Characteristics of international travellers

In 2004, more Canadians traveled to overseas countries than ever before, and while most went to Europe, many were opting for a vacation in Caribbean sunspots.

Canadian residents took a record high of more than 5.7 million trips to countries other than the United States, spending a record $8.8 billion in the process.

The number of trips was 13.1% above the level in 2003 when tourism was hit by shocks such as the war in Iraq and the SARS crisis.

The United Kingdom regained its status as the top overseas destination for Canadian travelers as an estimated 753,000 visited Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Mexico was relegated to second place with 705,000 visits.

Overnight visits to the Caribbean were up 16.7% from 2003, with Cuba and the Dominican Republic recording increases of 15.3% and 26.8% respectively. Each welcomed more than half a million Canadians.

In addition, Canadian travel to Asia rebounded substantially after falling in 2003. Overnight visits to the continent rose 31.7%, and travel to China, Japan and Hong Kong each rose by at least 32.0%.

Canadian preferences for overseas countries as opposed to the United States have increased during the past decade. In 1993, only 15.9% of all trips abroad by Canadians were to overseas countries. By 2004, this proportion had almost doubled to 29.3%.

Travel between Canada and the United States also recovered in 2004. Overnight travel to the United States was up 9.4%, while overnight travel to Canada from the United States rose 6.0% compared to 2003.

Overseas travel to Canada up for the first time since 2000

Travel from overseas nations into Canada rose substantially last year following three consecutive annual declines. The number of overnight trips to Canada from destinations other than the United States increased 23.6% to more than 3.9 million. Overseas residents spent $5.4 billion in Canada in 2004, up 22.0%.

The United Kingdom retained its status as the most important overseas market to Canada. The number of trips to Canada exceeded the 800,000-mark for the first time since 2001, a 16.0% gain from 2003.

All top 12 overseas markets recorded increases in the number of trips to Canada, with Asian countries recording the largest gains.

Travel from Japan rose 56.7%, jumping from the fourth most important country of origin in 2003 to second in 2004. Taiwan recorded a significant 55.8% gain as did Hong Kong (+31.7%). All three countries had suffered declines of over 25% in 2003.

United States: Travel up in both directions

While the Canadian dollar rose 7.7% in value against its US counterpart, overnight travel by Canadians to the United States increased 9.4% in 2004. The amount of money spent by Canadians in the United States, however, rose only 7.3% to $8.7 billion.

New York State remained the most popular overnight destination to visit for Canadian residents as 2.3 million Canadians journeyed to the state, a 12.6% gain from 2003. Canadians spent more than $600 million in New York State, an increase of 23.5% from the year previous.

However, Canadians spent the most in Florida, about $2.1 billion, up 7.2% from 2003. Although Florida was the second most popular US state in terms of numbers of visits, Canadians spent 34.8 million nights in the state, compared with 6.4 million nights in New York.

Overnight travel by air to the United States rose 9.8% to 4.6 million trips, its highest level since 2001. The number of overnight car trips increased 8.5% to just over 8.1 million trips. Car travel comprised 58.7% of all overnight travel by Canadians to the United States in 2004.

More Canadians travelled to the United States in every trip purpose category in 2004. Pleasure trips recorded the biggest increase, up 12.5% compared to 2003. Canadians made about 7.6 million overnight trips in this category, or 55.1% of all trips to the United States. Travel for business purposes saw a more modest increase of 1.1%. Spending on business trips was still the highest per night at $214.

Americans spent about $8.2 billion in Canada in 2004, up 12.1% from the previous year, while the total number of visits by Americans north of the border only rose 6.0%. Pleasure trips accounted for 61.4%, or $5 billion, of the total US spending in Canada.

Overnight travel by American residents to Canada increased in every transportation mode in 2004. Car travel remained the most popular, accounting for 62.4% of all overnight travel north. However, air travel recorded the largest increase (+12.3%).

Business travel from the United States witnessed the largest increase by trip purpose. Americans made 2.0 million business trips, up 16.5% from 2003. Business spending per night is the highest of any trip purpose category at $248.

New York remained the top state of origin for American visitors. New Yorkers took more trips (1.9 million), spent more nights (6.2 million) and spent more money ($729 million) in Canada than residents of any other state. Among the top 10 states of origin, however, travel increased most from New Jersey.

Fourth quarter 2004: Record Canadian travel overseas

On a quarterly basis, Canadian residents took 1.2 million overnight trips to overseas countries in the fourth quarter of 2004, a record for the last three months of any year. This was a 4.5% gain compared with the fourth quarter of 2003, when the previous record was set.

Overnight trips by overseas residents to Canada increased 15.8% to 738,000. Overnight travel to the United States rose 10.3%, as nearly 3.0 million Canadians made overnight trips south of the border in the final three months of the year.

Although Americans took only 1.2% more overnight trips to Canada than in the fourth quarter of 2003, their spending rose 17.7% to $1.4 billion.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3152.

This release summarises data now available from the International Travel Survey. Tables, various statistical profiles and microdata files of characteristics of international travellers using revised third quarter 2004 data as well as the preliminary fourth quarter 2004 and preliminary full year 2004 data are now available on request.

Data on characteristics of international travellers for the first quarter 2005 will be released on August 29.

To obtain one or more of these products, contact Client Services (1-800-307-3382; 613-951-7608; fax: 613-951-2909; cult.tourstats@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Frances Kremarik (613-951-4240; fax: 613-951-2909; frances.kremarik@statcan.gc.ca), Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics.