoyenneté canadienne?
OUI – CONTINUER
NON – REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Avez-vous la double nationalité ? Autrement dit, avez-vous également la citoyenneté d’un autre pays?
DANS CHAQUE GROUPE, MAXIMUM DE 3 PARTICIPANTS AYANT LA DOUBLE NATIONALITÉ.
OUI – NOTER L’AUTRE PAYS. CONTINUER
NON – CONTINUER

Avez-vous voyagé à l’extérieur du Canada au cours des deux dernières années?
OUI – PASSER À LA Q.6
NON – POSER LA Q.5

Prévoyez-vous voyager à l’extérieur du Canada au cours de la prochaine année?
OUI – CONTINUER
NON – REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Lequel des énoncés suivants décrit le mieux votre utilisation d’Internet lorsque vous planifiez un voyage?
J’utilise ou j’utiliserais exclusivement Internet pour planifier un voyage – CONTINUER
J’utilise ou j’utiliserais Internet conjointement avec d’autres ressources pour planifier un voyage –
CONTINUER
Je ne me servirais pas beaucoup d’Internet – REMERCIER ET CONCLURE

Est-ce que vous connaissez le concept du « groupe de discussion »?
SI OUI, CONTINUER
SI NON, EXPLIQUER « Un groupe de discussion se compose de huit à dix participants et d’un
modérateur. Au cours d’une période de deux heures, les participants sont invités à discuter d’un
éventail de questions reliées au sujet abordé. »

Dans quelle mesure êtes-vous à l’aise pour exprimer votre opinion en public, lire des documents, ou regarder des images projetées sur un écran?
Très à l’aise
Assez à l’aise
Assez mal à l’aise (REMERCIER ET CONCLURE)
Très mal à l’aise (REMERCIER ET CONCLURE)

Avez-vous déjà participé à un groupe de discussion ou à une entrevue approfondie en contrepartie d’une somme d’argent?
OUI NON – PASSER À LA Q.10 ET CONTINUER
SI OUI – Il y a combien de temps? ______
(CONCLURE SI C’ÉTAIT IL Y A MOINS DE 12 MOIS)
À combien de groupes avez-vous participé? ________
(CONCLURE SI PLUS DE 3 GROUPES DE DISCUSSION)
Est-ce que certains de ces groupes étaient organisés pour le gouvernement du Canada?
(SI OUI, REMERCIER ET CONCLURE)

Nous aimerions en savoir un peu plus sur vos habitudes de voyage à l’étranger. Combien de fois avez-vous voyagé à l’extérieur du Canada au cours des cinq dernières années? AUTANT QUE POSSIBLE, ASSURER UN BON ÉQUILIBRE ENTRE VOYAGEURS FRÉQUENTS ET VOYAGEURS OCCASIONNELS.
Une fois
2 ou 3 fois
4 ou 5 fois
Plus de 5 fois

11. Lorsque vous voyagez, le faites-vous surtout … AUTANT QUE POSSIBLE, ASSURER UN BON ÉQUILIBRE ENTRE LES DIFFÉRENTS TYPES DE VOYAGEURS, EN FAVORISANT LÉGÈREMENT CEUX QUI VOYAGENT POUR
LE PLAISIR.
Pour affaires
Pour faire du bénévolat
Pour le plaisir – soit pour prendre des vacances
Pour le plaisir – soit pour rendre visite à des amis ou de la famille
Une combinaison de ce qui précède (NOTER)
Dans un autre but (NOTER)

12. Dans quels continents, régions ou pays êtes-vous allé (ou comptez-vous aller)? VEILLER À CE QUE PAS PLUS DE 2 PARTICIPANTS PAR GROUPE NE SOIENT ALLÉS, OU COMPTENT ALLER, AUX ÉTATS-UNIS OU VERS DES DESTINATIONS ENSOLEILLÉES (p. ex. LES CARAÏBES). VEILLER À CE QUE PAS PLUS D’UN PARTICIPANT NE SOIT ALLÉ, OU COMPTE ALLER, EN EUROPE. LE RESTE DU GROUPE DOIT OFFRIR UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES AUTRES DESTINATIONS, EN PARTICULIER L’ASIE, L’AFRIQUE ET LE MOYEN-ORIENT.

États-Unis

Europe

Asie

Amérique centrale

Caraïbes

Amérique du Sud

Moyen-Orient

Afrique

Océanie

Quel montant environ consacrez-vous à vos voyages à l’extérieur du Canada au cours d’une année, en
comptant les billets d’avion, l’hébergement et les activités? ASSURER UN BON ÉQUILIBRE ENTRE LES
DIFFÉRENTS BUDGETS DE VOYAGE.
Moins de 1000 $
1000 $ à moins de 3000 $
3000 $ à moins de 5000 $
5000 $ à moins de 10 000 $
10 000 $ à moins de 15 000 $
15 000 $ à moins de 20 000 $
20 000 $ ou plus

À quelle tranche d’âge appartenez-vous? (POUR CHAQUE VILLE, VEILLER À CE QU’UN GROUPE SOIT COMPOSÉ DE PERSONNES DE 18 À 34 ANS, ET L’AUTRE, DE PERSONNES ÂGÉES DE 35 ANS OU PLUS. DANS CHACUN DE CES DEUX GROUPES, ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES ÂGES, CONFORMÉMENT AUX INDICATIONS CI-DESSOUS.)
Moins de 18 ans – REMERCIER ET CONCLURE
TRANCHES D’ÂGE ADMISSIBLES AU PREMIER GROUPE, DANS CHAQUE VILLE. RECRUTER 4 PARTICIPANTS ÂGÉS DE 18 À 24 ANS ET 4 PARTICIPANTS ÂGÉS DE 25 À 34 ANS.
18 à 24 ans
25 à 34 ans
TRANCHES D’ÂGE ADMISSIBLES AU SECOND GROUPE, DANS CHAQUE VILLE. VEILLER À CE QU’ENVIRON UN TIERS DE CHAQUE GROUPE PROVIENNE DE CHAQUE TRANCHE D’ÂGE.
35 à 44 ans
45 à 54 ans
55 ans ou plus

Quel est le plus haut niveau de scolarité que vous avez atteint? (AUTANT QUE POSSIBLE, ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES NIVEAUX DE SCOLARITÉ DANS TOUS LES GROUPES)
Études secondaires partielles
Études secondaires terminées
Études collégiales ou universitaires partielles
Études collégiales ou universitaires terminées
Je préfère ne pas répondre

Et maintenant, dans laquelle des catégories suivantes se situe le revenu annuel de votre ménage pour 2017? (AUTANT QUE POSSIBLE, ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES NIVEAUX DE REVENU DANS TOUS LES GROUPES)
Moins de 25 000 $
25 000 $ à 39 999 $
40 000 $ à 64 999 $
65 000 $ à 99 999 $
100 000 $ ou plus
Je préfère ne pas répondre

Noter le sexe (NE PAS POSER LA QUESTION – VISER UNE PROPORTION ÉGALE DES SEXES DANS CHAQUE GROUPE)
Homme
Femme
Personne non binaire

J’aimerais vous inviter à prendre part au groupe de discussion qui aura lieu le… (préciser la date et l’heure ainsi que les détails du lieu) :

CALENDRIER DES GROUPES TYPICAL LENGTH OF TRIP ABROAD

Date

Ville

Lieu

Profil

Heure

Mardi

27 février 2018

Halifax

MQO

1883 Upper Water Street,4th floor

Halifax, NS B3J 1S9

902 465-3034

18 à 34 ans

35 ans ou plus

17 h 30

19 h 30

Jeudi

1^er mars 2018

Toronto

Consumer Vision

3^rd floor, 2 Bloor Street, W

Toronto, ON M5W 3E2

416 967-1596

18 à 34 ans

35 ans ou plus

17 h 30

19 h 30

Mercredi 7 mars 2018

Calgary

Qualitative Coordination
Suite 120, 707 10th Avenue SW

Calgary, AB T2R 0B3

403 229-3500

18 à 34 ans

35 ans ou plus

17 h 30

19 h 30

Jeudi

8 mars 2018

Montréal

(français)

Consumer Vision/Leger Marketing

507, place d'Armes, bureau 700
Montréal, QC H2Y 2W8
514 982-2464

18 à 34 ans

35 ans ou plus

17 h 30

19 h 30

Jeudi

8 mars 2018

Vancouver

Vancouver Focus

5th Floor 1080 Howe St. #503

Vancouver, BC V6Z 2T1

604 682-4292

18 à 34 ans

35 ans ou plus

17 h 30

19 h 30

Veuillez considérer ce rendez-vous comme un engagement ferme. Si vous risquez de ne pas pouvoir être présent(e) pour des raisons personnelles ou professionnelles, veuillez m’en aviser dès maintenant et nous conserverons votre nom en vue d’une étude ultérieure. Si vous utilisez des lunettes de lecture, assurez-vous de les avoir avec vous le jour de la discussion, car vous pourriez devoir examiner des documents écrits. Nous vous prions d’être sur les lieux au moins 10 à 15 minutes avant la rencontre, afin que nous puissions respecter l’horaire prévu.

3. Travel Professionals – English

Recruitment Screener – Global Affairs Canada

Consular Services – Policy and Program Focus Groups

Travel Agents/Professionals

FINAL – February 15, 2018

Good morning/afternoon. My name is ______________ and I am calling from The Strategic Counsel a national public opinion research firm. We are contacting travel agents and travel professionals like yourself to request their participation in a series of discussion groups with Canadians that are being conducted on behalf of the Government of Canada. The discussion will focus on your views on issues surrounding international travel.

Your participation is completely voluntary and all your answers are confidential. They will be used for research purposes only. We are simply interested in hearing your opinions – no attempt will be made to sell you anything.

The format is a focus group discussion which will be led by a research professional. Each discussion would last about two hours and you would receive $150 compensation for your participation. Any personal information that you share with us will remain confidential. Any reports that are produced from the series of focus groups we are conducting will not contain comments that are attributed to specific individuals. And, upon completion of the project, all reports will be made publicly available through the Library and Archives of Canada and the Library of Parliament.

But before we invite you to attend, we need to ask you a few questions to ensure that we get a good mix/variety of people across the series of focus groups that we are conducting. May I ask you a few questions?
Yes - CONTINUE
No – THANK AND TERMINATE

Are you a full time travel agent?
YES – CONTINUE
NO – THANK AND ASK TO SPEAK TO A COLLEAGUE WHO IS WORKING FULL TIME.

For how many years have you worked as a travel agent? (ENSURE THAT A MINIMUM OF HALF OF ALL PARTICIPANTS HAVE MORE THAN 5 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE)
Less than one year – THANK AND TERMINATE
1 to 5 years
than 5 years

And do you mainly book corporate or consumer travel for your clients? (ENSURE THAT A MAJORITY OF PARTICIPANTS SPECIALIZE IN CONSUMER TRAVEL)
Corporate travel
Consumer travel

As part of your work as a travel agent, do you book international travel?
YES – CONTINUE
NO – THANK AND ASK TO SPEAK TO A COLLEAGUE WHO BOOKS INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL. START
FROM THE BEGINNING.

Are you familiar with the concept of a focus group?
IF YES, CONTINUE
IF NO, EXPLAIN FOLLOWING “a focus group consists of eight to ten participants and one moderator.
During a two-hour session, participants are asked to discuss a wide range of issues related to the topic
being examined.”

Have you previously participated in a focus group or an in-depth interview for which you received a sum of money?
YES NO – GO TO Q.7 AND CONTINUE
IF YES – How long ago was that? ______ (TERMINATE IF LESS THAN 12 MTHS)
How many have you been involved with? ________ (TERMINATE IF MORE THAN 3 FOCUS GROUPS)
Were any of these groups being conducted on behalf of the Government of Canada? (IF YES, THANK AND TERMINATE)

It would also be helpful to know which continents, regions or countries you focus on when you are booking travel for your clients. I’m going to read you a list of regions. Please tell which ones are the top 3 destinations (i.e., the destinations you book most often for your clients). ENSURE CROSS-SECTION OF DESTINATIONS.

U.S.

Europe

Asia

Central America

Caribbean

South America

Middle East

Africa

Oceania

What are some of the more unusual, or less common, destinations that you have booked travel for? RECORD. ENSURE GOOD MIX OF TRAVEL AGENTS WITH EXPERIENCE BOOKING TO DESTINATIONS OUTSIDE THE U.S., CARIBBEAN AND EUROPE. AT LEAST 5 OF 8 PARTICIPANTS SHOULD HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN BOOKING TO DESTINATIONS OTHER THAN U.S., CARIBBEAN AND EUROPE.

Are you/is your travel agency a member of an association, network or consortium of travel agents/professionals?
Yes – Which one(s)? RECORD
No – CONTINUE

Record gender (NOT ASKED. TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, ENSURE A GOOD GENDER SPLIT FOR EACH GROUP)
Male
Female
Non-binary

I would like to invite you to participate in a focus group (give city particulars, dates and times):

SCHEDULE OF GROUPS

Date

City

Facility

Profile

Time

Thursday

March 1/18

Toronto

Consumer Vision

3^rd floor, 2 Bloor Street, W

Toronto, ON M5W 3E2

416 967 1596

Travel Professionals

12:30-2:30 p.m.

Thursday

March 8/18

Montreal

(in French)

Consumer Vision/Leger Marketing

507 Place D'Armes, Suite 700
Montreal, QC H2Y 2W8
514 982 2464 tel

Travel Professionals

12:30-2:30 p.m.

This is a firm commitment. If you envision anything preventing you from attending (either home- or work-related), please let me know now and we will keep your name for a future study. As we may be reviewing some written documents during the focus group, please make sure to bring along your reading glasses if you require them. Please arrive 10 to 15 minutes in advance of the group so that we are able to start and finish on time.

4. Travel Professionals – French

Questionnaire de recrutement – Affaires mondiales Canada

Affaires consulaires – Groupes de discussion sur les politiques et les programmes

Agents de voyage et professionnels du voyage

VERSION FINALE – 15 février 2018

Bonjour. Mon nom est______________ et je vous appelle du Strategic Counsel, une entreprise nationale de recherche sur l’opinion publique. Nous invitons actuellement des agents de voyage et d’autres professionnels canadiens du voyage tels que vous, à participer à une série de groupes de discussion organisés pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada. La discussion vise à recueillir votre opinion sur des questions touchant aux voyages internationaux.

Votre participation est entièrement volontaire. Vos réponses seront traitées de façon confidentielle et serviront uniquement dans le cadre de cette étude. Nous souhaitons simplement connaître vos opinions –Nous n’essaierons pas de vous vendre quoi que ce soit.

Chaque groupe de discussion sera animé par un professionnel de la recherche. La discussion durera environ deux heures et vous toucherez un montant de 150 $ pour votre participation. Tout renseignement personnel que vous communiquerez sera confidentiel. Nos rapports sur cette série de groupes de discussion ne contiendront aucun commentaire attribué à des participants individuels. À la fin du projet, les rapports seront rendus publics par l’intermédiaire de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada et de la Bibliothèque du Parlement.

Mais avant de vous inviter à participer, je dois vous poser quelques questions qui nous permettront de former des groupes suffisamment diversifiés. Puis-je vous poser quelques questions?

Oui – CONTINUER

Non – REMERCIER ET METTRE FIN À L’APPEL

Êtes-vous une agente / un agent de voyages à temps plein?
OUI – CONTINUER
NON – REMERCIER ET DEMANDER À PARLER À UN COLLÈGUE TRAVAILLANT À TEMPS PLEIN.

Depuis combien d’années travaillez-vous comme agente / agent de voyage? (VEILLER À CE QU’AU MOINS LA MOITIÉ DES PARTICIPANTS AIENT PLUS DE 5 ANS D’EXPÉRIENCE)
Moins d’un an – REMERCIER ET CONCLURE
1 à 5 ans
Plus de 5 ans

Et vous occupez-vous principalement de réserver des voyages d’affaires ou des voyages d’agrément?
(VEILLER À CE QUE LA MAJORITÉ DES PARTICIPANTS SE SPÉCIALISENT DANS LES VOYAGES D’AGRÉMENT)
Voyages d’affaires
Voyages d’agrément

Dans le cadre de votre travail, est-ce que vous faites des réservations de voyages à l’étranger?
OUI – CONTINUER
NON – REMERCIER ET DEMANDER À PARLER À UN COLLÈGUE QUI S’OCCUPE DE RÉSERVATIONS DE
VOYAGES À L’ÉTRANGER. REPRENDRE DEPUIS LE DÉBUT.

Est-ce que vous connaissez le concept du « groupe de discussion »?
SI OUI, CONTINUER
SI NON, EXPLIQUER « Un groupe de discussion se compose de huit à dix participants et d’un modérateur. Au cours d’une période de deux heures, les participants sont invités à discuter d’un éventail de
questions reliées au sujet abordé. »

Avez-vous déjà participé à un groupe de discussion ou à une entrevue approfondie en contrepartie d’une somme d’argent?
OUI NON – PASSER À LA Q.7 ET CONTINUER
SI OUI – Il y a combien de temps? ______
(CONCLURE SI C’ÉTAIT IL Y A MOINS DE 12 MOIS)
À combien de groupes avez-vous participé? ________
(CONCLURE SI PLUS DE 3 GROUPES DE DISCUSSION)
Est-ce que certains de ces groupes étaient organisés pour le gouvernement du Canada?
(SI OUI, REMERCIER ET CONCLURE)

7. Il serait également utile de savoir sur quels continents, régions ou pays se concentrent vos réservations de voyages pour vos clients. Je vais vous lire une liste de régions. Veuillez me dire quelles sont les trois destinations les plus courantes (celles que vous réservez le plus souvent pour vos clients). ASSURER UNE BONNE REPRÉSENTATION DES DESTINATIONS.

États-Unis

Europe

Asie

Amérique centrale

Caraïbes

Amérique du Sud

Moyen-Orient

Afrique

Océanie

Quelles sont certaines des destinations plus inhabituelles, ou moins courantes, pour lesquelles vous avez fait des réservations de voyages? NOTER LES DESTINATIONS. VEILLER À BIEN REPRÉSENTER LES AGENTS QUI ONT DE L’EXPÉRIENCE DANS LES RÉSERVATIONS VERS D’AUTRES DESTINATIONS QUE LES ÉTATS-UNIS, LES CARAÏBES ET L’EUROPE. AU MOINS 5 DES 8 PARTICIPANTS DEVRAIENT AVOIR CE TYPE D’EXPÉRIENCE.

9. Êtes-vous membre, ou votre agence est-elle membre, d’une association, d’un réseau ou d’un consortium de professionnels du voyage?
Oui – Lesquels? NOTER
Non – CONTINUER

Êtes-vous membre, ou votre agence est-elle membre, d’une association, d’un réseau ou d’un consortium de professionnels du voyage?
Oui – Lesquels? NOTER
Non – CONTINUER

Noter le sexe (NE PAS POSER LA QUESTION – VISER UNE PROPORTION ÉGALE DES SEXES DANS CHAQUE GROUPE)
Homme
Femme
Personne non binaire

J’aimerais vous inviter à prendre part au groupe de discussion qui aura lieu le… (préciser la date et l’heure ainsi que les détails du lieu) :

CALENDRIER DES GROUPES

Date

Ville

Lieu

Profil

Heure

Jeudi

1^er mars 2018

Toronto

Consumer Vision

3^rd floor, 2 Bloor Street, W

Toronto, ON M5W 3E2

416 967-1596

Professionnels du voyage

12 h 30-14 h 30

Jeudi

8 mars 2018

Montréal

(français)

Consumer Vision/Leger Marketing

507, place d'Armes, bureau 700
Montréal, QC H2Y 2W8
514 982-2464

Professionnels du voyage

12 h 30-14 h 30

Veuillez considérer ce rendez-vous comme un engagement ferme. Si vous risquez de ne pas pouvoir être présent(e) pour des raisons personnelles ou professionnelles, veuillez m’en aviser dès maintenant et nous conserverons votre nom en vue d’une étude ultérieure.

Si vous utilisez des lunettes de lecture, assurez-vous de les avoir avec vous le jour de la discussion, car vous pourriez devoir examiner des documents écrits. Nous vous prions d’être sur les lieux au moins 10 à 15 minutes avant la rencontre, afin que nous puissions respecter l’horaire prévu.

C. Moderator’s Guide

1. Travelling Public – English

Moderator’s Guide

Consular Services: Travelling Abroad

Travelling Public

FINAL – March 1, 2018

Introduction (5 minutes):

Introduce moderator and welcome participants to the focus group.

As we indicated during the recruiting process, we are conducting a focus group research project on behalf of the Government of Canada. Specifically, this discussion group is part of a larger research study that is being led by the group within the Government of Canada that provides services to Canadians, through its embassies, high commissions and consulates, who may need assistance while they are abroad. Out of interest, do you know what this group is called?

The purpose of today’s discussion is to obtain your views on a broad range of topics related to international travel.

The discussion will last approximately 2 hours. Feel free to excuse yourself during the session if necessary. The session is being videotaped for analysis purposes, in case we need to double-check the proceedings against our notes. We do not attribute comments to specific people. All your comments are confidential.

Explanation re: one-way mirror and observers.

Describe how a discussion group functions.

Discussion groups are designed to stimulate an open and honest discussion. My role as a moderator is to guide the discussion and encourage everyone to participate. Another function of the moderator is to ensure that the discussion stays on topic.

Your role is to answer questions and voice your opinions. We are looking for minority as well as majority opinion in a focus group, so don't hold back if you have a comment even if you feel your opinion may be different from others in the group. There may or may not be others who share your point of view. Everyone's opinion is important and should be respected. Some of the issues we will be discussing tonight may be very controversial and people may hold strong views one way or the other. It is important that we respect how others feel and allow them to explain their opinion.

I would also like to stress that there are no right or wrong answers. We are simply looking for your opinions and attitudes. It was not a prerequisite coming into the groups that you be an authority on international affairs or foreign policy. This is not a test of your knowledge.

The moderator is not an employee of the Government of Canada and may not be able to answer some of your questions

(Moderator introduces herself/himself). Participants should introduce themselves, using their first names only. Please tell us how frequently you travel and what the main reasons for your travel are (e.g. business, pleasure, visiting family or friends, etc.).

A. Common considerations when travelling (25 minutes):

Let’s imagine you are considering making a trip abroad to a destination other than the United States. Can each of you write down on the paper in front of you where you expect to be travelling to in the next year or two – what locations or regions? ROUND TABLE. PARTICIPANTS SHARE DESTINATIONS.

Now, let’s talk about your trip planning activities. First, what do you usually take into consideration as you are choosing this travel destination? What factors, issues or concerns did you factor into the decision? (MODERATOR TO LIST ON FLIPCHART)

And which ones are the most important to you? Why?

Is this something you always consider when travelling?

How much planning do you do? And, do you tend to plan well ahead or are you more spontaneous?

Are there some destinations that you would be more spontaneous about in terms of booking your travel, while for others you might take more time to plan? Explain.

Take me through the process of planning and/or preparing for a trip abroad (again, to a destination other than the U.S.). What specific steps do you take? Probe for:

What kind of information are you looking for?

Where do you get information from? Who/what influences your choice of travel destinations? Probe for reliance on:

Friends/family – What kind of role do they play? 

Social media – What do you rely on? Which social media sites/platforms do you use most regularly? What is it that you like about them? How do you use social media in terms of travelling planning? 

Travel apps – which ones do you rely on most frequently? And, do you use them when you are actually overseas? How do you use them? 

Travel books/guides such as EyeWitness Travel, Fodor’s, Bill Bryson, etc. – How do you use these to guide your choices and planning? 

Online services like TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, etc. – What is your experience in using these websites? How do you use these services for travel planning? Do you get what you need? Can you find what you are looking for? Would you use the services/sites again? Why/why not?

Government of Canada. What is your experience interacting with GoC? What services do you use for travel planning? Do you get what you need? Can you find what you are looking for? Would you go back to GoC sources/sites again if you were planning another trip? Why/why not?

What are your ‘must do’ activities before going abroad? Can you think back to the last time you took a trip outside Canada? What, if anything, did you do to prepare? If not raised, probe for each of the following and ask why/why not for each:

Purchasing travel insurance

Checking the laws/rules of the country of destination

Determining if there is a potential health risk (e.g. cholera, malaria, hepatitis, traveller’s diarrhea, etc.)

Ascertaining how to get assistance from Canadian government, if necessary

Anything else? MODERATOR TO BE ATTUNED FOR ANY MENTIONS OF TRAVEL VISAS. IF MENTIONED PROBE FOR: Is this something you get advice about? Who do you ask? What kind of research do you do?

And, do you always travel with …

Cell phone/Smart phone – do you get a plan that will allow you to make local or international calls in the destination you are travelling to?

Tablet/laptop – how easy/difficult is it for you to get an Internet connection? Is this a consideration for you?

Do you purchase and/or use a data plan when travelling, or do you feel this is an unnecessary expense? Are there alternatives that you rely on (i.e., Wifi access, business center in hotel, etc.)? Explain.

Is the process different (i.e., considerations, steps, information gathering) if you are travelling with children, versus just adults? If so, what is different?

And, if you were travelling to the U.S., would the same considerations or steps apply? Or, would it depend on where in the U.S. you were going? Explain.

B. Expectations regarding support to travellers from the Government of Canada (20 minutes)

Now I want to focus the discussion more directly on support from the Government of Canada to travellers. In your view, what role should the Government of Canada play in terms of providing support for Canadians who are travelling abroad? Probe for:

What are your expectations for the kinds of services and support travellers should receive?

What is your expectation about who you could reach, how quickly they would respond, and how they could assist you? Probe for:

I want to drill down a little more on the question of your expectations as to what is a personal responsibility and what is a situation or circumstance when you would expect some assistance from the Government of Canada. What should individual travellers be responsible for? And, what should GoC do for travellers, if anything?

Generally, what kind of assistance do you expect from the GoC? How do you expect to be able to access services and support?

Would you expect a different level of service from the GoC if you were in need of assistance abroad versus if you needed assistance in Canada? Why or why not?

Have any of you had any experience contacting the Government of Canada while you were abroad? Tell us about your experience. Was it positive/negative? Elaborate.

If you found yourself in a situation where you needed assistance would you turn to the Canadian Government first or would you be more likely to try to access assistance from another individual/organization first? If other than GoC, who would you turn to? Explain.

If you wanted to contact the Canadian Government while you were travelling abroad, how would you do this? Who would you contact? How would you contact them? Probe for:

Within the Canadian Government officials located both in Canada and abroad provide consular services to people travelling overseas. Have you heard anything about consular services to travellers? MODERATOR TO SPELL OUT ON A FLIPCHART.

What does the term Consular Services mean to you?

What do you think the people who provide consular services do? What are some examples of consular services?

Are there some groups that you feel might be more vulnerable when travelling abroad and/or find themselves in situations where they would need some assistance from the Canadian Government? Which groups? LIST ON FLIP CHART. Probe for:

LGBTQ

Elderly

Children

People who suffer from mental illness

From this list, which group do you think is most vulnerable when travelling abroad?

What other advice can you offer to the Government of Canada in terms of what they could be doing to help you make more informed decisions on international travel?

C. Principles underpinning support to travellers abroad and service standards (25 minutes)

In this part of the discussion, I want to focus on some specific scenarios and get your feedback regarding your expectations as to how Consular Services could assist you. Before we do that, however, let’s think more broadly about the principles or values that should underpin the services, support and information that are provided to Canadians travelling abroad. What should be our basic guiding principles or values? Probe for:

Timeliness

Accurate and up to date information

24/7 access

Availability anywhere in the world

Informing Canadians

Focus on vulnerable groups

Fairness in approach

Non-judgmental approach

Non-discriminatory

Others?

There may in some cases be limits on the assistance that consular officials can provide. In your view, what are some reasonable limits? Describe for me some circumstances or situations where you feel these types of limitations may apply and/or where you think an individual may have to pay for certain services? PROBE FOR:

When travelling in known conflict zones – where?

When taking excessive risks – describe.

What should a Canadian citizen expect under these circumstances? What is reasonable?

Are there any situations where you feel the GoC could or should refuse services to a travelling Canadian? What types of situations? Probe for:

Irresponsible behavior, crime (arrest/detention), crimes against children etc.

NOTE: ALL SCENARIOS HAVE BEEN DELETED.

D. Information from the Government of Canada (10 minutes)

Thinking about information from the Government of Canada, what would be the best way for the Government of Canada to communicate with you concerning issues surrounding international travel? CAREFULLY PROBE FOR:

o Magazine ads or articles

Social media

Television or radio ads

News media (news item or documentary)

Brochures

Booth at travel shows

Conferences/talks

Web site

Others?

Overall, how credible do you find the Government of Canada as a source of information for international travel? Why do you say that?

REFER BACK TO USE OF/EXPECTATIONS RE GOC SERVICES IN SECTIONS A AND B. IF NOT COVERED PROBE FURTHER. Are you aware of any specific products or services that the Government of Canada offers to people travelling abroad? What are you aware of? (LIST ON FLIPCHART)

Is there anything missing from this list that you would expect the Government of Canada should be providing? (LIST ON FLIPCHART) Probe for:

Registration of Canadians Abroad . Have you heard of this service? What do you know about it? If necessary, explain that you can register your travel information with the Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca) so that the government can contact them in case of trouble in the destination country, like political unrest or a natural disaster, or in the case of a family emergency). Do you think this a good idea? Would you use it?

Registration of Canadians Abroad . Have you heard of this service? What do you know about it? If necessary, explain that you can register your travel information with the Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca) so that the government can contact them in case of trouble in the destination country, like political unrest or a natural disaster, or in the case of a family emergency). Do you think this a good idea? Would you use it?

Travel Smart App. Have you heard of this? If not, explain that the App provides up to date advice and advisories on over 200 destinations as well as emergency contact information for embassies/consulates, and wait times at borders, etc. When you connect to the travel.gc.ca social media account you can ask questions, share information with others and learn about travelling safe and smart. Is this something you would use? Why/why not?

REFER BACK TO VULNERABLE GROUPS – LIST ON FLIP CHART. Going back to the groups that are most vulnerable when they travel, do you think that the Government of Canada should provide information that is tailored to them or should they be responsible for doing their own research based on their personal circumstances? If the former, what channels should the Government use to reach them?

E. Views on Travel Advisories (30 minutes)

I want to spend a bit more time getting your feedback on travel advice and advisories. If you had already planned a trip to a foreign country and the Government of Canada released a travel advisory recommending that you avoided visiting this destination, what would you do? Why?

You can access travel advisories online … I want to show you one for Lebanon and get your reaction. MODERATOR TO ACCESS LEBANON TRAVEL ADVISORY LANDING PAGE ONLINE.

https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/lebanon

Have you ever accessed this information for any destination? Did you know it was available before today?

You can see that the page is structured with a set of 7 tabs across the top of the landing page. The first tab is risk level. If you had been planning a trip to Lebanon and read this, what would your reaction be? Would anything you read here change your decision or alter your plans in any way? Why/why not?

How do you interpret the term ‘advisory?’ Note that the information reads Regional Advisory – Avoid all Travel and then lists specific areas. How do you interpret this information? What actions would you take, if any, based on this? Can you think of a better term than ‘advisory’ for this concept?

I want to ask you about the various risk levels. If I click on the section that reads ‘Exercise a high degree of caution’ I get taken to an explanation of the various risk levels. You can see there are 4 levels – how do you interpret each of these? Is there anything in the explanations of these levels that is unclear? Would you explain them differently? Do you think it is necessary to have risk categories?

Looking at this landing page, what gets your attention, if anything? What are you most interested in? From here, where would you go next?

MODERATOR TO REVIEW EACH SECTION OF THE TRAVEL ADVISORY. Overall, do you find the advice credible? Do you think the information we just reviewed is alarmist?

Overall, what are you most interested in when reviewing/reading this travel advice page? What information is most/least important to you?

Thinking about each of the sections and the information provided, do you find this documentation to be clear and easy to read? Probe for:

Is there anything unclear or that you don’t understand?

Is it too much/too little information? Is anything missing that you would expect to find on this travel advisory?

Is it easy to use?

Would you consult it when planning your next international trip? Why/why not?

G. Wrap-Up (5 minutes):

Overall, do you think you and other Canadians have enough information about international travel?

Is there anything new or surprising in what we have discussed this evening? Is there any one thing that we have discussed that is giving you pause to possibly rethink how you might approach your next trip outside of Canada? Please explain.

THANK YOU

2. Travelling Public – French

Guide du modérateur

Affaires consulaires : Voyages à l’étranger

Voyageurs

FINAL – 1er mars 2018

Introduction (5 minutes)

Présenter le modérateur et souhaiter la bienvenue aux participants du groupe de discussion.

