Travel surveys come in all shapes and sizes – and from some unexpected sources – such as self-described “travel lifestyle brand” Samsonite. Recently, the world’s largest luggage retailer asked 1,000 Canadians to give the “lowdown” on their top travel destination preferences, experiences, and their trip where “it happened.” Here’s a look at the interesting results Samsonite unpacked!

Italy trumps France (by a lot)

Nationally, Italy is top of the bucket list for Canadians with 34.6% of survey respondent stating that they would choose Italy ‘if they could only take one more vacation in their life.’ The results were unanimous and significant in all regions, though notably data for Quebec (which undoubtedly would favour France) was not listed. Elsewhere, Italy topped France 60 to 28% in Ontario, 50-30 in BC, 70-14 in Atlantic Canada, and 56-19 in the Prairies.

Best international destinations to…

Given overall preferences, it’s not surprising that Italy also dominated several destination sub-categories in the survey:

I. Get your groove back

Italy – 27.03%
Mexico – 23.14%
Germany – 5.79%
Japan -15.36%
India – 4.84%

II. Fall in love

Italy – 36.6%
France – 32.1%
Mexico – 8.6%
Japan – 8.2%
Germany – 5.8%
South Africa – 4.9%
India – 3.8%

III. Have an epiphany

Italy – 28.9%
France – 16.1%
Japan – 14.4%
Mexico – 13.5%
South Africa – 9.6%
India – 9.2%
Germany – 8.3%

IV. Re-invent yourself

Italy – 29.9%
France – 17.1%
Japan – 16.4%
Mexico – 13.8%
Germany – 10.7%
South Africa – 7.5%
India – 4.6%

V. Propose

Italy – 35.5%
France – 25.3%
Japan – 12.7%
Mexico – 11.6%
South Africa – 5.2%
Germany – 5.1%
India – 4.5%

Mexico is a love/love destination

25.3% of Canadians said that Mexico ‘loves Canadians the most.’
21.5% feel that Mexico is the ‘most like home.’
18.3% wish they could ‘travel to Mexico right now.’
12.9% would choose Mexico ‘if they could only go on one more trip.’

France (Canadians firmly feel the love – just not as much as Italy)

21.3% of Canadians feel the love in France (think France loves Canadians the most)
20.6% say it feels like home
12.9% would choose it as their ‘last trip.’
14.8% of Canadians wish they could ‘travel there right now.’

Ontarians ‘dig’ Deutsche

Ontarians identified Germany as a top place to: Feel the most like home (23.3%), become a resident (26.6%), reinvent yourself (20.9%) and get over a breakup (12.4%). And 52.4% of Ontarian women say that Germany loves Canadians the most.

The trip(s) where ‘it happened’:

Asked what the most amazing thing that happened to them on a trip was, Canadians had a range of intriguing experiences including:

• “Sitting in the same restaurant and seat as James Gandolfini for the last episode of the Sopranos.”
• “The sensation of being home in a place you’ve never been before”
• “Swimming with sea turtles and sharks”
• “Coming home with a stray dog.”
• “A volcano eruption”
• “Meeting President Clinton.”
• “Stood on the wharf my father sailed out of 80 years previously when he was in the Romanian Navy.”
• “Saved a man’s life…”
• “Got an upgrade to first class after speaking Italian (learned for trip) and telling the airline clerk how beautiful their country was to visit.”