Canadians turning to March break alternatives amid tensions in Cuba, Mexico

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/03/2026 (202 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO – Many Canadian travellers have opted for alternative March break destinations this year, travel agents say, as unrest and violence disrupt tourism in some of the traditionally popular affordable destinations.  

Travel agents in the Greater Toronto Area say the economic and political uncertainty in Cuba, fear of violence in Mexico and the impact of a devastating hurricane in Jamaica have forced many people to change their vacation plans, with some choosing to go to new countries and others deciding to stay put.

Cuba is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis triggered by fuel, food and medicine shortages caused by a U.S. oil blockade as President Donald Trump says there may or may not be a “friendly takeover” of the island. 

Last month, cartel violence erupted in Mexico’s Puerto Vallarta, stranding some Canadian visitors in the region for days. And parts of Jamaica are still reeling from October’s Hurricane Melissa.

“Cuba and Mexico have long been favoured destinations for Canadian travellers, especially during March break,” said John Wood, the president of Durham Travel. 

“However, with the current challenges both countries are facing, we are noticing a shift in travel behaviour among our clients.”

Wood said Durham Travel’s data shows that Cuba trip reservations dropped by 86 per cent this month over March 2025. The company has also seen a drop of 15 per cent in Mexico travel bookings. 

Florida and the Dominican Republic are “absorbing the bulk of the redirected business” as bookings to those destinations have increased by 163 per cent and 142 per cent, respectively, Wood said. 

“European destinations like Greece and Portugal are emerging as new alternatives,” Wood said in a statement. 

“Notably, clients are spending more per booking on these replacement destinations, driving overall revenue up despite fewer total reservations,” he added. 

Nova Parker, a senior travel consultant at Total Advantage Travel and Tours in Toronto, said the company was getting calls from customers asking if travelling to Mexico was safe after the violence in Puerto Vallarta, but those inquiries stopped after a week. 

“Cancun and Riviera Maya are still very busy, lots of people going down there, and the majority of people, even though they showed concerns, chose not to actually cancel,” she said in an interview.

She said travellers who immediately rebooked their trips to other destinations after major Canadian airlines suspended flights to Cuba last month got decent deals. 

“But I think a lot of people just couldn’t find the right price point and so had to book to later dates because this is significantly one of the most expensive times of year to travel,” she said. 

Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Jamaica are the four best-priced all-inclusive vacation options, Parker said. But Canadians have started looking elsewhere for affordable packages. 

Parker said Costa Rica is emerging as a top alternative and some people are going to Caribbean islands such as Aruba, Barbados, Martinique and Guadeloupe. There has also been an increasing interest in tourism within Canada, she said.

“I think people are … a bit nervous of what’s going on in the world, but ultimately it’s been such a horrible winter here that people just want to get out of here,” she said. 

Even though Jamaica is still recovering from hurricane damage, the attractive prices offered to visit the country have generated huge interest, Parker said. 

Janet Radley, a travel agent at St. Clair Travel in Toronto, said Jamaica has largely reopened for business and could attract some Canadian tourists whose Cuba plans were cancelled. 

She said some people are still going to Mexico, including to Puerto Vallarta. 

“The only place that’s really a problem is Cuba,” she said. 

Radley said fewer attractive options and higher prices mean some Canadians may decide to cancel their international vacation plans. 

“But there are a lot of people who will go just because they want to get away, right? This winter’s been bad. It’s been cold, a lot (of) snow, so people are willing to pay the price,” she said.

“They might not be happy about it, but they will pay the price.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2026.