Comme nous l’avons mentionné lors du processus de recrutement, nous tenons des groupes de discussion dans le cadre d’un projet de recherche réalisé pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada. De façon plus précise, ce groupe de discussion fait partie d’une étude plus large menée par un organisme fédéral qui offre des services d’assistance aux Canadiens en voyage à l’étranger, par l’intermédiaire de ses ambassades, de ses hauts-commissariats et de ses consulats. Simple curiosité, connaissez-vous le nom de cet organisme?

La discussion d’aujourd’hui a pour but de recueillir votre opinion sur une série de questions liées aux voyages internationaux.

La discussion durera environ deux heures. N’hésitez pas à quitter la salle, au besoin, pendant la séance. Nous ferons un enregistrement vidéo aux fins de notre travail d’analyse, au cas où il serait nécessaire de vérifier nos notes. Nous n’attribuons aucun commentaire à des participants individuels. Vos commentaires sont confidentiels.

Explication : Miroir d’observation et observateurs.

Description du fonctionnement d’un groupe de discussion :

Les groupes de discussion sont conçus pour faciliter une discussion ouverte et honnête. En tant que modérateur, mon rôle est de guider la discussion et d’encourager tout le monde à participer. Je dois aussi m’assurer que la discussion ne s’écarte pas du sujet.

Votre rôle à vous est de répondre aux questions et de donner votre opinion. Toutes les opinions du groupe nous intéressent, qu’elles soient minoritaires ou majoritaires; il ne faut donc pas hésiter à vous exprimer même si vous croyez que le groupe aura un avis différent du vôtre. D’autres participants pourraient partager votre point de vue, ou non, mais l’opinion de chacun est importante et doit être respectée. Certaines des questions au programme ce soir pourraient être très controversées et les gens pourraient avoir des idées bien arrêtées dans un sens ou dans l’autre. Il est important de respecter le point de vue des autres et de les laisser s’expliquer.

J’aimerais aussi souligner qu’il n’y a pas de bonnes ou de mauvaises réponses. Nous voulons simplement connaître votre opinion et comprendre vos attitudes. On ne vous demande pas d’être un expert en affaires internationales ou une spécialiste de la politique étrangère pour participer à ces groupes. Ce n’est pas un test de connaissances.

Le modérateur n’est pas un employé du gouvernement du Canada et ne sera peut-être pas en mesure de répondre à certaines de vos questions.

(Le modérateur se présente). Les participants sont invités à se présenter en donnant uniquement leur prénom. Veuillez nous dire à quelle fréquence vous voyagez et les principales raisons pour lesquelles vous voyagez (p. ex., pour affaires, pour le plaisir, pour rendre visite à des membres de la famille ou à des amis, etc.).

A. Considérations habituelles lors d’un voyage (25 minutes)

Imaginons que vous comptez faire un voyage à l’étranger, ailleurs qu’aux États-Unis. Pouvez-vous noter, sur la feuille devant vous, où vous pensez aller au cours de la prochaine année ou des deux prochaines années – dans quels pays ou régions? TABLE RONDE. LES PARTICIPANTS DISENT LEURS DESTINATIONS.

Maintenant, passons à vos activités de planification de voyage. D’abord, quelles sont les choses dont vous tenez compte habituellement au moment de choisir cette destination? Quels facteurs, questions ou préoccupations ont pesé sur votre décision? (LE MODÉRATEUR FAIT UNE LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER)

Et lesquels sont les plus importants à vos yeux? Pourquoi?

Est-ce quelque chose dont vous tenez toujours compte lorsque vous voyagez?

À quel point est-ce que vous planifiez vos voyages? Avez-vous tendance à planifier longtemps à l’avance ou êtes-vous vous plutôt spontané?

Est-ce que pour certaines destinations vous feriez vos réservations de façon assez spontanée, alors que pour d’autres vous auriez tendance à planifier davantage? Expliquez.

Expliquez-moi votre processus quand vous planifiez ou préparez un voyage à l’étranger (à nouveau, ailleurs qu’aux États-Unis). Quelles démarches concrètes faites-vous? Approfondir :

Quel type d’information cherchez-vous?

Où obtenez-vous cette information? Qu’est-ce qui influence votre choix de destination? Chercher à savoir à quel point les participants comptent sur ce qui suit :

Les amis et la famille – Quel type de rôle jouent-ils?

Les médias sociaux – Sur lesquels comptez-vous? Quels sites ou plateformes de médias sociaux utilisez-vous le plus régulièrement? Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît dans ces médias? Comment utilisez-vous les médias sociaux au moment de planifier un voyage?
Les applications de voyage – Sur lesquelles comptez-vous le plus souvent? Est-ce que vous les utilisez au cours d’un voyage à l’étranger? Comment les utilisez-vous?
Les livres et guides de voyage comme EyeWitness Travel, Fodor’s, Bill Bryson, etc. – Comment ces ouvrages guident-ils vos choix et votre planification?
Les services en ligne comme TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, etc. – Quelle a été votre expérience en utilisant ces sites Web? Comment utilisez-vous ces services au moment de planifier un voyage? Répondent-ils à vos besoins? Y trouvez-vous ce que vous cherchez? Feriez-vous de nouveau appel à ces services ou à ces sites? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?
Le gouvernement du Canada – Quelle a été votre expérience lors de vos interactions avec le GC? Quels services utilisez-vous pour planifier vos voyages? Répondent-ils à vos besoins? Y trouvez-vous ce que vous cherchez? Si vous deviez planifier un autre voyage, feriez-vous de nouveau appel aux sources ou aux sites du GC? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Quelles sont vos activités « à faire absolument » avant de partir à l’étranger? Pouvez-vous repenser à votre dernier voyage à l’extérieur du Canada? Qu’avez-vous fait pour vous préparer? Si les activités qui suivent ne sont pas évoquées, les mentionner en demandant chaque fois « pourquoi / pourquoi pas » :

Souscrire une assurance voyage
Vérifier les lois et les règles du pays de destination
Déterminer les risques potentiels pour la santé (p. ex. choléra, paludisme, hépatite, diarrhée des voyageurs, etc.)
Déterminer comment obtenir l’assistance du gouvernement canadien, au besoin
Autre activité? LE MODÉRATEUR PRÊTE ATTENTION À TOUTE MENTION DE VISAS. SI LES VISAS SONT MENTIONNÉS, APPROFONDIR : Demandez-vous conseil sur ce point? À qui? Quel type de recherches faites-vous?

Et est-ce que vous voyagez toujours avec…

Votre téléphone cellulaire ou votre téléphone intelligent? – Vous procurez-vous un forfait vous permettant de faire des appels locaux ou internationaux dans votre pays de destination?
Votre tablette ou votre portable? – Est-il facile ou difficile d’avoir une connexion Internet? Est-ce un facteur important pour vous?

Est-ce que vous achetez ou utilisez un forfait de données lorsque vous voyagez, ou est-ce que cela vous semble être une dépense inutile? Utilisez-vous des solutions de rechange? (p. ex., accès WiFi, centre d’affaires de l’hôtel, etc.)? Expliquez.

Le processus est-il différent (p. ex., les facteurs à considérer, les démarches, la recherche d’information) si vous voyagez avec des enfants plutôt qu’avec des adultes? Si oui, qu’est-ce qui est différent?

Et si vous alliez aux États-Unis, est-ce que les mêmes facteurs et démarches s’appliqueraient? Ou est-ce que cela dépendrait de votre destination particulière aux États-Unis? Expliquez.

B. Attentes à l’égard des services d’assistance aux voyageurs du gouvernement du Canada (20 minutes)

Maintenant, j’aimerais orienter la discussion plus directement sur l’assistance aux voyageurs offerte par le gouvernement du Canada. À votre avis, quel rôle le gouvernement du Canada devrait-il jouer pour ce qui est d’offrir de l’aide aux Canadiens qui voyagent à l’étranger? Approfondir :

Quelles sont vos attentes en ce qui concerne les types de services et l’aide que les voyageurs devraient recevoir?

Quelles sont vos attentes en ce qui concerne la personne que pourriez joindre, son délai de réponse et l’aide qu’elle pourrait vous apporter? Approfondir :

Je veux creuser un peu plus la question de vos attentes quant à ce qui relève de votre responsabilité personnelle et ce qui constitue une situation ou des circonstances où le gouvernement du Canada devrait intervenir. Quelles sont les responsabilités des voyageurs individuels? Et que devrait faire le GC pour les voyageurs, le cas échéant?
De manière générale, à quel type d’aide vous attendez-vous de la part du GC? Comment pensez-vous pouvoir accéder aux services et à l’aide?
Vous attendriez-vous à recevoir un autre niveau de service du GC si vous aviez besoin d’aide à l’étranger plutôt qu’au Canada? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Est-ce que quelqu’un parmi vous a fait l’expérience de prendre contact avec le gouvernement du Canada au cours d’un voyage à l’étranger? Parlez-nous de votre expérience. A-t-elle été positive ou négative? Donnez des détails.

Si vous vous trouviez dans une situation où vous aviez besoin d’aide, feriez-vous d’abord appel au gouvernement canadien ou seriez-vous porté à vous tourner vers une autre personne ou organisation? Dans le second cas, vers qui vous tourneriez-vous? Expliquez.

Si vous vouliez communiquer avec le gouvernement canadien pendant un voyage à l’étranger, comment feriez-vous? À qui vous adresseriez-vous et par quel moyen? Approfondir :

Des fonctionnaires du gouvernement canadien établis au Canada et à l’étranger offrent des services consulaires aux personnes qui font des voyages internationaux. Avez-vous déjà entendu parler des services consulaires aux voyageurs? LE MODÉRATEUR ÉCRIT CE TERME SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER.
Que signifie l’expression « services consulaires » pour vous?
D’après vous, que font les personnes qui offrent des services consulaires? Quels sont des exemples de services consulaires?

Y a-t-il certains groupes qui vous semblent plus vulnérables lorsqu’ils se rendent à l’étranger ou se retrouvent dans des situations où ils ont besoin d’assistance gouvernementale? Quels groupes? LES NOTER SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER. Approfondir :

LGBTQ
Aînés
Enfants
Personnes atteintes de troubles mentaux
Dans cette liste, quel groupe vous paraît le plus vulnérable dans le contexte d’un voyage à l’étranger?

Quels conseils pouvez-vous donner au gouvernement du Canada sur ce qu’il pourrait faire pour vous aider à prendre des décisions plus éclairées en matière de voyages internationaux?

C. Principes qui sous-tendent l’aide aux voyageurs et normes de service (25 minutes)

Dans cette partie de la discussion, j’aimerais qu’on examine différents scénarios et qu’on parle de vos attentes quant à l’aide que vous pourriez recevoir des services consulaires. J’aimerais qu’on réfléchisse de manière plus générale aux principes ou aux valeurs qui devraient sous-tendre les services, l’aide et les renseignements offerts aux Canadiens en voyage à l’étranger. Quels principes fondamentaux ou quelles valeurs maîtresses devraient guider les services consulaires? Approfondir :

La rapidité
Une information exacte et à jour
Un accès 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7
Des services accessibles partout dans le monde
La communication d’informations aux Canadiens
Une attention particulière donnée aux groupes vulnérables
Une approche juste
Une approche sans jugement
Une approche non discriminatoire
D’autres principes?

Dans certains cas, il peut y avoir des limites à l’aide que les agents consulaires sont en mesure d’apporter aux voyageurs. À votre avis, quelles sont des limites raisonnables? Décrivez-moi des circonstances ou des situations où vous avez l’impression que ces limites pourraient s’appliquer et que les voyageurs pourraient devoir payer certains services? APPROFONDIR :

Voyages dans des zones de conflit connues – où?

Prise de risques excessifs – Les décrire.

Dans ces circonstances, que devrait attendre un citoyen canadien? Qu’est-ce qui est raisonnable?

Y a-t-il des situations où vous trouvez que le GC pourrait ou devrait refuser des services à un voyageur canadien? Quels types de situations? Approfondir :

Comportements irresponsables, crimes (arrestation/détention), crimes contre des enfants, etc.

N.B. : TOUS LES SCÉNARIOS ONT ÉTÉ SUPPRIMÉS

D. Information provenant du gouvernement du Canada (10 minutes)

En ce qui concerne l’information présentée par le gouvernement du Canada, quel serait le meilleur moyen pour le gouvernement de vous communiquer de l’information sur les questions liées aux voyages internationaux? EXPLORER SOIGNEUSEMENT LES ÉLÉMENTS SUIVANTS :

Publicités ou articles dans un magazine
Médias sociaux
Publicités à la télévision ou à la radio
Médias d’information (communiqués ou documentaires)
Brochures
Kiosque dans une exposition touristique
Conférences, causeries
Site Web
Autres moyens?

Dans l’ensemble, à quel point trouvez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada est une source d’information crédible sur les voyages internationaux? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire ça?

SE REPORTER À L’UTILISATION DES SERVICES DU GC ET AUX ATTENTES À LEUR ÉGARD, AUX SECTIONS A ET B. SI CES POINTS N’ONT PAS ÉTÉ COUVERTS, LES EXPLORER MAINTENANT. Connaissez-vous certains des produits et services que le gouvernement du Canada offre aux personnes voyageant à l’étranger? Lesquels connaissez-vous? (ÉCRIRE LA LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER)

Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit qui manque sur cette liste et que le gouvernement du Canada devrait offrir d’après vous? (ÉCRIRE LA LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER) Approfondir :

Inscription des Canadiens à l’étranger. Avez-vous entendu parler de ce service? Que savez-vous à son sujet? Si nécessaire, expliquer qu’on peut enregistrer les détails de son voyage auprès du gouvernement du Canada (voyage.gc.ca), pour que le gouvernement puisse nous joindre en cas de difficultés dans le pays de destination, p. ex. des troubles politiques ou une catastrophe naturelle, ou en cas d’urgence familiale. Pensez-vous que c’est une bonne idée? Utiliseriez-vous ce service?
Conseils aux voyageurs et avertissements. Les consultez-vous? Quelle est votre impression générale à leur sujet? À quel point les trouvez-vous utiles? Expliquez.
Liste des ambassades et consulats. Avez-vous l’habitude de prendre leurs coordonnées en note avant de partir en voyage? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?
Application Bon voyage. Avez-vous entendu parler de cette application? Si non, expliquer qu’elle renferme des conseils et des avertissements à jour sur plus de 200 destinations ainsi que les coordonnées des personnes à contacter en cas d’urgence dans les ambassades et les consulats, les temps d’attente à la frontière canado-américaine, etc. Lorsqu’on se connecte au compte de média social voyage.gc.ca, on peut poser des questions, partager de l’information et apprendre comment voyager en toute sécurité à l’étranger. Utiliseriez-vous cette application? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

RETOUR AUX GROUPES VULNÉRABLES – LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER. En ce qui concerne les groupes particulièrement vulnérables lorsqu’ils voyagent, pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada devrait fournir des renseignements adaptés à leurs besoins, ou est-ce que ces groupes devraient eux-mêmes se charger d’effectuer leurs recherches en fonction de leurs circonstances personnelles? Dans le premier cas, par quels moyens le gouvernement devrait-il communiquer avec ces groupes?

