Nervousness about travel restrictions is just one of the things affecting Canadian travel to, and through, the United States, according to an Airdrie travel consultant.  

Angela Kibsey, an independent travel counsellor with TierOne Travel says that people are asking more questions before making plans to visit the U.S., and that people's fears of travelling to the States are very real.  She has the example of a group travelling there this week to prove it.  

"I have a Girl Guide group going to New York, it's been planned for probably a year now.  They've emailed me this week after much discussion and stress and everything else.  They're going to move forward and hope that everything goes as planned.  They are going to change planes in Toronto on the way down and they do have a contingency plan in place to stay in Toronto and do some activities there just in case.  So, a lot of stress for this poor group."  

So far, none of Kibsey's clients have been affected by the travel confusion, but they are much more diligent in asking questions when people are travelling. 

"For example, we have a client today wanting to go to Haiti.  She's a permanent resident of Canada but she has to change planes in the United States, so where does that leave her.  Normally it wasn't an issue, but now we have to do a lot more digging and check the rules, make sure that she can change planes in the States or does she need a visa?  And guess what, she needs a visa."

But cost, according to Kibsey, is a greater factor than travel restrictions in curbing U.S. travel. "It's been a little bit of a decrease over the past few years, because of the economic times, being in Alberta, the dollar is part of it, now this is just one more step."

Kibsey doesn't have much information on the proposed restrictions on cell phones and other electronic items on U.S. bound planes, but she does have an idea what those rules are all about.  "You know what," she laughs, "Trump's in charge and I really don't know.  I think it's just the powers that be trying to show who's boss and stir things up a bit.  I think it's going to decrease traffic into the U.S., absolutely.  I believe people will just stop going or choose something different."

 

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