Manitoba Golf Guide

w w w. c a r m a n g o l f a n d c u r l i n g c l u b . c o m | 1 . 2 0 4 . 7 4 5 . 2 3 6 6 Carman Golf & Curling Club By Todd Lewys F or golfers, it's something that's been two years in the making: the ability to plan a vacation much like they would have in pre-pandemic days. Now largely free of the health measures that put a damper on both domestic and international travel in 2022 and 2022, golfers are back planning vacations at a torrid pace, says Chris Smith of Golf Canada's West (golfcanadaswest.com). "We just finished taking bookings in April, and we've nearly surpassed the amount of business we did all of last year," says Smith, whose company specializes in booking golf getaways to Alberta and British Columbia. "Lots of people are adding an extra night, they're so excited. And we've also got a lot of clients booking from the United States." Travel agent Christine Ward, who runs Great Escapes by Christine (greatescapesbychristine.ca), says golfers of all ages are already booking winter vacations, as well. "At this point, we're seeing most people staying within Canada to take (summer) vacations in the Rockies, and Maritimes," she reports. "Not only that, but people are booking winter vacations for places like Texas, California, Florida, the Carolinas, and Arizona. Still, it's going to take a while for everything to get back to normal. People are still a bit afraid of COVID, and there are still a lot of issues to deal with." One of those issues is COVID-related health restrictions, which can vary from location to location when traveling internationally, Ward says. "Right now, you don't really need to deal with anything, but that could change at any time," she says, adding a good resource is apply.joinsherpa. com, a website that provides details on the latest COVID restrictions around the world. "It tells you what you'll be dealing with when you leave Canada, and what you'll need to do when you come back." Ward adds that it's also important to get the right type of insurance coverage when traveling outside of Canada. "Normal travel insurance doesn't cover COVID if it's a known event," she notes. "You can purchase COVID insurance from Manulife or get an all-inclusive or premium protection plan that provides coverage for flight cancellation, trip interruption, baggage loss and COVID. Moving, forward, COVID coverage will likely be a staple with travel insurance. It's a different world now." Speaking of different, the rental car industry – a critical arm of the travel industry – is operating a little differently these days thanks to the pandemic. "Rental cars are still few and far between due to supply chain issues," Ward says. "More than ever, it's important to book well in advance and get written confirmation that you've reserved a rental car for your trip. And be prepared for the car rental to cost more, too." And if you're thinking of booking a golf vacation in Canada, now is the time, Smith advises. "I'm telling people to book now if they're looking to get away during the summer," he says. "At this point, we do have some openings left for June, but they're filling up fast. If you book now, we can find you a good package for July or August. Typical packages are for four night and three or four golf games." Continued on Page 04 03 GOLF GUIDE 2022 M A N I T O B A Golfers are back to planning golf vacations at a torid pace after two years of pandemic-related travel restrictions.

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