E. Opinions concernant les avertissements destinés aux voyageurs (30 minutes)

Je voudrais passer un peu plus de temps à recueillir vos commentaires sur les conseils aux voyageurs et les avertissements. Si vous aviez déjà planifié votre séjour dans un pays étranger et que le gouvernement du Canada publiait un avertissement recommandant d’éviter cette destination, que feriez-vous? Pourquoi?
On a accès à ces avertissements en ligne … Je voudrais vous montrer celui du Liban et avoir vos réactions. LE MODÉRATEUR OUVRE LA PAGE D’ACCUEIL DE L’AVERTISSEMENT POUR LE LIBAN. https://voyage.gc.ca/destinations/liban
Avez-vous déjà consulté cette information pour une destination? Saviez-vous que cette information était disponible?
Comme on le voit, il y a sept onglets dans la partie supérieure de la page d’accueil. Le premier concerne les niveaux de risque. Si vous aviez prévu aller au Liban et lisiez ceci, quelle serait votre réaction? Est-ce que des renseignements fournis ici pourraient vous faire changer d’idée ou modifier vos plans en quoi que ce soit? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?
Comment comprenez-vous le terme « avertissement »? Notez qu’on peut lire ici « Avertissement régional – Évitez tout voyage » suivi d’une liste de zones précises. Comment interprétez-vous cette information? Quelles mesures prendriez-vous en conséquence? Pensez-vous qu’un autre terme qu’« avertissement » exprimerait mieux ce concept?
J’aimerais savoir ce que vous pensez des différents niveaux de risque. Si je clique sur « Faites preuve d’une grande prudence », on me présente une explication des niveaux de risque. Vous voyez qu’il y a quatre niveaux – comment interprétez-vous chaque niveau? Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit dans les explications fournies qui n’est pas clair? Les expliqueriez-vous différemment? Pensez-vous qu’il est nécessaire d’avoir des catégories de risque?
Quand vous regardez cette page d’accueil, qu’est-ce qui attire votre attention, le cas échéant? Qu’est-ce qui vous intéresse le plus? À partir d’ici, où iriez-vous?
LE MODÉRATEUR PASSE EN REVUE CHAQUE SECTION DE L’AVERTISSEMENT. Dans l’ensemble, trouvez-vous que les conseils sont crédibles? Pensez-vous que l’information que nous venons de voir est alarmiste?
De manière générale, qu’est-ce qui vous intéresse quand vous consultez ou lisez cette page de conseils aux voyageurs? Quels renseignements sont les plus importants et les moins importants pour vous?
En ce qui concerne chacune des sections et l’information qui s’y trouve, diriez-vous que cette documentation est claire et facile à lire? Approfondir :

Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit qui n’est pas clair, que vous ne comprenez pas?
Y a-t-il trop, ou trop peu, d’information? Manque-t-il quelque chose qu’on devrait pouvoir trouver dans cet avertissement aux voyageurs?
Est-il facile à utiliser?
Est-ce que vous consulteriez les avertissements au moment d’organiser votre prochain voyage international? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

G. Bilan (5 minutes)

Trouvez-vous qu’en général, vous et d’autres Canadiens avez suffisamment d’information sur les voyages internationaux?

Parmi les sujets abordés ce soir, y a-t-il quelque chose qui vous a paru nouveau ou surprenant? Y a-t-il une chose dont nous avons discuté qui vous donne matière à réflexion et qui vous incitera peut-être à revoir votre manière d’aborder un prochain voyage à l’extérieur du Canada? Expliquez.

MERCI.

3. Travel Professionals – English

Moderator’s Guide

Consular Services: Travelling Abroad

Travel Professionals

FINAL – Mar.1, 2018

Introduction (5 minutes):

Introduce moderator and welcome participants to the focus group.

As we indicated during the recruiting process, we are conducting a focus group research project on behalf of the Government of Canada. Specifically, this discussion group is part of a larger research study that is being led by the group within the Government of Canada that provides services to Canadians, through its embassies, high commissions and consulates, who may need assistance while they are abroad. Out of interest, do you know what this group is called?
The purpose of today’s discussion is to obtain your views on a broad range of topics related to international travel. In addition to discussion groups with travel professionals like yourselves, we are also conducting focus groups with people who travel internationally.

The discussion will last approximately 2 hours. Feel free to excuse yourself during the session if necessary. The session is being videotaped for analysis purposes, in case we need to double-check the proceedings against our notes. We do not attribute comments to specific people. All your comments are confidential.

Explanation re: one-way mirror and observers.

Describe how a discussion group functions.

Discussion groups are designed to stimulate an open and honest discussion. My role as a moderator is to guide the discussion and encourage everyone to participate. Another function of the moderator is to ensure that the discussion stays on topic.
Your role is to answer questions and voice your opinions. We are looking for minority as well as majority opinion in a focus group, so don't hold back if you have a comment even if you feel your opinion may be different from others in the group. There may or may not be others who share your point of view. Everyone's opinion is important and should be respected. Some of the issues we will be discussing tonight may be very controversial and people may hold strong views one way or the other. It is important that we respect how others feel and allow them to explain their opinion.
I would also like to stress that there are no right or wrong answers. We are simply looking for your opinions and attitudes. It was not a prerequisite coming into the groups that you be an authority on international affairs or foreign policy. This is not a test of your knowledge.

The moderator is not an employee of the Government of Canada and may not be able to answer some of your questions.

(Moderator introduces herself/himself). Participants should introduce themselves, using their first names only. Please tell us a little bit about your travel business – what types of trips do you tend to book most often (i.e., business, pleasure) and to which destinations?

A Common considerations when travelling (25 minutes):

I’d like you to imagine that you are assisting one of your clients planning a trip to an international destination, other than the United States. For the sake of this discussion let’s assume that they would like to travel through a region like Asia, Africa or the Middle East, and they are looking to you to help them build an itinerary.

Take me through your planning process. Where do you start? Probe for:

What kinds of questions or considerations would you discuss with your client?

How do you begin to put the itinerary together? What kind of information do you need/gather in order to develop the itinerary? Probe for:

Accommodation
Any special travel requirements/restrictions
Health or safety concerns
Other?
Probe also for: What would you do in a situation where your client wanted to book a trip to the Caribbean/Mexico during the hurricane season? Would you voice any concerns about this? How do you broach this with your clients?

Where do you get information from? What sources do you rely on? Probe for:

Social media – What do you rely on? Which social media sites/platforms do you use most regularly? What is it that you like about them? How do you use social media in terms of travelling planning?
Travel apps – which ones do you rely on most frequently? How do you use them?
Travel books/guides such as EyeWitness Travel, Fodor’s, Bill Bryson, etc. – How do you use these to guide your choices and planning?
Online services like TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, etc. – What is your experience in using these websites? How do you use these services for travel planning? Do you get what you need? Can you find what you are looking for? Are these services/sites you use regularly? Why/why not?
Government of Canada. What is your experience interacting with GoC? What services do you use for travel planning? Do you get what you need? Can you find what you are looking for? Do you use GoC sources/sites regularly? Why/why not?

What do you advise your clients are things they should do before/as they are preparing to go abroad? Does it depend on who your client is? If so, what does it depend on? To anchor this discussion, can you think about a specific example from among the trips you have recently booked for clients travelling abroad? What, specifically, did you suggest that they needed to do? If not raised, probe for each of the following and ask why/why not for each:

Purchasing travel insurance – Do you systematically recommend that your clients purchase travel insurance? Generally, what percentage of your clients travel without adequate travel insurance? What is your guess?
Checking the laws/rules of the country of destination
Determining if there is a potential health risk (e.g. cholera, malaria, hepatitis, traveller’s diarrhea, etc.)
Ascertaining how to get assistance from Canadian government, if necessary
Anything else? MODERATOR TO BE ATTUNED FOR ANY MENTIONS OF TRAVEL VISAS. IF MENTIONED PROBE FOR: Is this something your clients ask your advice about/or that you do research on behalf of your clients?
And, for all the above, do you provide assistance? What kind of assistance? Explain.

And, do most of your clients always travel with …

Cell phone/Smart phone – do you discuss or recommend that they get a plan that will allow them to make local or international calls in the destination they are travelling to?
Tablet/laptop – do you discuss or find out how easy/difficult it would be for them to access the Internet in the locations they are travelling to? Is this a consideration for your clients or not? Does it depend on the circumstances? Explain.
Do you know whether your clients purchase and/or use a data plan when travelling? Is this something you recommend or not? If not, what other alternatives do you advise your clients of, if any (i.e., Wifi access, business center in hotel, etc.)? Elaborate.

Is the process of helping your clients prepare/plan for a trip abroad different (i.e., considerations, steps, information gathering) if they are travelling with children, versus just adults? If so, what is different?

And, if your client was travelling to the U.S., would the same considerations or steps apply? Or, would it depend on where in the U.S. they were going? Explain.

B. Expectations regarding support to travellers from the Government of Canada (20 minutes)

Now I want to focus the discussion more directly on support from the Government of Canada to travellers. In your view, what role should the Government of Canada play in terms of providing support for Canadians who are travelling abroad? Probe for:

What are your expectations for the kinds of services and support travellers should receive?

What is your expectation about who you could reach, how quickly they would respond, and how they could assist you? Probe for:

I want to drill down a little more on the question of your expectations as to what is a personal responsibility and what is a situation or circumstance when you would expect some assistance from the Government of Canada. What should individual travellers be responsible for? And, what should GoC do for travellers, if anything?

Generally, what kind of assistance do you expect from the GoC? How do you expect to be able to access services and support?

Would you expect a different level of service from the GoC if you were in need of assistance abroad versus if you needed assistance in Canada? Why or why not?

Have any of you had any experience contacting the Government of Canada while you were abroad? Tell us about your experience. Was it positive/negative? Elaborate.

If you found yourself in a situation where you needed assistance would you turn to the Canadian Government first or would you be more likely to try to access assistance from another individual/organization first? If other than GoC, who would you turn to? Explain.

If you wanted to contact the Canadian Government while you were travelling abroad, how would you do this? Who would you contact? How would you contact them? Probe for:

Within the Canadian Government officials located both in Canada and abroad provide consular services to people travelling overseas.   Have you heard anything about consular services to travellers? MODERATOR TO SPELL OUT ON A FLIPCHART.

What does the term Consular Services mean to you?

What do you think the people who provide consular services do? What are some examples of consular services?

Are there some groups that you feel might be more vulnerable when travelling abroad and/or find themselves in situations where they would need some assistance from the Canadian Government? Which groups? LIST ON FLIP CHART. Probe for:

LGBTQ

Elderly

Children

People who suffer from mental illness

From this list, which group do you think is most vulnerable when travelling abroad?

What other advice can you offer to the Government of Canada in terms of what they could be doing to help you make more informed decisions on international travel?

C. Principles underpinning support to travellers abroad and service standards (25 minutes)

In this part of the discussion, I want to focus on some specific scenarios and get your feedback regarding your expectations as to how Consular Services could assist you. Before we do that, however, let’s think more broadly about the principles or values that should underpin the services, support and information that are provided to Canadians travelling abroad. What should be our basic guiding principles or values? Probe for:

Timeliness

Accurate and up to date information

24/7 access

Availability anywhere in the world

Informing Canadians

Focus on vulnerable groups

Fairness in approach

Non-judgmental approach

Non-discriminatory

Others?

There may in some cases be limits on the assistance that consular officials can provide.   In your view, what are some reasonable limits? Describe for me some circumstances or situations where you feel these types of limitations may apply and/or where you think an individual may have to pay for certain services? PROBE FOR:

When travelling in known conflict zones – where?

When taking excessive risks – describe.

What should a Canadian citizen expect under these circumstances? What is reasonable?

Are there any situations where you feel the GoC could or should refuse services to a travelling Canadian? What types of situations? Probe for:

o   Irresponsible behavior, crime (arrest/detention), crimes against children etc.

NOTE: ALL SCENARIOS HAVE BEEN DELETED.

D. Information from the Government of Canada (10 minutes)

Thinking about information from the Government of Canada, what would be the best way for the Government of Canada to communicate with you concerning issues surrounding international travel? CAREFULLY PROBE FOR:

Magazine ads or articles

Social media

Television or radio ads

News media (news item or documentary)

Brochures

Booth at travel shows

Conferences/talks

Web site

Others?

Overall, how credible do you find the Government of Canada as a source of information for international travel? Why do you say that?

REFER BACK TO USE OF/EXPECTATIONS RE GOC SERVICES IN SECTIONS A AND B. IF NOT COVERED PROBE FURTHER. Are you aware of any specific products or services that the Government of Canada offers to people travelling abroad? What are you aware of? (LIST ON FLIPCHART)

Is there anything missing from this list that you would expect the Government of Canada should be providing? (LIST ON FLIPCHART) Probe for:

Registration of Canadians Abroad . Have you heard of this service? What do you know about it? If necessary, explain that you can register your travel information with the Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca) so that the government can contact them in case of trouble in the destination country, like political unrest or a natural disaster, or in the case of a family emergency). Do you think this a good idea? Would you use it?

Travel advice and advisories. Do any of you use these? What’s your general impression? How useful do you find them? Explain.

List of embassies and consulates. Do you usually make a note of this before you travel? Why/why not?

Travel Smart App. Have you heard of this? If not, explain that the App provides up to date advice and advisories on over 200 destinations as well as emergency contact information for embassies/consulates, and wait times at borders, etc. When you connect to the travel.gc.ca social media account you can ask questions, share information with others and learn about travelling safe and smart. Is this something you would use? Why/why not?

REFER BACK TO VULNERABLE GROUPS – LIST ON FLIP CHART. Going back to the groups that are most vulnerable when they travel, do you think that the Government of Canada should provide information that is tailored to them or should they be responsible for doing their own research based on their personal circumstances? If the former, what channels should the Government use to reach them?

E. Views on Travel Advisories (30 minutes)

I want to spend a bit more time getting your feedback on travel advice and advisories. If you had already planned a trip to a foreign country and the Government of Canada released a travel advisory recommending that you avoided visiting this destination, what would you do? Why?

You can access travel advisories online … I want to show you one for Lebanon and get your reaction. MODERATOR TO ACCESS LEBANON TRAVEL ADVISORY LANDING PAGE ONLINE.

https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/lebanon

Have you ever accessed this information for any destination? Did you know it was available before today?

You can see that the page is structured with a set of 7 tabs across the top of the landing page. The first tab is risk level. If you had been planning a trip to Lebanon and read this, what would your reaction be? Would anything you read here change your decision or alter your plans in any way? Why/why not?

How do you interpret the term ‘advisory?’ Note that the information reads Regional Advisory – Avoid all Travel and then lists specific areas. How do you interpret this information? What actions would you take, if any, based on this? Can you think of a better term than ‘advisory’ for this concept?

I want to ask you about the various risk levels. If I click on the section that reads ‘Exercise a high degree of caution’ I get taken to an explanation of the various risk levels. You can see there are 4 levels – how do you interpret each of these? Is there anything in the explanations of these levels that is unclear? Would you explain them differently? Do you think it is necessary to have risk categories?

Looking at this landing page, what gets your attention, if anything? What are you most interested in? From here, where would you go next?

MODERATOR TO REVIEW EACH SECTION OF THE TRAVEL ADVISORY. Overall, do you find the advice credible? Do you think the information we just reviewed is alarmist?

Overall, what are you most interested in when reviewing/reading this travel advice page? What information is most/least important to you?

Thinking about each of the sections and the information provided, do you find this documentation to be clear and easy to read? Probe for:

Is there anything unclear or that you don’t understand?

Is it too much/too little information? Is anything missing that you would expect to find on this travel advisory?

Is it easy to use?

Would you consult it when planning your next international trip? Why/why not?

G. Wrap-Up (5 minutes):

Overall, do you think you and other Canadians have enough information about international travel?

Is there anything new or surprising in what we have discussed this evening? Is there any one thing that we have discussed that is giving you pause to possibly rethink how you might approach your next trip outside of Canada? Please explain.

THANK YOU.

Travelling Public – French

Guide du modérateur

Affaires consulaires : Voyages à l’étranger

Voyageurs

FINAL – 1^er mars 2018

Introduction (5 minutes)

Présenter le modérateur et souhaiter la bienvenue aux participants du groupe de discussion.

Comme nous l’avons mentionné lors du processus de recrutement, nous tenons des groupes de discussion dans le cadre d’un projet de recherche réalisé pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada. De façon plus précise, ce groupe de discussion fait partie d’une étude plus large menée par un organisme fédéral qui offre des services d’assistance aux Canadiens en voyage à l’étranger, par l’intermédiaire de ses ambassades, de ses hauts-commissariats et de ses consulats. Simple curiosité, connaissez-vous le nom de cet organisme?

La discussion d’aujourd’hui a pour but de recueillir votre opinion sur une série de questions liées aux voyages internationaux.

La discussion durera environ deux heures. N’hésitez pas à quitter la salle, au besoin, pendant la séance. Nous ferons un enregistrement vidéo aux fins de notre travail d’analyse, au cas où il serait nécessaire de vérifier nos notes. Nous n’attribuons aucun commentaire à des participants individuels. Vos commentaires sont confidentiels.

Explication : Miroir d’observation et observateurs.

Description du fonctionnement d’un groupe de discussion :

Les groupes de discussion sont conçus pour faciliter une discussion ouverte et honnête. En tant que modérateur, mon rôle est de guider la discussion et d’encourager tout le monde à participer. Je dois aussi m’assurer que la discussion ne s’écarte pas du sujet.

