Travel between Canada and other countries

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Travel to Canada by foreign residents increased 0.9% between November and December to 2.0 million trips, largely as a result of an increase in overnight trips by American residents.

Increases occurred in all modes of travel by American residents in December. Overnight plane travel rose by 2.4%. Overnight car trips were up 0.9%, while same day car trips edged up 0.2%.

Residents of overseas countries made 343,000 trips to Canada in December, up 0.2% over November. The number of trips to Canada by residents of half of the top 12 countries increased while the other half declined. Most notably, trips by residents of China rose 10.3% and those from Indian residents were up 24.8%, following declines in November.

Canadian residents made 4.3 million trips outside of the country in December, up 2.6% from the previous month. Trips to both the United States and overseas destinations increased compared with November.

Overall, Canadian residents made 3.5 million trips to the United States, a 2.5% increase. The fastest change was a 4.9% increase in overnight air trips to the United States. Same-day car trips to the United States increased 3.5%, while overnight car trips fell 0.5%.

Canadian residents took 710,000 trips to overseas destinations in December, up 3.4% from November.

On an annual basis, travel between Canada and the United States was lower in 2009 than it was the year before. All categories of travel between the two countries fell with same day car travel dropping the most.

American residents made 9.2% fewer trips to Canada in 2009 with same-day car travel decreasing 13.9%. Similarly, Canadian residents made 10.0% fewer trips to the United States in 2009 as same day car trips dropped 13.3%.

Travel to Canada from residents of countries other than the United States was down 12.5% in 2009 while the number of trips by Canadian residents to overseas countries increased by 1.3%. This was the only major travel category to have an increase in 2009.

Available on CANSIM: tables 427-0001 to 427-0006.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 5005.

The December 2009 issue of International Travel, Advance Information, Vol. 25, no. 12 (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 Paul Durk (613-951-5859; paul.durk@statcan.gc.ca), Tourism and Centre for Education Statistics Division.