Annual Survey of Traveller Accommodation

In 2000, almost 17,000 traveller accommodation establishments generated $11.8 billion in revenue, up 4.1% from 1999. Hotels and motels, combined, accounted for 88% of all traveller accommodation revenue, and other traveller accommodations contributed the remaining 12%.

The profit margin before taxes for all traveller accommodation establishments increased for the third consecutive year, reaching 13.2% in 2000. Profit margin increases were widespread across most of the provinces.

The share of industry revenue that came from foreign clients grew in all three industry groups. For the most part, recovering Asian economies drove this increase, as the number of Asian visitors to Canada rose 6.1%. Travel from European countries increased 3.5%.

Conversely, the proportion of domestic travel declined, primarily because of less business travel in 2000. This is partly attributable to technology advances such as electronic mail and conference calls, which reduce the need for business travel. Additionally, many corporations cut their travel budgets in an attempt to control costs. Similarly, travel agencies also reported a decline in their share of business clients in 2000.

Data for 2000 for the traveller accommodation industry (NAICS industry category 721, which includes hotels and motor hotels, motels and other accommodation industries) are now available. These data provide information on revenue, expenses, salaries and wages, and profit margin. Also available are the percentage distributions of revenue and expenses by source and client base.

Available on CANSIM: table 351-0002.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Joan Farnworth (613-951-6303, joan.farnworth@statcan.gc.ca) or Veronica Utovac (613-951-0813; veronica.utovac@statcan.gc.ca) Service Industries Division.