The shift toward shorter trips is not a niche preference, and in Canada it has taken on an additional dimension with many hesitating to travel south of the border. A Leger survey found that 77% of Canadian travellers planning a summer trip intended to stay within Canada, up from 69% the previous year, with more Canadians choosing to explore their own province or a neighbouring one. By spring 2026, that domestic travel intention had risen further, with 67% of Canadians planning to travel within Canada, up sharply from 49% the year prior.

Bowen Island, 20 minutes from Horseshoe Bay by ferry, is exactly the kind of destination this shift is moving toward.