Holiday travel advice for Canadians
News release
December 18, 2018 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
As many Canadians will soon be travelling abroad to escape the winter cold, the Government of Canada wants to remind them of the importance of safe travel arrangements. The following advice should be heeded for safe and enjoyable holiday travels:
- Visit Travel.gc.ca before international travels: Before going abroad, Canadian travellers should visit Travel.gc.ca and enter their destination in our Travel Advice and Advisories.
- Register with our service to be easily contacted: Canadian travellers should also register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service to receive the latest updates in case of an emergency abroad or a personal emergency at home.
- Purchase travel insurance: Travellers should purchase the best travel insurance they can afford and ensure complete coverage.
- Carry specific documents when travelling with children: Children should carry a consent letter and other appropriate documentation if they are travelling abroad alone, with only one parent or guardian, with friends or relatives or with a group.
- Don't travel with cannabis: Taking cannabis or any product containing cannabis across the Canadian border is illegal and can result in serious criminal penalties.
- Have our embassy or consulate information on hand: Before travelling, Canadians should find the contact information for the Canadian embassy or consulate closest to their destination.
Canadians requiring emergency consular assistance should contact Global Affairs Canada's 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa at any time by calling collect +1 613 996 8885 or by sending a message to [email protected].
"The Government of Canada takes the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously. We hope that all Canadians travelling this winter will take the time to visit Travel.gc.ca prior to leaving. We wish them a safe and enjoyable journey abroad."
– Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs)
Quick facts
Every year, Global Affairs Canada helps thousands of Canadians who run into problems while they are travelling, working, studying and living in other countries.
In 2017, Canadian consular officers abroad opened cases for:
- more than 200,000 passports, including 10,052 passports reported lost or stolen; and
- 916 cases of medical assistance for Canadians abroad, of which nearly one third occurred in the most popular sun destinations.
Travel.gc.ca receives more than 15 million visits annually and ranks third among the most-visited Government of Canada sites.
Travel.gc.ca has up-to-date Travel Advice and Advisories for more than 230 destinations worldwide, which are a key reference in travel planning for Canadians and the travel industry.
