Conquest Vacations ceases operations

Wow, we just flew with conquest....some of our fellow tourists were concerned about getting home because of the troubles with Canada's major airline, but we never heard a word about conquest...How would a person get home if this happens in the middle of your vacation?

The whole vacation tourist industry needs an overhaul. People are brainwashed in to thinking that they need exotic vacations, often ones that they can't afford, when they really don't. These tourist operators were never around a generation ago. There are enough people who never need to get on an oversized boat and eat till they bloat, throwing all their hard earned money away under the pretext of a vacation. I have made it a point to explore all the nooks of my own country, Canada. There is enough within Canada's borders to last a lifetime.

to trepidum...

i agree with you to a certain extent yet, this is really not to comment on the big picture about vacationing. its about the demise of conquest.

good for you to seek out Canada. my interests do not have me even thinking about Canada and i'd choose to go elsewhere. does this make me bad?

people will vacation at these places as they enjoy it. its a proven formula that works and is easy to understand. packages are very affordable to the common 'joe'. what overhaul would you suggest?

I suggest:
1. Making domestic air travel and particularly train travel easy and affordable through government subsidy. Cut out airport taxes and other taxes for domestic flights. Transfer that tax to foreign flights and add an exit/entry tax. It should not cost $500 to fly from Toronto to Sault Ste. Marie and only $450 to fly to the Bahamas. That's simply not fair.
2. You pay a US immigration processing fee at the airport. You don;t pay one re-entering Canada. That is subsidized by the government. Pay up!
3. Greater domestic tourism advertisement-I can't remember the last time I heard about Manitoba on TV or radio or in the paper.
4. Within Ontario, expand the number of Travel Ontario outlets. They are hard to find. As of April 28 there will be no more CAA outlets in downtown Toronto!
5. If you travel abroad you do so at your own peril. No government money to get you out of trouble.
6. Increase the cost of a passport (extend the life to 10 years like most other countries rather than 5). It will cut costs in the long run.
7. As for Conquest and the rest of the bunch, create opportunities for attractive domestic packages. For example, don't charge GST and PST to reduce costs, and add a luxury tax for foreign packages.
People want it both ways-all the Canadian luxuries of living yet don't want to spend their entertainment dollars here-if you go abroad, pay up in the same way you pay import duties on goods!

Dear Trepidum,

Thanks but no thanks....I don't need someone telling me how, when and where to take my travels. I also don't need you spouting off about whether or not someone can "afford" their travels.
Tax seems to be your answer to everything, did it occur that maybe that is why some Happy Canadians choose to leave the comfy confines of this great country - a little break from the over taxation that we endure on a hourly basis.
Don't get me wrong I am happy to pay my share of taxes, but please don't ask me to pay extra taxes so you can choose to see all the nooks and crannies of Manitoba and Ontario.....
I also spend a lot of my so called Entertainment dollars right here at home just not all of them I can't "afford" to.
Any idea what the 3rd world countries may be like without the "tourists dollar" - probably not, you haven't taken the time to visit these also spectacular places.

Preach to your family not us!!