Hi Alex - to answer your question, from my perspective, it certainly isn't obvious that tour operators are hedging for currency risk. (Just like it didn't appear obvious that the cruise ships were heding for fuel costs rising - again, a measureable and predictable event, you'd expect, given the industry.) ; One would assume that any prudent company is examining all their risks and setting aside reserves/ capital for when things go wrong. But prudence doesn't always carry the day - and some tour operators and other companies have gone belly up.
Back in my former life (as an actuary) you can bet that the insurance companies reserved/ set aside capital for currency risk. ; Of course, the markets have been so tumultous since October came in, and the Canadian dollar has been acting very odd, to say the least. ; Things have to settle down soon!
As far as your question about travel agents seeing an impact with folks not wanting to travel, I haven't been seeing that. ; Business is up, people are booking lots of travel - to Disney (I've booked large family reunions to WDW, and Christmas time Disney cruises just this month - so you know prices were elevated, given the supply and demand rules - especially given Christmas week) and trips everywhere elsewhere (I booked trips to Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, elsewhere, this month). People might be taking longer to book than usual - Christmas vacation plans are still getting sorted, for example, whereas in previous years they'd have been booked long ago - but people are still booking. ; My company, Travel Counsellors, is having a record year - and October was a fantastic month for bookings!
Of course, the economy makes folks a little skittish - which is why wer'e seeing all those wonderful deals (like Disney's pay for 4, get 3 free - which is, obviously, a fantastic deal - and was only offered once before right after 9/11). ; We're seeing great deals on cruises, air, etc. - so the companies are putting the incentive out there for folks to travel.
The USD is impacting folks not just those going to the US (e.g., I have a guy looking at an Africa safari - the African company prices in USD, so the initially quoted price has jumped considerably now, converting to Can $), but given the bookings still happening, it's making folks a little skittish, but not stopping them from going.
However, fingers crossed that the dollar settles down very soon - remember that brief period when we were actually above the USD? ; Ah - good times.