Votre rôle à vous est de répondre aux questions et de donner votre opinion. Toutes les opinions du groupe nous intéressent, qu’elles soient minoritaires ou majoritaires; il ne faut donc pas hésiter à vous exprimer même si vous croyez que le groupe aura un avis différent du vôtre. D’autres participants pourraient partager votre point de vue, ou non, mais l’opinion de chacun est importante et doit être respectée. Certaines des questions au programme ce soir pourraient être très controversées et les gens pourraient avoir des idées bien arrêtées dans un sens ou dans l’autre. Il est important de respecter le point de vue des autres et de les laisser s’expliquer.

’aimerais aussi souligner qu’il n’y a pas de bonnes ou de mauvaises réponses. Nous voulons simplement connaître votre opinion et comprendre vos attitudes. On ne vous demande pas d’être un expert en affaires internationales ou une spécialiste de la politique étrangère pour participer à ces groupes. Ce n’est pas un test de connaissances.

Le modérateur n’est pas un employé du gouvernement du Canada et ne sera peut-être pas en mesure de répondre à certaines de vos questions.

(Le modérateur se présente). Les participants sont invités à se présenter en donnant uniquement leur prénom. Veuillez nous dire à quelle fréquence vous voyagez et les principales raisons pour lesquelles vous voyagez (p. ex., pour affaires, pour le plaisir, pour rendre visite à des membres de la famille ou à des amis, etc.).

A. Considérations habituelles lors d’un voyage (25 minutes)

Imaginons que vous comptez faire un voyage à l’étranger, ailleurs qu’aux États-Unis. Pouvez-vous noter, sur la feuille devant vous, où vous pensez aller au cours de la prochaine année ou des deux prochaines années – dans quels pays ou régions? TABLE RONDE. LES PARTICIPANTS DISENT LEURS DESTINATIONS.

Maintenant, passons à vos activités de planification de voyage. D’abord, quelles sont les choses dont vous tenez compte habituellement au moment de choisir cette destination? Quels facteurs, questions ou préoccupations ont pesé sur votre décision? (LE MODÉRATEUR FAIT UNE LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER)

Et lesquels sont les plus importants à vos yeux? Pourquoi?

Est-ce quelque chose dont vous tenez toujours compte lorsque vous voyagez?

À quel point est-ce que vous planifiez vos voyages? Avez-vous tendance à planifier longtemps à l’avance ou êtes-vous vous plutôt spontané?

Est-ce que pour certaines destinations vous feriez vos réservations de façon assez spontanée, alors que pour d’autres vous auriez tendance à planifier davantage? Expliquez.

Expliquez-moi votre processus quand vous planifiez ou préparez un voyage à l’étranger (à nouveau, ailleurs qu’aux États-Unis). Quelles démarches concrètes faites-vous? Approfondir :

Quel type d’information cherchez-vous?

class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l61 level2 lfo15;tab-stops:list 72.0pt'>Où obtenez-vous cette information? Qu’est-ce qui influence votre choix de destination? Chercher à savoir à quel point les participants comptent sur ce qui suit :

Les amis et la famille – Quel type de rôle jouent-ils?

Les médias sociaux – Sur lesquels comptez-vous? Quels sites ou plateformes de médias sociaux utilisez-vous le plus régulièrement? Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît dans ces médias? Comment utilisez-vous les médias sociaux au moment de planifier un voyage?

Les applications de voyage – Sur lesquelles comptez-vous le plus souvent? Est-ce que vous les utilisez au cours d’un voyage à l’étranger? Comment les utilisez-vous?

Les livres et guides de voyage comme EyeWitness Travel, Fodor’s, Bill Bryson, etc. – Comment ces ouvrages guident-ils vos choix et votre planification?

Les services en ligne comme TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, etc. – Quelle a été votre expérience en utilisant ces sites Web? Comment utilisez-vous ces services au moment de planifier un voyage? Répondent-ils à vos besoins? Y trouvez-vous ce que vous cherchez? Feriez-vous de nouveau appel à ces services ou à ces sites? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Le gouvernement du Canada – Quelle a été votre expérience lors de vos interactions avec le GC? Quels services utilisez-vous pour planifier vos voyages? Répondent-ils à vos besoins? Y trouvez-vous ce que vous cherchez? Si vous deviez planifier un autre voyage, feriez-vous de nouveau appel aux sources ou aux sites du GC? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Quelles sont vos activités « à faire absolument » avant de partir à l’étranger? Pouvez-vous repenser à votre dernier voyage à l’extérieur du Canada? Qu’avez-vous fait pour vous préparer? Si les activités qui suivent ne sont pas évoquées, les mentionner en demandant chaque fois « pourquoi / pourquoi pas » :

Souscrire une assurance voyage

Vérifier les lois et les règles du pays de destination

Déterminer les risques potentiels pour la santé (p. ex. choléra, paludisme, hépatite, diarrhée des voyageurs, etc.)

Déterminer comment obtenir l’assistance du gouvernement canadien, au besoin

Autre activité? LE MODÉRATEUR PRÊTE ATTENTION À TOUTE MENTION DE VISAS. SI LES VISAS SONT MENTIONNÉS, APPROFONDIR : Demandez-vous conseil sur ce point? À qui? Quel type de recherches faites-vous?

Et est-ce que vous voyagez toujours avec…

Votre téléphone cellulaire ou votre téléphone intelligent? – Vous procurez-vous un forfait vous permettant de faire des appels locaux ou internationaux dans votre pays de destination?

otre tablette ou votre portable? – Est-il facile ou difficile d’avoir une connexion Internet? Est-ce un facteur important pour vous?

st-ce que vous achetez ou utilisez un forfait de données lorsque vous voyagez, ou est-ce que cela vous semble être une dépense inutile? Utilisez-vous des solutions de rechange? (p. ex., accès WiFi, centre d’affaires de l’hôtel, etc.)? Expliquez.

Le processus est-il différent (p. ex., les facteurs à considérer, les démarches, la recherche d’information) si vous voyagez avec des enfants plutôt qu’avec des adultes? Si oui, qu’est-ce qui est différent?

t si vous alliez aux États-Unis, est-ce que les mêmes facteurs et démarches s’appliqueraient? Ou est-ce que cela dépendrait de votre destination particulière aux États-Unis? Expliquez.

B. Attentes à l’égard des services d’assistance aux voyageurs du gouvernement du Canada (20 minutes)

Maintenant, j’aimerais orienter la discussion plus directement sur l’assistance aux voyageurs offerte par le gouvernement du Canada. À votre avis, quel rôle le gouvernement du Canada devrait-il jouer pour ce qui est d’offrir de l’aide aux Canadiens qui voyagent à l’étranger? Approfondir :

Quelles sont vos attentes en ce qui concerne les types de services et l’aide que les voyageurs devraient recevoir?

Quelles sont vos attentes en ce qui concerne la personne que pourriez joindre, son délai de réponse et l’aide qu’elle pourrait vous apporter? Approfondir :

Je veux creuser un peu plus la question de vos attentes quant à ce qui relève de votre responsabilité personnelle et ce qui constitue une situation ou des circonstances où le gouvernement du Canada devrait intervenir. Quelles sont les responsabilités des voyageurs individuels? Et que devrait faire le GC pour les voyageurs, le cas échéant?

De manière générale, à quel type d’aide vous attendez-vous de la part du GC? Comment pensez-vous pouvoir accéder aux services et à l’aide?

Vous attendriez-vous à recevoir un autre niveau de service du GC si vous aviez besoin d’aide à l’étranger plutôt qu’au Canada? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Est-ce que quelqu’un parmi vous a fait l’expérience de prendre contact avec le gouvernement du Canada au cours d’un voyage à l’étranger? Parlez-nous de votre expérience. A-t-elle été positive ou négative? Donnez des détails.

Si vous vous trouviez dans une situation où vous aviez besoin d’aide, feriez-vous d’abord appel au gouvernement canadien ou seriez-vous porté à vous tourner vers une autre personne ou organisation? Dans le second cas, vers qui vous tourneriez-vous? Expliquez.

Si vous vouliez communiquer avec le gouvernement canadien pendant un voyage à l’étranger, comment feriez-vous? À qui vous adresseriez-vous et par quel moyen? Approfondir :

Des fonctionnaires du gouvernement canadien établis au Canada et à l’étranger offrent des services consulaires aux personnes qui font des voyages internationaux. Avez-vous déjà entendu parler des services consulaires aux voyageurs? LE MODÉRATEUR ÉCRIT CE TERME SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER.

Que signifie l’expression « services consulaires » pour vous?

D’après vous, que font les personnes qui offrent des services consulaires? Quels sont des exemples de services consulaires?

Y a-t-il certains groupes qui vous semblent plus vulnérables lorsqu’ils se rendent à l’étranger ou se retrouvent dans des situations où ils ont besoin d’assistance gouvernementale? Quels groupes? LES NOTER SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER. Approfondir :

LGBTQ

Aînés

Enfants

Personnes atteintes de troubles mentaux

Dans cette liste, quel groupe vous paraît le plus vulnérable dans le contexte d’un voyage à l’étranger?

Quels conseils pouvez-vous donner au gouvernement du Canada sur ce qu’il pourrait faire pour vous aider à prendre des décisions plus éclairées en matière de voyages internationaux?

C. Principes qui sous-tendent l’aide aux voyageurs et normes de service (25 minutes)

Dans cette partie de la discussion, j’aimerais qu’on examine différents scénarios et qu’on parle de vos attentes quant à l’aide que vous pourriez recevoir des services consulaires. J’aimerais qu’on réfléchisse de manière plus générale aux principes ou aux valeurs qui devraient sous-tendre les services, l’aide et les renseignements offerts aux Canadiens en voyage à l’étranger. Quels principes fondamentaux ou quelles valeurs maîtresses devraient guider les services consulaires? Approfondir :

La rapidité

Une information exacte et à jour

Un accès 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7

Des services accessibles partout dans le monde

La communication d’informations aux Canadiens

Une attention particulière donnée aux groupes vulnérables

Une approche juste

Une approche sans jugement

Une approche non discriminatoire

D’autres principes?

Dans certains cas, il peut y avoir des limites à l’aide que les agents consulaires sont en mesure d’apporter aux voyageurs. À votre avis, quelles sont des limites raisonnables? Décrivez-moi des circonstances ou des situations où vous avez l’impression que ces limites pourraient s’appliquer et que les voyageurs pourraient devoir payer certains services? APPROFONDIR :

Voyages dans des zones de conflit connues – où?

Prise de risques excessifs – Les décrire.

Dans ces circonstances, que devrait attendre un citoyen canadien? Qu’est-ce qui est raisonnable?

Y a-t-il des situations où vous trouvez que leGC pourrait ou devrait refuser des services à un voyageur canadien? Quels types de situations? Approfondir :

Comportements irresponsables, crimes (arrestation/détention), crimes contre des enfants, etc.

N.B. : TOUS LES SCÉNARIOS ONT ÉTÉ SUPPRIMÉS.

D. Information provenant du gouvernement du Canada (10 minutes)

En ce qui concerne l’information présentée par le gouvernement du Canada, quel serait le meilleur moyen pour le gouvernement de vous communiquer de l’information sur les questions liées aux voyages internationaux? EXPLORER SOIGNEUSEMENT LES ÉLÉMENTS SUIVANTS :

Publicités ou articles dans un magazine

Médias sociaux

Publicités à la télévision ou à la radio

Médias d’information (communiqués ou documentaires)

class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l61 level2 lfo15;tab-stops:list 72.0pt'>Brochures

class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l61 level2 lfo15;tab-stops:list 72.0pt'>Kiosque dans une exposition touristique

Conférences, causeries

Site Web

Autres moyens?

Dans l’ensemble, à quel point trouvez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada est une source d’information crédible sur les voyages internationaux? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire ça?

SE REPORTER À L’UTILISATION DES SERVICES DU GC ET AUX ATTENTES À LEUR ÉGARD, AUX SECTIONS A ET B. SI CES POINTS N’ONT PAS ÉTÉ COUVERTS, LES EXPLORER MAINTENANT. Connaissez-vous certains des produits et services que le gouvernement du Canada offre aux personnes voyageant à l’étranger? Lesquels connaissez-vous? (ÉCRIRE LA LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER)

Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit qui manque sur cette liste et que le gouvernement du Canada devrait offrir d’après vous? (ÉCRIRE LA LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER) Approfondir :

Inscription des Canadiens à l’étranger. Avez-vous entendu parler de ce service? Que savez-vous à son sujet? Si nécessaire, expliquerqu’on peut enregistrer les détails de son voyageauprès du gouvernement du Canada (voyage.gc.ca), pour que le gouvernement puisse nous joindreen cas de difficultés dans le pays de destination, p. ex. destroubles politiquesou une catastrophe naturelle, ou en cas d’urgence familiale. Recommandez-vous à vos clients de s’y inscrire? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Conseils aux voyageurs et avertissements.Les consultez-vous? Est-ce que ce site est dans vos favoris? Recevez-vous des mises à jour régulières, en particulier si une situation évolue? Quelle est votre impression générale à l’égard des conseils et des avertissements du GC? À quel point les trouvez-vous utiles? Les transmettez-vous à vos clients? Les joignez-vous à leur itinéraire ou leur indiquez-vous le lien? Expliquez.

Liste des ambassades et consulats. Avez-vous l’habitude de fournir cette information à vos clients en même temps que leur itinéraire de voyage? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Application Bon voyage. Avez-vous entendu parler de cette application? Si non, expliquer qu’elle renferme des conseils et des avertissements à jour sur plus de 200 destinations ainsi que les coordonnées des personnes à contacter en cas d’urgence dans les ambassades et les consulats, les temps d’attente à la frontière canado-américaine, etc. Lorsqu’on se connecte au compte de média social voyage.gc.ca, on peut poser des questions, partager de l’information et apprendre comment voyager en toute sécurité à l’étranger. Utiliseriez-vous cette application? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

RETOUR AUX GROUPES VULNÉRABLES – LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER. En ce qui concerne les groupes particulièrement vulnérables lorsqu’ils voyagent, pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada devrait fournir des renseignements adaptés à leurs besoins, ou est-ce que ces groupes devraient eux-mêmes se charger d’effectuer leurs recherches en fonction de leurs circonstances personnelles? Dans le premier cas, par quels moyens le gouvernement devrait-il communiquer avec ces groupes?

E. Opinions concernant les avertissements destinés aux voyageurs (30 minutes)

Je voudrais passer un peu plus de temps à recueillir vos commentaires sur les conseils aux voyageurs et les avertissements. Si vous aviez déjà planifié votre séjour dans un pays étranger et que le gouvernement du Canada publiait un avertissement recommandant d’éviter cette destination, que feriez-vous? Pourquoi?

On a accès à ces avertissements en ligne … Je voudrais vous montrer celui du Liban et avoir vos réactions. LE MODÉRATEUR OUVRE LA PAGE D’ACCUEIL DE L’AVERTISSEMENT POUR LE LIBAN.

https://voyage.gc.ca/destinations/liban

Avez-vous déjà consulté cette information pour une destination? Saviez-vous que cette information était disponible?

Comme on le voit, il y a sept onglets dans la partie supérieure de la page d’accueil. Le premier concerne les niveaux de risque. Si vous aviez prévu aller au Liban et lisiez ceci, quelle serait votre réaction? Est-ce que des renseignements fournis ici pourraient vous faire changer d’idée ou modifier vos plans en quoi que ce soit? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Comment comprenez-vous le terme « avertissement »? Notez qu’on peut lire ici « Avertissement régional – Évitez tout voyage » suivi d’une liste de zones précises. Comment interprétez-vous cette information? Quelles mesures prendriez-vous en conséquence? Pensez-vous qu’un autre terme qu’« avertissement » exprimerait mieux ce concept?

J’aimerais savoir ce que vous pensez des différents niveaux de risque. Si je clique sur « Faites preuve d’une grande prudence », on me présente une explication des niveaux de risque. Vous voyez qu’il y a quatre niveaux – comment interprétez-vous chaque niveau? Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit dans les explications fournies qui n’est pas clair? Les expliqueriez-vous différemment? Pensez-vous qu’il est nécessaire d’avoir des catégories de risque?

Quand vous regardez cette page d’accueil, qu’est-ce qui attire votre attention, le cas échéant? Qu’est-ce qui vous intéresse le plus? À partir d’ici, où iriez-vous?

LE MODÉRATEUR PASSE EN REVUE CHAQUE SECTION DE L’AVERTISSEMENT. Dans l’ensemble, trouvez-vous que les conseils sont crédibles? Pensez-vous que l’information que nous venons de voir est alarmiste?

