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Characteristics of international overnight travellers

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Second quarter 2010 (preliminary) (Previous release)

During the second quarter, the majority of overnight trips by Canadian residents to overseas countries were for pleasure, followed by trips to visit friends and relatives and business trips. At the same time, overseas residents took more overnight trips to Canada to visit friends and relatives than for any other reason.

Canadian residents made 1.3 million overnight trips to overseas countries for pleasure. Meanwhile, overseas residents took 386,000 overnight pleasure trips to Canada.

Overseas residents took 428,000 overnight trips to visit friends and relatives in Canada, spending $446 million. Canadian residents took 351,000 overnight trips to visit friends and relatives in overseas countries and spent $438 million while there.

In terms of overseas travel, the United Kingdom, France and Germany were the top three overseas countries of origin in the second quarter.

The United Kingdom was the most popular overseas destination for Canadian residents in the second quarter.

Canadian residents also took 3.0 million overnight pleasure trips to the United States and spent $3.1 billion. There were also 607,000 overnight business trips with $545 million spent while on these trips.

American residents took 1.7 million overnight pleasure trips to Canada during the second quarter and spent $889 million during their trips. They also took 487,000 overnight business trips with $435 million spent in Canada while on these trips.

While both Canadian and American residents used the automobile for more than half of their trans-border trips, air travel was more common for overnight trips for Canadian residents than for their American counterparts.

Canadian residents took 1.7 million overnight plane trips to the United States, or 35.4% of all overnight travel. In contrast, US residents took 912,000 overnight trips by airplane, or 29.8% of all overnight travel.

The top destination for Canadian residents in the United States was New York State, followed by Florida and Washington State. Canadian residents took 861,000 overnight trips to New York State during the second quarter, spending $336 million.

The top three states of origin for Americans who came to Canada were New York State, Michigan and Washington State.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3152.

This release summarises data now available from the International Travel Survey. Tables, various statistical profiles and micro-data files of characteristics of international travellers using the preliminary second quarter 2010 data are now available on request.

Data on characteristics of international travellers for the third quarter will be released on February 24, 2011.

To obtain one or more of these products, 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 Frances Kremarik (613-951-4240; fax: 613-951-2909; frances.kremarik@statcan.gc.ca), Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics Division.

Table 1

Overnight travel to and from Canada by trip purpose, second quarter 20101
  Tripsp Spendingp
  thousands $ millions
Canadian trips abroad    
To the United States 4,890 4,228
Business 607 545
Pleasure 3,018 3,083
Visiting friends/relatives 802 340
To other countries 2,016 2,811
Business 202 404
Pleasure 1,338 1,764
Visiting friends/relatives 351 438
Travel to Canada    
From the United States 3,063 1,599
Business 487 435
Pleasure 1,659 889
Visiting friends/relatives 685 197
From other countries 1,120 1,442
Business 176 253
Pleasure 386 577
Visiting friends/relatives 428 446
preliminary
Totals also include other trip purposes.