Majority admit bargain hunting is trendy dinner party talk; won't book a vacation unless they get a deal

Survey reports 72% of Canadians say getting a great deal makes them feel proud and triumphant; 1 in 3 Canadians will bargain for a discount

TORONTO - Tougher economic times have made it trendy to do more with less in almost every purchasing category, from retail outlets and check-out lines to car dealers and travel agents. According to the results of a third-party, Canada-wide survey released today by Travelzoo Canada, the vast majority of Canadians (83%) say they always look for sales and rarely pay full price. When it comes to shopping for big ticket items, 32% bargain with the store manager or salesperson for a discount. If the deal is good enough, 62% will make it a topic of conversation with family and friends - and maybe even brag about it at a dinner party.

The survey found that Canadians feel the economic slowdown has also made them more cost-conscious with their vacation planning. More than half (55%) say they won't book a vacation unless they get some sort of deal on the transportation, accommodation or food. Ontarians are above the national average, with 64% saying they won't book a vacation without some sort of deal.

With more than one million online subscribers to its weekly Top 20(R) travel deals newsletter, Travelzoo Canada finds, researches, verifies and publishes outstanding travel deals. Travelzoo Canada also leverages Travelzoo's worldwide network of travel deal experts to get the best content from local sources.

"Although saving money never really goes out of style, according to our survey results, Canadians seem to be embracing bargain hunting with a renewed sense of excitement, even pride. We have seen a 43% increase, equal to 300,000 new subscribers, to our Top 20 travel deals newsletter in the past 12 months alone," said Mandy Gresh, country manager, Travelzoo Canada. "Recently a British Columbia resort put together an outstanding deal with exceptional value and booked over 650 room nights in just seven days. This proves that consumers are still spending and will book travel very quickly, even in these tough economic times, but they need to be incented by value."

Bargain Travellers

Three out of four Canadians (75%) say they spend time online looking for travel deals before booking a vacation, especially those with children (81%). The majority of Canadians book their vacations more than a month in advance (51%), or in off or shoulder seasons (41%) to get the best deals. Some look for places that are not yet top tourist destinations (17%), while still others stick with the last-minute approach (10%) to get a deal. Only 12% say they will take a vacation at any time, and don't worry about getting a deal.

The Way It Makes Me Feel

Nearly three-quarters of Canadians (72%) say that getting a great deal makes them feel proud and triumphant. Almost half (48%) also say that getting a great deal is better than finding money in their pocket, with another 40% reporting that getting a bargain is better than getting out of a speeding ticket. Despite a tougher economy, 14% of Canadians said that if they really love something they will buy it right away, even at full price.

About the Survey

The survey was conducted between August 10 and August 12, 2009 using a national random sample of 1,534 respondents from Leger Marketing's Web Panel. This method simulates a probability sample which would yield a maximum margin of error of +/-2.5%, 19 times out of 20.