De manière générale, qu’est-ce qui vous intéresse quand vous consultez ou lisez cette page de conseils aux voyageurs? Quels renseignements sont les plus importants et les moins importants pour vous?

En ce qui concerne chacune des sections et l’information qui s’y trouve, diriez-vous que cette documentation est claire et facile à lire? Approfondir :

Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit qui n’est pas clair, que vous ne comprenez pas?

Y a-t-il trop, ou trop peu, d’information? Manque-t-il quelque chose qu’on devrait pouvoir trouver dans cet avertissement aux voyageurs?

Est-il facile à utiliser?

Est-ce que vous consulteriez les avertissements au moment d’organiser votre prochain voyage international? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

G. Bilan (5 minutes)

Trouvez-vous qu’en général, vous et d’autres Canadiens avez suffisamment d’information sur les voyages internationaux?

Parmi les sujets abordés ce soir, y a-t-il quelque chose qui vous a paru nouveau ou surprenant? Y a-t-il une chose dont nous avons discuté qui vous donne matière à réflexion et qui vous incitera peut-être à revoir votre manière d’aborder un prochain voyage à l’extérieur du Canada? Expliquez.

MERCI.

3.    Travel Professionals – English

Moderator’s Guide

Consular Services: Travelling Abroad

Travel Professionals

FINAL – Mar.1, 2018

Introduction (5 minutes):

Introduce moderator and welcome participants to the focus group.

As we indicated during the recruiting process, we are conducting a focus group research project on behalf of the Government of Canada. Specifically, this discussion group is part of a larger research study that is being led by the group within the Government of Canada that provides services to Canadians, through its embassies, high commissions and consulates, who may need assistance while they are abroad. Out of interest, do you know what this group is called?

The purpose of today’s discussion is to obtain your views on a broad range of topics related to international travel. In addition to discussion groups with travel professionals like yourselves, we are also conducting focus groups with people who travel internationally.

The discussion will last approximately 2 hours. Feel free to excuse yourself during the session if necessary. The session is being videotaped for analysis purposes, in case we need to double-check the proceedings against our notes. We do not attribute comments to specific people. All your comments are confidential.

Explanation re: one-way mirror and observers.

Describe how a discussion group functions.

Discussion groups are designed to stimulate an open and honest discussion. My role as a moderator is to guide the discussion and encourage everyone to participate. Another function of the moderator is to ensure that the discussion stays on topic.

Your role is to answer questions and voice your opinions. We are looking for minority as well as majority opinion in a focus group, so don't hold back if you have a comment even if you feel your opinion may be different from others in the group. There may or may not be others who share your point of view. Everyone's opinion is important and should be respected. Some of the issues we will be discussing tonight may be very controversial and people may hold strong views one way or the other. It is important that we respect how others feel and allow them to explain their opinion.

I would also like to stress that there are no right or wrong answers. We are simply looking for your opinions and attitudes. It was not a prerequisite coming into the groups that you be an authority on international affairs or foreign policy. This is not a test of your knowledge.

The moderator is not an employee of the Government of Canada and may not be able to answer some of your questions.

(Moderator introduces herself/himself). Participants should introduce themselves, using their first names only. Please tell us a little bit about your travel business – what types of trips do you tend to book most often (i.e., business, pleasure) and to which destinations?

A. Common considerations when travelling (25 minutes):

I’d like you to imagine that you are assisting one of your clients planning a trip to an international destination, other than the United States. For the sake of this discussion let’s assume that they would like to travel through a region like Asia, Africa or the Middle East, and they are looking to you to help them build an itinerary.

Take me through your planning process. Where do you start? Probe for:

What kinds of questions or considerations would you discuss with your client?

How do you begin to put the itinerary together? What kind of information do you need/gather in order to develop the itinerary? Probe for:

Activities

Accommodation

Any special travel requirements/restrictions

Health or safety concerns

Other?

Probe also for: What would you do in a situation where your client wanted to book a trip to the Caribbean/Mexico during the hurricane season? Would you voice any concerns about this? How do you broach this with your clients?

Where do you get information from? What sources do you rely on? Probe for:

Social media – What do you rely on? Which social media sites/platforms do you use most regularly? What is it that you like about them? How do you use social media in terms of travelling planning?

Travel apps – which ones do you rely on most frequently? How do you use them?

Travel books/guides such as EyeWitness Travel, Fodor’s, Bill Bryson, etc. – How do you use these to guide your choices and planning?

Online services like TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, etc. – What is your experience in using these websites? How do you use these services for travel planning? Do you get what you need? Can you find what you are looking for? Are these services/sites you use regularly? Why/why not?

Government of Canada. What is your experience interacting with GoC? What services do you use for travel planning? Do you get what you need? Can you find what you are looking for? Do you use GoC sources/sites regularly? Why/why not?

What do you advise your clients are things they should do before/as they are preparing to go abroad? Does it depend on who your client is? If so, what does it depend on? To anchor this discussion, can you think about a specific example from among the trips you have recently booked for clients travelling abroad? What, specifically, did you suggest that they needed to do? If not raised, probe for each of the following and ask why/why not for each:

Purchasing travel insurance – Do you systematically recommend that your clients purchase travel insurance? Generally, what percentage of your clients travel without adequate travel insurance? What is your guess?

Checking the laws/rules of the country of destination

Determining if there is a potential health risk (e.g. cholera, malaria, hepatitis, traveller’s diarrhea, etc.)

Ascertaining how to get assistance from Canadian government, if necessary

Anything else? MODERATOR TO BE ATTUNED FOR ANY MENTIONS OF TRAVEL VISAS. IF MENTIONED PROBE FOR: Is this something your clients ask your advice about/or that you do research on behalf of your clients?

And, for all the above, do you provide assistance? What kind of assistance? Explain.

And, do most of your clients always travel with …

Cell phone/Smart phone – do you discuss or recommend that they get a plan that will allow them to make local or international calls in the destination they are travelling to?

Tablet/laptop – do you discuss or find out how easy/difficult it would be for them to access the Internet in the locations they are travelling to? Is this a consideration for your clients or not? Does it depend on the circumstances? Explain.

Do you know whether your clients purchase and/or use a data plan when travelling? Is this something you recommend or not? If not, what other alternatives do you advise your clients of, if any (i.e., Wifi access, business center in hotel, etc.)? Elaborate.

Is the process of helping your clients prepare/plan for a trip abroad different (i.e., considerations, steps, information gathering) if they are travelling with children, versus just adults? If so, what is different?

And, if your client was travelling to the U.S., would the same considerations or steps apply? Or, would it depend on where in the U.S. they were going? Explain.

B. Expectations regarding support to travellers from the Government of Canada (20 minutes)

Now I want to focus the discussion more directly on support from the Government of Canada to travellers. In your view, what role should the Government of Canada play in terms of providing support for Canadians who are travelling abroad? Probe for:

What are your expectations for the kinds of services and support travellers should receive?

What is your expectation about who travellers could reach, how quickly they would respond, and how they could assist them? Probe for:

I want to drill down a little more on the question of your expectations as to what is a personal responsibility and what is a situation or circumstance when you would expect a traveller to receive some assistance from the Government of Canada. What should individual travellers be responsible for? And, what should GoC do for travellers, if anything?

Generally, what kind of assistance should travellers expect from the GoC? How do you feel travellers should expect to be able to access services and support?

In your view, should travellers expect a different level of service in terms of assistance provided by the GoC when they are abroad, versus in Canada? Why or why not?

Have any of your clients had any experience contacting the Government of Canada while they were abroad and/or had you contact the GoC on their behalf? Tell us about that. Probe for:

What were the circumstances?

Was the experience contacting the GoC positive or negative? Elaborate.

In general, would your clients be more likely to contact you directly, deal with the matter themselves or contact someone else? Or does it depend on the situation? Elaborate. Probe for:

If one of your clients did contact you because they were in a situation where they needed some assistance, what would you advise them to do? Would you look to the GoC first or would you be more likely to try to access assistance from another individual/organization first? If other than GoC, who would you turn to? Explain.

Specifically If you wanted to contact the Canadian Government while you were travelling abroad, how would you do this? Who would you contact? How would you contact them? Probe for:

Within the Canadian Government officials located both in Canada and abroad provide consular services to people travelling overseas.   Have you heard anything about consular services to travellers? MODERATOR TO SPELL OUT ON A FLIPCHART.

What does the term Consular Services mean to you?

What do you think the people who provide consular services do? What are some examples of consular services?

Are there some groups that you feel might be more vulnerable when travelling abroad and/or find themselves in situations where they would need some assistance from the Canadian Government? Which groups? LIST ON FLIP CHART. Probe for:

LGBTQ

Elderly

Children

People who suffer from mental illness

Is there any special advice or recommendations that you make when planning trips that involve these groups? Explain.

From this list, which group do you think is most vulnerable when travelling abroad?

What other advice can you offer to the Government of Canada in terms of what they could be doing to help travel professionals like yourself and travellers make more informed decisions on international travel?

C. Principles underpinning support to travellers abroad and service standards (25 minutes)

In this part of the discussion, I want to focus on some specific scenarios and get your feedback regarding your expectations as to how Consular Services could assist travellers, based on your knowledge and experience. Before we do that, however, let’s think more broadly about the principles or values that should underpin the services, support and information that are provided to Canadians travelling abroad. What should be our basic guiding principles or values? Probe for:

Timeliness

Accurate and up to date information

24/7 access

Availability anywhere in the world

Informing Canadians

Focus on vulnerable groups

Fairness in approach

Non-judgmental approach

Non-discriminatory

Others?

There may in some cases be limits on the assistance that consular officials can provide. In your view, what are some reasonable limits? Describe for me some circumstances or situations where you feel these types of limitations may apply and/or where you think an individual may have to pay for certain services? PROBE FOR:

When travelling in known conflict zones – where?

When taking excessive risks – describe.

What should a Canadian citizen expect under these circumstances? What is reasonable?

Are there any situations where you feel the GoC could or should refuse services to a travelling Canadian? What types of situations? Probe for:

Irresponsible behavior, crime (arrest/detention), crimes against children etc.

NOTE: ALL SCENARIOS HAVE BEEN DELETED.

D. Information from the Government of Canada (10 minutes)

Thinking about information from the Government of Canada, what would be the best way for the Government of Canada to communicate with travel professionals concerning issues surrounding international travel? CAREFULLY PROBE FOR:

Magazine ads or articles

Social media

Television or radio ads

News media (news item or documentary)

Brochures

Booth at travel shows

Conferences/talks

Web site

Others?

Overall, how credible do you find the Government of Canada as a source of information for international travel? Why do you say that?

REFER BACK TO USE OF/EXPECTATIONS RE GOC SERVICES IN SECTIONS A AND B. IF NOT COVERED PROBE FURTHER. Are you aware of any specific products or services that the Government of Canada offers to people travelling abroad? What are you aware of? (LIST ON FLIPCHART)

Is there anything missing from this list that you would expect the Government of Canada should be providing? (LIST ON FLIPCHART) Probe for:

Registration of Canadians Abroad . Have you heard of this service? What do you know about it? If necessary, explain that you can register your travel information with the Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca) so that the government can contact them in case of trouble in the destination country, like political unrest or a natural disaster, or in the case of a family emergency). Is this something that you advise your clients to do? Why/why not?

Travel advice and advisories. Do you refer to these? Have you bookmarked this site? Do you receive updates regularly, particularly if a situation changes? What’s your general impression of the travel advice/advisories from the GoC? How useful do you find them? Do you provide them to your clients? Do you include them in their travel itineraries and/or provide them with a link? Explain.

List of embassies and consulates. Do you usually provide clients with this information as part of their itinerary? Why/why not?

Travel Smart App. Have you heard of this? If not, explain that the App provides up to date advice and advisories on over 200 destinations as well as emergency contact information for embassies/consulates, and wait times at borders, etc. When you connect to the travel.gc.ca social media account you can ask questions, share information with others and learn about travelling safe and smart. Is this something you would recommend to your clients? Why/why not?

REFER BACK TO VULNERABLE GROUPS – LIST ON FLIP CHART. Going back to the groups that are most vulnerable when they travel, do you think that the Government of Canada should provide information that is tailored to them or should they be responsible for doing their own research based on their personal circumstances? If the former, what channels should the Government use to reach them?

E. Views on Travel Advisories (30 minutes)

I want to spend a bit more time getting your feedback on travel advice and advisories. If you had already planned a trip to a foreign country for a client and the Government of Canada released a travel advisory recommending that travellers avoid visiting this destination, what would you say to your clients? Explain. Probe for:

Do you systematically consult the Government of Canada’s travel advice and advisories before booking a client’s trip?

Now, I want to show you a travel advisory for Lebanon and get your reaction. MODERATOR TO ACCESS LEBANON TRAVEL ADVISORY LANDING PAGE ONLINE. https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/lebanon

How often do you refer to these travel advisories? Probe for:

Never, rarely, sometimes, always or depends on the country/region.

If depends on country/region: What regions or countries would you be most likely to seek out this information for? Explain.

You can see that the page is structured with a set of 7 tabs across the top of the landing page. The first tab is risk level. If you had been planning a trip to Lebanon for a client and read this, what would your reaction be? Would anything you read here change your advice to the client in any way? Why/why not?

How do you interpret the term ‘advisory?’ Note that the information reads Regional Advisory – Avoid all Travel and then lists specific areas. How do you interpret this information? What actions would you recommend your client take, if any, based on this? Can you think of a better term than ‘advisory’ for this concept?

I want to ask you about the various risk levels. If I click on the section that reads ‘Exercise a high degree of caution’ I get taken to an explanation of the various risk levels. You can see there are 4 levels – how do you interpret each of these? Is there anything in the explanations of these levels that is unclear? Would you explain them differently? Do you think it is necessary to have risk categories?

Looking at this landing page, what gets your attention, if anything? As a travel professional, what are you most interested in? From here, where would you go next?

MODERATOR TO REVIEW EACH SECTION OF THE TRAVEL ADVISORY. Overall, do you find the advice credible? Do you think the information we just reviewed is alarmist?

Overall, what are you most interested in when reviewing/reading this travel advice page? What information is most/least important to you?

Thinking about each of the sections and the information provided, do you find this documentation to be clear and easy to read? Probe for:

Is there anything unclear or that you don’t understand?

Is it too much/too little information? Is anything missing that you would expect to find on this travel advisory?

Is it easy to use?

Would you consult it when planning your next international trip? Why/why not?

G. Wrap-Up (5 minutes):

Overall, do you think travel professionals and those travelling overseas have enough information about international travel?

Is there anything new or surprising in what we have discussed this evening? Is there any one thing that we have discussed that is giving you pause to possibly rethink how you might approach planning upcoming trips for your clients? Please explain.

THANK YOU.

4.    Travel Professionals – French

Guide du modérateur

Affaires consulaires : Voyages à l’étranger

Professionnels du voyage

FINAL – 1^er mars 2018

Introduction (5 minutes)

Présenter le modérateur et souhaiter la bienvenue aux participants du groupe de discussion.

Comme nous l’avons mentionné lors du processus de recrutement, nous tenons des groupes de discussion dans le cadre d’un projet de recherche réalisé pour le compte du gouvernement du Canada. De façon plus précise, ce groupe de discussion fait partie d’une étude plus large menée par un organisme fédéral qui offre des services d’assistance aux Canadiens en voyage à l’étranger, par l’intermédiaire de ses ambassades, de ses hauts-commissariats et de ses consulats. Simple curiosité, connaissez-vous le nom de cet organisme?

La discussion d’aujourd’hui a pour but de recueillir votre opinion sur une série de questions liées aux voyages internationaux. Nous tenons des groupes de discussion avec des professionnels du voyage comme vous, mais aussi avec des Canadiens qui voyagent à l’étranger.

La discussion durera environ deux heures. N’hésitez pas à quitter la salle, au besoin, pendant la séance. Nous ferons un enregistrement vidéo aux fins de notre travail d’analyse, au cas où il serait nécessaire de vérifier nos notes. Nous n’attribuons aucun commentaire à des participants individuels. Vos commentaires sont confidentiels.

Explication : Miroir d’observation et observateurs.

Description du fonctionnement d’un groupe de discussion :

Les groupes de discussion sont conçus pour faciliter une discussion ouverte et honnête. En tant que modérateur, mon rôle est de guider la discussion et d’encourager tout le monde à participer. Je dois aussi m’assurer que la discussion ne s’écarte pas du sujet.

