All domestic markets are firmly in the green zone in our updated Market Readiness Index, with data through March 25. The U.S. and international markets continue to show improvement, though lag behind domestic recovery.
The latest improvements come as Destination Readiness took another step forward with further reduction in Covid-19 health restrictions. Customer Readiness in the regional markets continued to improve as more potential travelers grow comfortable with key travel activities including indoor dining.
Canadian travelers also continued to search more for Toronto as reflected in the monthly Google search index. In fact, we see the first time since the start of the pandemic that domestic search for Toronto travel surpassed pre-pandemic levels. These indicators all point to the continued recovery in domestic travel and specifically the more recent rebound in demand for urban travel.
The Index also shows continued improvement in market readiness for U.S. and international travelers, as both Access Readiness and Customer Readiness factors advanced. The removal of pre-flight testing requirements to enter Canada elevates our Access Readiness as that requirement had remained a significant perceived barrier for many travelers, particularly among meeting planners contemplating the travel experience of their larger groups of delegates.
It bears mention that, since this Index was produced and the data analyzed, a sixth wave and new variant of Covid-19 have emerged. Some jurisdictions have begun to reinstate certain public health measures. And in past waves we have observed a regression in customer readiness to travel. So the coming weeks will be critical in sustaining forward momentum in travel.
