International travel account, fourth quarter 2012

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Canada's international travel deficit with the world increased by $49 million to $4.6 billion during the fourth quarter. While the travel deficit with overseas countries narrowed during this period, this was more than offset by a growing deficit with the United States.

Canadian travellers spent just under $9.0 billion outside the country during the fourth quarter, up 1.8% from the third quarter. At the same time, receipts from foreign travellers in Canada increased 2.6% to $4.4 billion.

On an annual basis, Canada's international travel deficit reached $17.8 billion in 2012, up $1.5 billion from 2011. During the course of the year, payments by Canadians travelling abroad grew 6.7% to $35.2 billion, while receipts from foreign visitors in Canada increased 4.4% to $17.3 billion.

Chart description: Canada's international travel deficit increases in the fourth quarter

CSV version of chart 1

Travel deficit with the United States increases

In the fourth quarter, Canada's travel deficit with the United States rose by $95 million to $3.8 billion. This was mainly the result of a 2.4% increase in payments by Canadian travellers in the United States, where spending reached $5.6 billion.

The increase of payments coincided with a 0.5% advance in travel by Canadian residents to the United States, which reached 14.1 million trips.

Receipts from American travellers in Canada amounted to $1.8 billion, up 2.0% from the previous quarter. During the same period, the number of trips by Americans to Canada decreased by 0.2% to 5.1 million visits.

In 2012, Canada's travel deficit with the United States was $14.5 billion, $1.4 billion more than in 2011. Canadian residents spent $21.8 billion in the United States, up 7.8%. During the same period, American travellers injected $7.2 billion into the Canadian economy, a 2.4% increase. The continuing strength of the Canadian dollar as well as amendments to personal duty exemptions that went in to effect for Canadian residents on June 1 were possible factors in the continuation of increased payments by Canadians in the United States in 2012.

From 2007 to 2012, Canadian payments in the United States increased by 45.0%, while American receipts in Canada decreased by 12.4% during the same period.

Receipts from overseas travellers in Canada continue to strengthen

Canada's travel deficit with overseas countries reached $775 million in the fourth quarter, down $45 million from the third quarter.

Receipts from overseas travellers to Canada increased by 3.1% to $2.6 billion, the highest level on record. This pushed down Canada's travel deficit with overseas countries. The increase in receipts coincided with a 3.6% advance in trips to Canada during the same period.

At the same time, payments by Canadian travellers in overseas countries rose 1.0% to $3.4 billion, also reaching the highest level on record. Canadians made 2.4 million trips overseas in the fourth quarter, up 1.4% from the previous quarter.

In 2012, Canadians spent $13.4 billion during their trips in overseas countries, up 5.0% compared with 2011. In the other direction, receipts from overseas residents in Canada increased 5.8% to $10.1 billion.

From 2007 to 2012, payments by Canadian travellers in overseas countries increased 17.7%, while receipts from overseas visitors in Canada rose 21.1% during the same period.

In 2012, there were 25.3 million trips by foreign travellers to Canada, of which 81.8% were by Americans and 18.2% were by residents of overseas countries. On those trips, visitors spent $17.3 billion, of which 41.7% was from Americans and 58.3% was from overseas visitors.

Canadians took 65.2 million trips in 2012, of which 85.3% were to the United States and 14.7% to overseas countries. During those trips, Canadians spent $35.2 billion, of which 61.9% was in the United States and 38.1% was in overseas countries.