Votre rôle à vous est de répondre aux questions et de donner votre opinion. Toutes les opinions du groupe nous intéressent, qu’elles soient minoritaires ou majoritaires; il ne faut donc pas hésiter à vous exprimer même si vous croyez que le groupe aura un avis différent du vôtre. D’autres participants pourraient partager votre point de vue, ou non, mais l’opinion de chacun est importante et doit être respectée. Certaines des questions au programme ce soir pourraient être très controversées et les gens pourraient avoir des idées bien arrêtées dans un sens ou dans l’autre. Il est important de respecter le point de vue des autres et de les laisser s’expliquer.

J’aimerais aussi souligner qu’il n’y a pas de bonnes ou de mauvaises réponses. Nous voulons simplement connaître votre opinion et comprendre vos attitudes. On ne vous demande pas d’être un expert en affaires internationales ou une spécialiste de la politique étrangère pour participer à ces groupes. Ce n’est pas un test de connaissances.

Le modérateur n’est pas un employé du gouvernement du Canada et ne sera peut-être pas en mesure de répondre à certaines de vos questions.

(Le modérateur se présente). Les participants sont invités à se présenter en donnant uniquement leur prénom. Parlez-nous un peu de votre entreprise de voyage – Quels types de voyages réservez-vous le plus souvent (p. ex., voyages d’affaires, voyages d’agrément) et vers quelles destinations?

A. Considérations habituelles lors d’un voyage (25 minutes)

Imaginons que vous aidez un de vos clients à planifier un voyage à l’étranger, ailleurs qu’aux États-Unis. Pour les besoins de la discussion, disons que cette personne souhaite se rendre en Asie, en Afrique ou au Moyen-Orient et qu’elle fait appel à vous pour mettre au point son itinéraire.

Expliquez-moi votre processus de planification. Par où commencez-vous? Approfondir :

Quels types de questions ou de considérations abordez-vous avec votre client?

Comment vous y prenez-vous pour créer l’itinéraire ensemble? Quel type d’information devez-vous avoir en main ou réunir pour créer cet itinéraire? Approfondir ces éléments :

Activités

Hébergement

Exigences ou restrictions particulières en matière de déplacements

Problèmes de santé ou de sécurité

Autre type d’information?

Demander également : Que feriez-vous si votre client voulait réserver un voyage aux Caraïbes ou au Mexique pendant la saison des ouragans? Est-ce que vous exprimeriez vos réserves à l’égard de ce choix? Comment abordez-vous ce sujet avec vos clients?

Où trouvez-vous l’information dont vous avez besoin? À quelles sources d’information vous fiez-vous? Approfondir :

Les médias sociaux – Sur lesquels comptez-vous? Quels sites ou plateformes de médias sociaux utilisez-vous le plus régulièrement? Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît dans ces médias? Comment utilisez-vous les médias sociaux au moment de planifier un voyage?

Les applications de voyage – Sur lesquelles comptez-vous le plus souvent? Comment les utilisez-vous?

Les livres et guides de voyage comme EyeWitness Travel, Fodor’s, Bill Bryson, etc. – Comment ces ouvrages guident-ils vos choix et votre planification?

Les services en ligne comme TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, etc. – Quelle a été votre expérience en utilisant ces sites Web? Comment utilisez-vous ces services au moment de planifier un voyage? Répondent-ils à vos besoins? Y trouvez-vous ce que vous cherchez? Faites-vous appel à ces services ou à ces sites régulièrement? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Le gouvernement du Canada – Quelle a été votre expérience lors de vos interactions avec le GC? Quels services utilisez-vous pour planifier un voyage? Répondent-ils à vos besoins? Y trouvez-vous ce que vous cherchez? Faites-vous appel à ces sources ou à ces sites régulièrement? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Que conseillez-vous à vos clients comme « choses à faire » avant de partir à l’étranger ou dans le cadre de leurs préparatifs de voyage? Est-ce que cela dépend du client? Si oui, de quoi cela dépend-il? Pour rendre la discussion un peu plus concrète, pourriez-vous penser à un exemple parmi vos récentes réservations de voyages à l’étranger? Quelles démarches précises avez-vous recommandées à vos clients? Si les activités qui suivent ne sont pas évoquées, les mentionner en demandant chaque fois « pourquoi / pourquoi pas » :

Souscrire une assurance voyage – Recommandez-vous systématiquement à vos clients de prendre une assurance voyage? En général, quel pourcentage de vos clients voyagent sans assurance adéquate, d’après vos estimations?

Vérifier les lois et les règles du pays de destination

Déterminer les risques potentiels pour la santé (p. ex. choléra, paludisme, hépatite, diarrhée des voyageurs, etc.)

Déterminer comment obtenir l’assistance du gouvernement canadien, au besoin

Autre chose? LE MODÉRATEUR PRÊTE ATTENTION À TOUTE MENTION DE VISAS. SI LES VISAS SONT MENTIONNÉS, APPROFONDIR : Est-ce que vos clients vous demandent conseil sur ce point, ou faites-vous des recherches à ce sujet pour vos clients?

Et offrez-vous d’aider vos clients pour tout ce qui précède? Quel type d’aide offrez-vous? Expliquez.

Est-ce que la plupart de vos clients voyagent toujours avec…

Un téléphone cellulaire ou un téléphone intelligent? – Leur suggérez-vous de se procurer un forfait leur permettant de faire des appels locaux ou internationaux dans leur pays de destination?

Une tablette ou un portable? – Essayez-vous de savoir s’il serait facile ou difficile pour eux d’avoir accès à Internet dans les régions où ils se déplacent? Est-ce un facteur important ou pas pour vos clients? Cela dépend-il des circonstances? Expliquez.

Savez-vous si vos clients achètent ou utilisent un forfait de données lorsqu’ils voyagent? Est-ce quelque chose que vous recommandez ou pas? Si non, quelles solutions de rechange suggérez-vous à vos clients, le cas échéant? (p. ex., accès WiFi, centre d’affaires de l’hôtel, etc.)? Donnez des détails.

Lorsque vous aidez vos clients à organiser un voyage à l’étranger, le processus est-il différent (p. ex., les facteurs à considérer, les démarches, la recherche d’information) s’ils voyagent avec des enfants plutôt qu’avec des adultes? Si oui, qu’est-ce qui est différent?

Et si votre client allait aux États-Unis, est-ce que les mêmes considérations et démarches s’appliqueraient? Ou est-ce que cela dépendrait de sa destination particulière aux États-Unis? Expliquez.

B. Attentes à l’égard des services d’assistance aux voyageurs du gouvernement du Canada (20 minutes)

Maintenant, j’aimerais orienter la discussion plus directement sur l’assistance aux voyageurs offerte par le gouvernement du Canada. À votre avis, quel rôle le gouvernement du Canada devrait-il jouer pour ce qui est d’offrir de l’aide aux Canadiens qui voyagent à l’étranger? Approfondir :

Quelles sont vos attentes en ce qui concerne les types de services et l’aide que les voyageurs devraient recevoir?

Quelles sont vos attentes en ce qui concerne la personne que les voyageurs pourraient joindre, son délai de réponse et l’aide qu’elle pourrait leur apporter? Approfondir :

Je veux creuser un peu plus la question de vos attentes quant à ce qui relève de la responsabilité personnelle et ce qui constitue une situation ou des circonstances où le gouvernement du Canada devrait intervenir. Quelles sont les responsabilités des voyageurs individuels? Et que devrait faire le GC pour les voyageurs, le cas échéant?

De manière générale, à quel type d’aide les voyageurs devraient-ils s’attendre de la part du GC? D’après vous, comment les voyageurs devraient-ils s’attendre à pouvoir accéder aux services et à l’aide?

De votre point de vue, les voyageurs devraient-ils s’attendre à un autre niveau de service en ce qui concerne l’assistance offerte par le GC lorsqu’ils sont à l’étranger plutôt qu’au Canada? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Est-ce que certains de vos clients ont fait l’expérience de prendre contact avec le gouvernement du Canada au cours d’un voyage à l’étranger, ou vous ont demandé de le faire pour eux? Parlez-nous de cela. Approfondir :

o   Dans quelles circonstances cela s’est-il passé?

o   La prise de contact avec le GC a-t-elle été une expérience positive ou négative? Donnez des détails.

En général, vos clients seraient-ils plus susceptibles de communiquer directement avec vous, de gérer la situation eux-mêmes ou de faire appel à quelqu’un d’autre? Est-ce que cela dépend des cas? Donnez des détails. Approfondir :

o   Si un client vous contactait parce qu’il avait besoin d’aide, quels conseils lui donneriez-vous? Feriez-vous d’abord appel au gouvernement canadien ou seriez-vous porté à vous tourner vers une autre personne ou une autre organisation pour obtenir de l’aide? Dans le second cas, vers qui vous tourneriez-vous? Expliquez.

Si vous vouliez communiquer avec le gouvernement canadien pendant un voyage à l’étranger, comment feriez-vous? À qui vous adresseriez-vous et par quel moyen? Approfondir :

Des fonctionnaires du gouvernement canadien établis au Canada et à l’étranger offrent des services consulaires aux personnes qui font des voyages internationaux. Avez-vous déjà entendu parler des services consulaires aux voyageurs? LE MODÉRATEUR ÉCRIT CE TERME SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER.

Que signifie l’expression « services consulaires » pour vous?

D’après vous, que font les personnes qui offrent des services consulaires? Quels sont des exemples de services consulaires?

Y a-t-il certains groupes qui vous semblent plus vulnérables lorsqu’ils se rendent à l’étranger ou se retrouvent dans des situations où ils ont besoin d’assistance gouvernementale? Quels groupes? LES NOTER SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER. Approfondir :

LGBTQ

Aînés

Enfants

Personnes atteintes de troubles mentaux

Donnez-vous des recommandations ou des conseils particuliers lorsque vous planifiez des voyages pour des personnes appartenant à ces groupes? Expliquez.

Dans cette liste, quel groupe vous paraît le plus vulnérable dans le contexte d’un voyage à l’étranger?

Quels conseils pouvez-vous donner au gouvernement du Canada sur ce qu’il pourrait faire pour aider les professionnels du voyage et les voyageurs à prendre des décisions plus éclairées en matière de voyages internationaux?

C. Principes qui sous-tendent l’aide aux voyageurs et normes de service (25 minutes)

Dans cette partie de la discussion, j’aimerais qu’on examine différents scénarios et qu’on parle de vos attentes quant à l’aide que les voyageurs pourraient recevoir des services consulaires, d’après votre expérience et vos connaissances. Mais avant cela, j’aimerais qu’on réfléchisse de manière plus générale aux principes ou aux valeurs qui devraient sous-tendre les services, l’aide et les renseignements offerts aux Canadiens en voyage à l’étranger. Quels principes fondamentaux ou quelles valeurs maîtresses devraient guider les services? Approfondir :

La rapidité

Une information exacte et à jour

Un accès 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7

Des services accessibles partout dans le monde

La communication d’informations aux Canadiens

Une attention particulière donnée aux groupes vulnérables

Une approche juste

Une approche sans jugement

Une approche non discriminatoire

D’autres principes?

Dans certains cas, il peut y avoir des limites à l’aide que les agents consulaires sont en mesure d’apporter aux voyageurs. À votre avis, quelles sont des limites raisonnables? Décrivez-moi des circonstances ou des situations où vous avez l’impression que ces limites pourraient s’appliquer et que les voyageurs pourraient devoir payer certains services? APPROFONDIR :

Voyages dans des zones de conflit connues – où?

Prise de risques excessifs – Les décrire.

Dans ces circonstances, que devrait attendre un citoyen canadien? Qu’est-ce qui est raisonnable?

Y a-t-il des situations où vous trouvez que le GC pourrait ou devrait refuser des services à un voyageur canadien? Quels types de situations? Approfondir

Comportements irresponsables, crimes (arrestation/détention), crimes contre des enfants, etc.

N.B. : TOUS LES SCÉNARIOS ONT ÉTÉ SUPPRIMÉS.

D. Information provenant du gouvernement du Canada (10 minutes)

En ce qui concerne l’information présentée par le gouvernement du Canada, quel serait le meilleur moyen pour le gouvernement de communiquer aux professionnels du voyage de l’information sur les questions liées aux voyages internationaux? EXPLORER SOIGNEUSEMENT LES ÉLÉMENTS SUIVANTS :

Publicités ou articles dans un magazine

Médias sociaux

Publicités à la télévision ou à la radio

Médias d’information (communiqués ou documentaires)

Brochures

Kiosque dans une exposition touristique

Conférences, causeries

Site Web

Autres moyens?

Dans l’ensemble, à quel point trouvez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada est une source d’information crédible sur les voyages internationaux? Qu’est-ce qui vous fait dire ça?

SE REPORTER À L’UTILISATION DES SERVICES DU GC ET AUX ATTENTES À LEUR ÉGARD, AUX SECTIONS A ET B. SI CES POINTS N’ONT PAS ÉTÉ COUVERTS, LES EXPLORER MAINTENANT. Connaissez-vous certains des produits et services que le gouvernement du Canada offre aux personnes voyageant à l’étranger? Lesquels connaissez-vous? (ÉCRIRE LA LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER)

Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit qui manque sur cette liste et que le gouvernement du Canada devrait offrir d’après vous? (ÉCRIRE LA LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER) Approfondir :

Inscription des Canadiens à l’étranger. Avez-vous entendu parler de ce service? Que savez-vous à son sujet? Si nécessaire, expliquer qu’on peut enregistrer les détails de son voyage auprès du gouvernement du Canada (voyage.gc.ca), pour que le gouvernement puisse nous joindre en cas de difficultés dans le pays de destination, p. ex. des troubles politiques ou une catastrophe naturelle, ou en cas d’urgence familiale. Recommandez-vous à vos clients de s’y inscrire? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Conseils aux voyageurs et avertissements. Les consultez-vous? Est-ce que ce site est dans vos favoris? Recevez-vous des mises à jour régulières, en particulier si une situation évolue? Quelle est votre impression générale à l’égard des conseils et des avertissements du GC? À quel point les trouvez-vous utiles? Les transmettez-vous à vos clients? Les joignez-vous à leur itinéraire ou leur indiquez-vous le lien? Expliquez.

Liste des ambassades et consulats. Avez-vous l’habitude de fournir cette information à vos clients en même temps que leur itinéraire de voyage? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Application Bon voyage. Avez-vous entendu parler de cette application? Si non, expliquer qu’elle renferme des conseils et des avertissements à jour sur plus de 200 destinations ainsi que les coordonnées des personnes à contacter en cas d’urgence dans les ambassades et les consulats, les temps d’attente à la frontière canado-américaine, etc. Lorsqu’on se connecte au compte de média social voyage.gc.ca, on peut poser des questions, partager de l’information et apprendre comment voyager en toute sécurité à l’étranger. Est-ce quelque chose que vous recommanderiez à vos clients? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

RETOUR AUX GROUPES VULNÉRABLES – LISTE SUR LE TABLEAU-PAPIER. En ce qui concerne les groupes particulièrement vulnérables lorsqu’ils voyagent, pensez-vous que le gouvernement du Canada devrait fournir des renseignements adaptés à leurs besoins, ou est-ce que ces groupes devraient eux-mêmes se charger d’effectuer leurs recherches en fonction de leurs circonstances personnelles? Dans le premier cas, par quels moyens le gouvernement devrait-il communiquer avec ces groupes?

E. Opinions concernant les avertissements destinés aux voyageurs (30 minutes)

Je voudrais passer un peu plus de temps à recueillir vos commentaires sur les conseils aux voyageurs et les avertissements. Si vous aviez déjà planifié un voyage à l’étranger pour un client et que le gouvernement du Canada publiait un avertissement recommandant d’éviter cette destination, que diriez-vous à votre client? Expliquez. Approfondir :

o   Est-ce que vous consultez systématiquement les conseils aux voyageurs et les avertissements du gouvernement du Canada avant de faire des réservations de voyage pour un client?

Maintenant, je voudrais vous montrer l’avertissement pour le Liban et avoir vos réactions. LE MODÉRATEUR OUVRE LA PAGE D’ACCUEIL DE L’AVERTISSEMENT POUR LE LIBAN.

https://voyage.gc.ca/destinations/liban

À quelle fréquence consultez-vous ces avertissements? Obtenir des précisions :

o   Jamais / Rarement / Parfois / Toujours / Cela dépend du pays ou de la région.

o   Si cela dépend du pays ou de la région : Pour quels pays ou régions auriez-vous le plus tendance à chercher à obtenir cette information? Expliquez.

Comme on le voit, il y a sept onglets dans la partie supérieure de la page d’accueil. Le premier concerne les niveaux de risque. Si vous aviez organisé un voyage au Liban pour un client et lisiez ceci, quelle serait votre réaction? Est-ce que des renseignements fournis ici pourraient modifier les conseils que vous donnez au client? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

Comment comprenez-vous le terme « avertissement »? Notez qu’on peut lire ici « Avertissement régional – Évitez tout voyage » suivi d’une liste de zones précises. Comment interprétez-vous cette information? Quelles mesures recommanderiez-vous à votre client en conséquence? Pensez-vous qu’un autre terme qu’« avertissement » exprimerait mieux ce concept?

J’aimerais savoir ce que vous pensez des différents niveaux de risque. Si je clique sur « Faites preuve d’une grande prudence », on me présente une explication des niveaux de risque. Vous voyez qu’il y a quatre niveaux – comment interprétez-vous chaque niveau? Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit dans les explications fournies qui n’est pas clair? Les expliqueriez-vous différemment? Pensez-vous qu’il est nécessaire d’avoir des catégories de risque?

Quand vous regardez cette page d’accueil, qu’est-ce qui attire votre attention, le cas échéant? À titre de professionnels du voyage, qu’est-ce qui vous intéresse le plus? À partir d’ici, où iriez-vous?

LE MODÉRATEUR PASSE EN REVUE CHAQUE SECTION DE L’AVERTISSEMENT. Dans l’ensemble, trouvez-vous que les conseils sont crédibles? Pensez-vous que l’information que nous venons de voir est alarmiste?

De manière générale, qu’est-ce qui vous intéresse le plus quand vous consultez ou lisez cette page de conseils aux voyageurs? Quels renseignements sont les plus importants et les moins importants pour vous?

En ce qui concerne chacune des sections et l’information qui s’y trouve, diriez-vous que cette documentation est claire et facile à lire? Approfondir :

Y a-t-il quoi que ce soit qui n’est pas clair, que vous ne comprenez pas?

Y a-t-il trop, ou trop peu, d’information? Manque-t-il quelque chose qu’on devrait pouvoir trouver dans cet avertissement aux voyageurs?

Est-il facile à utiliser?

Est-ce que vous consulteriez les avertissements au moment d’organiser un prochain voyage international? Pourquoi / Pourquoi pas?

G. Bilan (5 minutes)

Trouvez-vous qu’en général, les professionnels du voyage et les Canadiens qui voyagent à l’étranger ont suffisamment d’information sur les voyages internationaux?

Parmi les sujets abordés ce soir, y a-t-il quelque chose qui vous a paru nouveau ou surprenant? Y a-t-il une chose dont nous avons discuté qui vous donne matière à réflexion et qui vous incitera peut-être à revoir votre manière de planifier les prochains voyages de vos clients? Expliquez.

MERCI.

[1] Overview of Canadian Outbound Travel, Tourism Intelligence Network (http://tourismintelligence.ca/2016/12/07/overview-of-canadian-outbound-travel/).

[2] Canadian Social Media Stats (Updated 2018). Posted Jan. 24, 2018 (https://www.sherpamarketing.ca/canadian-social-media-stats-updated-2018-471).

Yes	□	CONTINUE
No	□	THANK AND TERMINATE
VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer	□	THANK AND TERMINATE

Under 18	□	THANK AND TERMINATE
18-34	□	CONTINUE
35-44	□	CONTINUE
45-54	□	CONTINUE
55-64	□	CONTINUE
65+	□	CONTINUE
VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer	□	CONTINUE

Business	□	CONTINUE
Pleasure/Leisure	□	CONTINUE
Visiting your country of heritage	□	CONTINUE
Volunteer work abroad	□	CONTINUE
Studying abroad	□	CONTINUE
VOLUNTEERED Combination of business and leisure/personal	□	CONTINUE
VOLUNTEERED Other: Please specify ______________	□	CONTINUE
VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer	□	THANK AND TERMINATE

REGIONS	RECORD NO. OF TRIPS
The United States
Mexico
The Caribbean
Europe
Northern Asia (i.e., China, Japan)
Southeast Asia (i.e., India, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia)
The Middle East (i.e., Egypt, Israel)
Australia or New Zealand
Africa
South/Central America
Other, please specify: ____________________________________
VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer	□
This is my first trip abroad [PN: EXCLUSIVE]	□

Important to be prepared	□
Better to deal with situations as they arise	□
VOLUNTEERED Neither/both/depends	□
VOLUNTEERED Don’t Know/No Answer	□

Accommodations, attractions, weather (non-security/safety information)	□
Get information about new country/countries	□
Check travel advisories	□
Check safety/security information (general)
Get new passport/renew passport	□
Check if passport still valid (general)	□
Check into required visas/entry requirements	□
Check into necessary health steps (vaccinations)	□
Arrange health and/or travel insurance	□
Check into arrangements for local currency/access to ATMs	□
Register with Canadian government office abroad	□
Get SIM card/data plan/roaming services	□
Other, please specify: ____________________________________	□
Nothing	□
Don’t Know/No Answer	□

Read travel advice on your country of destination	□
Obtain or ensure you have health and/or travel insurance coverage	□
Check to make sure your passport is current for the travel period	□
Check visa or entry requirements for the countries to be visited	□
Check into the need for health vaccinations	□
Register with the Canadian Government to let them know where you will be travelling	□
Get information about local currency and options for getting cash	□
Prepare documentation for travelling with children (e.g., consent letter to travel abroad)	□
Leave a copy of your travel itinerary with someone at home	□
Consult friends and family	□

The Canadian Government - general (PROBE FOR SPECIFICS)	□
The Canadian Embassy or Consulate	□
Local police	□
Local hotel	□
Local friends/family	□
Call home	□
Embassy representatives at another mission/for another country	□
Travel Agent/Tour Operator	□
Would handle the situation on my own	□
Other, please specify: ____________________________________	□
Don’t Know/No Answer	□

The Internet	□
Travel books (i.e., Fodors, Lonely Planet, Eyewitness)	□
Social Media (i.e., Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat)	□
Television	□
Radio	□
Friends and/or family who have been there	□
Friends and/or family who live there	□
Travel agent	□
Tour company	□
Canadian government printed publication	□
Canadian government websites	□
Government of destination countries	□
Local resources at the destination (i.e., hotel concierge, tourist bureaus)	□
Other, please specify: ____________________________________	□
Nothing	□
Don’t Know/No Answer	□

Canadian/Federal Government	□
U.S. Government	□
Government of destination country	□
Any other government	□
Travel guides	□
Social media	□
The Internet (PROBE FOR SPONSOR OF SITE)	□
Travel agent	□
Tour company	□
Other, please specify: ____________________________________	□
Don’t Know/No Answer	□

When arrested, detained by local authorities	□
Assistance or information about local country or Canada (i.e., how to extend VISA, what can be brought back to Canada)	□
Assistance in finding a missing child/child abduction	□
When there has been a death in the family	□
During a disaster, either natural (like a hurricane) or a civil disaster (rioting)	□
Getting or replacing a missing passport	□
Registering with the Government as a Canadian travelling or living abroad	□
Document services (i.e., notary/legal services)	□
Helping get out of jail	□
Providing safe haven within the Embassy	□
Interpretation or translation services	□
Other, please specify: ____________________________________	□
Don’t Know/No Answer	□

Being arrested, detained by local authorities	□
Assistance or information about local country or Canada (i.e., how to extend VISA, what can be brought back to Canada)	□
Assistance in finding a missing child/child abduction	□
A death in the family	□
A health issue
During a disaster, either natural (like a hurricane) or a civil disaster (rioting)	□
Getting or replacing a missing passport	□
Stolen ID or credit cards	□
Registering with the Government as a Canadian travelling or living abroad	□
Document services (i.e., notary/legal services)	□
Seeking safe haven within the Embassy	□
Other, please specify: ____________________________________	□
Don’t Know/No Answer	□

Yes	□
No, but I knew how to provide feedback	□
No, because I didn’t know how to provide feedback	□
Don’t Know/No Answer	□

In Canada	□
Another country	□
VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer	□

Some high school	□
High school graduate	□
Some college	□
Graduated college	□
Some university	□
Graduated university	□
Graduate school	□
Prefer not to answer	□

In Canada	□
In another country	□
VOLUNTEERED Prefer not to answer	□

Alberta	□
British Columbia	□
Manitoba	□
New Brunswick	□
Newfoundland/Labrador	□
Northwest Territories	□
Nova Scotia	□
Nunavut	□
Ontario	□
Quebec	□
Prince Edward Island	□
Saskatchewan	□
Yukon	□
Prefer not to answer	□

Oui	□	CONTINUER
Non	□	REMERCIER ET TERMINER
A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre	□	REMERCIER ET TERMINER

Un homme	□	CONTINUER
Une femme	□	CONTINUER
Non binaire	□	CONTINUER

Moins de 18 ans	□	REMERCIER ET TERMINER
18-34 ans	□	CONTINUER
35-44 ans	□	CONTINUER
45-54 ans	□	CONTINUER
55-64 ans	□	CONTINUER
65 ans et plus	□	CONTINUER
A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre	□	CONTINUER

Final Report CONSULAR POLICY AND PROGRAMS

May 25, 2018

CONSULAR POLICY AND PROGRAMS

Final Report

Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary

Executive Summary

A. Background and Objectives

B. Methodology

C. Key Findings

1. The Current Trip, General International Travel Patterns and Experience

2. Trip Planning and Preparation

3. Awareness, Use and Interpretation of Travel Advisories and Other Government Services for Those Travelling Abroad

4. Familiarity with and Expectations of Consular Services

D. Conclusions and Recommendations

Signed:

Donna Nixon, Partner

Objectives and Methodology

A. Background

B. Research Objectives

C. Methodology

1. Quantitative Component

2. Qualitative Component

Composition of Groups with Travelling Public

Composition of Groups with Travel Professionals

Findings from the Airport Intercepts with International Travellers

A. Travel Patterns in the Last 5 Years

1. Number of Trips Abroad

NUMBER OF TRIPS TAKEN IN THE LAST 5 YEARS

2. Destinations Travelled To

DESTINATIONS TRAVELLED TO WITHIN THE LAST 5 YEARS

3. Purpose of Trips Taken Abroad

PURPOSE OF TRAVEL ABROAD IN THE LAST 5 YEARS

(Single Mention)

4. Length of Time Travelling Abroad

TYPICAL LENGTH OF TRIP ABROAD

B. About the Current Trip

1. Current Destination

DESTINATIONS ON CURRENT TRIP

2. Previous Travel to Current Destination

FREQUENCY OF TRAVEL TO CURRENT DESTINATION

3. Purpose of Current Trip

PURPOSE OF CURRENT TRIP

4. Expected Length of Time Abroad On Current Trip

LENGTH OF CURRENT TRIP

5. Travelling Alone or With Others

TRAVELLING ALONE OR WITH OTHERS

(Multi-Mention)

C.Trip Planning

1. Preparation

VIEWS ON BEING PREPARED FOR TRIP TO A NEW DESTINATION

(Single Mention)

2. Planning for Travel to an Unknown Destination

PLANNING FOR TRAVEL TO A NEW DESTINATION

(Multi-mention)

3. Planning for the Current Trip

PLANNING FOR CURRENT TRIP

(Multi-mention)

FAMILIARITY WITH INSURANCE CLAUSES AND EXCLUSIONS

4. Types of Activities Planned for the Current Trip

TYPES OF ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR CURRENT TRIP

(Multi-Mention)

5. Timelines for Booking the Current Trip

LENGTH OF TIME IN ADVANCE OF DEPARTURE THAT CURRENT TRIP WAS BOOKED

(Single Mention)

6. Purchasing Flights and Accommodations

HOW FLIGHT AND ACCOMODATIONS WERE PURCHASED

(Multi-Mention)

ONLINE TRAVEL BOOKING SERVICES USED

(Open-End)

D. Use of Technology while Travelling

CONNECTIVITY WHILE TRAVELLING ABROAD

USE OF WI-FI, INTERNATIONAL ROAMING AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS WHILE ABROAD

E. Sources of Travel Information

1. Likely Actions Taken by Travellers Who Need Help When Abroad

HOW TRAVELLERS WOULD REACT IF IN TROUBLE ABROAD

(Multi-Mention)

2. Sources of Information on Safety and Security

MAIN SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON SAFETY AND SECURITY WHEN VISITING A NEW DESTINATION

(Multi-Mention)

Final Report
CONSULAR POLICY AND PROGRAMS

Aux affaires	□	CONTINUER
À l’agrément ou aux loisirs	□	CONTINUER
À la visite de votre pays d’origine	□	CONTINUER
À du bénévolat à l’étranger	□	CONTINUER
À des études à l’étranger	□	CONTINUER
A RÉPONDU Combinaison d’affaires et de loisirs	□	CONTINUER
A RÉPONDU Autre : veuillez préciser ______________	□	CONTINUER
A RÉPONDU Préfère ne pas répondre	□	REMERCIER ET TERMINER

RÉGIONS	NOTER LE NOMBRE DE VOYAGES
États-Unis
Mexique
Caraïbes
Europe
Nord de l’Asie (p. ex. : Chine, Japon)
Sud de l’Asie (p. ex. : Inde, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonésie)
Moyen-Orient (p. ex. : Égypte, Israël)
Australie ou Nouvelle-Zélande
Afrique
Amérique du Sud ou Amérique centrale
Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________
A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse	□
C’était mon premier voyage à l’étranger [NP : EXCLUSIF]	□

Il est important d’être préparé	□
Il est préférable de composer avec les problèmes quand ils apparaissent	□
A RÉPONDU Ni l’un ni l’autre/les deux/cela dépend	□
A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse	□

Avez voyagé plusieurs fois	□
Avez voyagé quelques fois	□
Avez voyagé une fois seulement	□
N’avez jamais voyagé	□
A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse	□

Hébergement, attractions, météo (information qui ne concerne pas la sécurité)	□
Obtenir de l’information sur le(s) nouveau(x) pays	□
Consulter les avis aux voyageurs	□
Obtenir l’information concernant la sécurité (générale)
Obtenir un nouveau passeport/renouveler le passeport	□
Vérifier si le passeport est toujours valide (général)	□
Consulter les exigences requises en ce qui a trait aux visas ou à l’entrée	□
Consulter les mesures à prendre en matière de santé (vaccins)	□
Souscrire une assurance maladie/voyage	□
Prendre des dispositions pour vous procurer de la monnaie locale ou accéder à des guichets automatiques	□
Vous inscrire auprès du bureau du gouvernement du Canada à l’étranger	□
Obtenir une carte SIM, un forfait de données ou des services d’itinérance	□
Autre, veuillez préciser : ____________________________________	□
Rien	□
Ne sais pas/aucune réponse	□

Moins d'une semaine	□
1-2 semaine(s)	□
3-4 semaines	□
Jusqu’à 3 mois	□
Plus de 3 mois	□
A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse	□

Seul(e)	□
Avec des amis	□
Avec des membres de votre famille	□
Avec des collègues	□
Avec un groupe (p. ex. : dans le cadre d’un forfait ou d’un de groupe)	□
Avec des personnes à charge mineures	□
A RÉPONDU Autre : veuillez préciser _______________________	□
A RÉPONDU Ne sais pas/aucune réponse	□

Un téléphone intelligent	□
Une tablette	□
Un ordinateur portatif	□
Aucune de ces réponses	□

Itinérance internationale	□
Acheter une carte SIM et des crédits pour pouvoir utiliser votre téléphone à votre destination	□
Désactiver les services de données de votre téléphone et utiliser le réseau Wi-Fi disponible dans les café-restaurants, les restaurants et les hôtels à l’étranger	□
Utiliser Google Voice ou Skype au lieu de faire des appels	□
Télécharger des applications liées aux voyages	□
Aucune de ces réponses	□

Rendre visite à des amis ou de la famille	□
Visiter des sites culturels ou historiques d’intérêt	□
Assister à des événements sportifs	□
Participer à des activités d’aventure, comme la randonnée pédestre, le cyclisme, le parachutisme ou la plongée sous-marine	□
Assister à une conférence	□
Étudier ou entreprendre des activités éducatives	□
Visiter des endroits	□
Magasiner	□
Profiter des plages ou de la piscine	□
Assister à des réunions d’affaires	□
Autre : veuillez préciser _________________________	□