Statistics Canada
www.statcan.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Travel between Canada and other countries
Travel by United States residents to Canada fell 2.6% between September and October to 1.6 million trips. This was the first decline in travel by Americans to Canada in four months.
United States travellers made 943,000 overnight trips to Canada in October, down 2.7% from September. Overnight travel by car and plane both declined in October.
Same-day car travel by United States residents to Canada fell 2.3% to 617,000 trips. This was the first decline in four months.
In contrast, the number of overnight trips by travellers from countries other than the United States to Canada increased 3.2% to 332,000 in October, the highest level in six months.
Travel by United Kingdom residents, Canada's largest overseas market, increased 15.3% to 62,000 trips. Germany and Australia also posted double-digit gains. Travel to Canada by residents of Mexico declined 15.9% from September to October and has fallen 58.0% since the end of 2008.
Overall, inbound travel decreased 1.7% between September and October to 2.0 million trips.
In the opposite direction, travel by Canadians abroad edged down 0.1% to 4.0 million trips.
Canadians made 1.5 million overnight trips to the United States in October, down 1.1% from September. Overnight car travel declined 1.7% while plane travel increased 1.1%.
Canadians made 1.8 million same-day car trips to the United States in October, up 1.3% from September.
Overall, travel to the United States by Canadian residents edged up 0.1% to 3.3 million trips.
Travel to overseas countries decreased 1.0% between September and October to 680,000 trips.
Available on CANSIM: tables 427-0001 to 427-0006.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 5005.
The October 2009 issue of International Travel, Advance Information, Vol. 25, no. 10 (66-001-P, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.
For general information, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-800-307-3382; 613-951-9169; fax: 613-951-2909; tourism@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Eric Desjardins (613-951-1781; eric.desjardins@statcan.gc.ca), Tourism and Centre for Education Statistics Division.
Table 1
| October 2008r | April 2009r | September 2009r | October 2009p | September to October 2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonally adjusted | |||||
| thousands | % change1 | ||||
| Canadian trips abroad2 | 4,084 | 3,944 | 3,974 | 3,971 | -0.1 |
| To the United States | 3,402 | 3,243 | 3,287 | 3,290 | 0.1 |
| To other countries | 683 | 701 | 687 | 680 | -1.0 |
| Same-day car trips to the United States | 1,835 | 1,705 | 1,738 | 1,761 | 1.3 |
| Total trips, one or more nights | 2,198 | 2,202 | 2,202 | 2,178 | -1.1 |
| United States3 | 1,515 | 1,501 | 1,515 | 1,498 | -1.1 |
| Car | 909 | 910 | 905 | 890 | -1.7 |
| Plane | 505 | 500 | 517 | 523 | 1.1 |
| Other modes of transportation | 102 | 90 | 93 | 85 | -8.3 |
| Other countries4 | 683 | 701 | 687 | 680 | -1.0 |
| Travel to Canada2 | 2,279 | 2,191 | 2,001 | 1,968 | -1.7 |
| From the United States | 1,893 | 1,824 | 1,671 | 1,628 | -2.6 |
| From other countries | 386 | 367 | 330 | 340 | 3.0 |
| Same-day car trips from the United States | 769 | 723 | 631 | 617 | -2.3 |
| Total trips, one or more nights | 1,416 | 1,377 | 1,291 | 1,275 | -1.2 |
| United States3 | 1,041 | 1,019 | 969 | 943 | -2.7 |
| Car | 622 | 630 | 573 | 559 | -2.4 |
| Plane | 291 | 277 | 272 | 267 | -1.8 |
| Other modes of transportation | 128 | 112 | 124 | 116 | -6.2 |
| Other countries4 | 375 | 358 | 322 | 332 | 3.2 |
| Travel to Canada: Top overseas markets, by country of origin5 | |||||
| United Kingdom | 67 | 66 | 54 | 62 | 15.3 |
| France | 35 | 36 | 35 | 33 | -6.6 |
| Germany | 29 | 26 | 26 | 29 | 13.6 |
| Australia | 22 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 18.1 |
| Japan | 23 | 19 | 18 | 15 | -15.2 |
| China | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 | -2.7 |
| South Korea | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 2.5 |
| Italy | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10.4 |
| India | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 3.1 |
| Netherlands | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | -4.3 |
| Mexico | 23 | 18 | 10 | 9 | -15.9 |
| Hong Kong | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 4.8 |
