Tourism in Canada 2026
Canada’s tourism industry is writing one of its most compelling economic stories heading into 2026. After navigating years of pandemic-era disruptions and a slow but steady recovery, the sector is now firmly on a high-growth trajectory — outpacing the broader Canadian economy by a notable margin. Visitor spending in Canada is forecast to hit $140.9 billion in 2026, a 6% jump from 2025, according to Destination Canada’s Canadian Tourism Outlook 2026–2035 prepared in collaboration with Tourism Economics. That single figure tells you something important: this is no longer a story of recovery. It is a story of expansion, reinvention, and mounting global relevance.
What makes Canada’s tourism statistics in 2026 particularly fascinating is the structural shift playing out beneath the headline numbers. Domestic travellers are driving an unexpectedly powerful share of spending, geopolitical dynamics are redirecting Canadians away from US destinations and toward their own backyard, and mega-events like the FIFA World Cup 2026 — hosted in Toronto and Vancouver — are injecting fresh momentum at precisely the right moment. Meanwhile, overseas visitor arrivals are climbing at nearly twice the pace of US arrivals, signalling a broadening of Canada’s international appeal that promises durable, diversified growth through the rest of the decade. Every layer of the data reinforces the same core finding: Canadian tourism is not just back — it is stronger, more resilient, and more strategically positioned than at any point in recent memory.
🌟 Interesting Facts About Canadian Tourism in 2026
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Canada ranked #1 globally in nation reputation | Tied with Switzerland in RepCore Nations 2025 |
| Tourism brings more than $364 million into communities every single day | Based on 2024 direct visitor spending of $130 billion |
| 1 in 10 Canadian jobs is supported by tourism | Approximately 10% of the total national workforce |
| FIFA World Cup 2026 could generate up to $3.8 billion for Canada | BDC estimate covering June 2023–August 2026 activity |
| 9 in 10 Canadians plan to travel in 2026 | BDC survey of 1,000 Canadians, Feb–Mar 2026 |
| Canadians who boycott the US for travel: nearly 70% | Political and ethical reasons cited in BDC survey |
| Overseas visitor growth is forecast at 9.8% annually over the next decade | Nearly twice the projected pace of US visitor growth |
| Average Canadian expected to spend 13 days travelling within Canada in 2026 | BDC travel intentions survey, February 2026 |
| International Convention Attraction Fund (ICAF) has secured 116 international events | Expected to generate over $800 million in direct economic impact |
| By 2035, Canada’s total tourism revenue is projected to reach $216.3 billion | 67% higher than the 2024 baseline |
| Tourism employment grew 3.0% in 2025 | Faster than the overall economy’s 1.4% employment growth |
| Banff National Park attracts over 4 million visitors annually | One of Canada’s most visited natural attractions |
| Niagara Falls draws approximately 13 million visitors annually | Most visited natural landmark in Canada |
| Alberta’s tourism generated C$14.4 billion in revenue in 2024 | With 38.1 million visits and 260,000 jobs supported |
Source: Destination Canada Canadian Tourism Outlook 2026–2035; BDC Survey on Travel Intentions February 2026; Statistics Canada National Tourism Indicators; Tourism HR Canada Labour Force Survey 2025
The facts above paint a vivid picture of an industry that has moved well past its post-pandemic benchmarks and is now setting entirely new ones. The detail that stands out most sharply for any observer is the near-total shift in Canadian travel psychology: close to 70% of Canadians are actively boycotting the United States as a travel destination in 2026, redirecting billions of dollars of household spending toward domestic parks, cities, and coastal routes. That behavioural change, combined with accelerating overseas demand, is producing a more balanced, internationally diverse visitor economy than Canada has ever seen.
What is equally striking is the sheer scale and consistency of job creation. Tourism outpaced the broader national labour market in employment growth through 2025 and into 2026. With the FIFA World Cup bringing additional hospitality demand to Toronto and Vancouver this summer, the short-term employment picture is even more favourable. And the longer-term arc — $216.3 billion in total tourism revenue by 2035 — signals that this is an industry that planners, investors, and small business owners should be taking seriously as a pillar of Canada’s economic future.
Canada Tourism Spending Statistics 2026 | Total Revenue & Economic Footprint
Canada Tourism Spending — Direct Visitor Spend ($CAD Billion)
2022 ████████████████████████████████████████████ $120.3B
2023 █████████████████████████████████████████████████ $82.4B (tourism spend only)
2024 ██████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $129.7B
2025 ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $132.9B (est.)
2026F ███████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $140.9B
2030P ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $160.0B
(F = Forecast | P = Projected)
| Spending Metric | Value (CAD) | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Total direct visitor spending | $130 billion | 2024 |
| Total tourism revenues | $129.7 billion | 2024 |
| Total economic footprint (including indirect & induced) | $263 billion | 2024 |
| Forecasted visitor spending | $140.9 billion | 2026 |
| Daily revenue for communities | $364 million+ | 2024 |
| Tourism spending growth rate YoY (forecast) | +6% | 2025–2026 |
| Government tax revenue from tourism | $32.7 billion | 2024 |
| International visitors’ export earnings | $31.2 billion | 2024 |
| Projected total revenue by 2030 | $160 billion | Projection |
| Projected total revenue by 2035 | $216.3 billion | Long-term forecast |
Source: Destination Canada Value of Tourism; Destination Canada Canadian Tourism Outlook 2026–2035 (Tourism Economics); Statistics Canada National Tourism Indicators Q4 2025
The spending data for Canada’s tourism industry in 2026 is genuinely striking in its scale and consistency. Tourism generated $130 billion in direct visitor spending in 2024 alone, translating to more than $350 million flowing into the economy every single day. That figure powered a total economic footprint — accounting for indirect and induced activity — of $263 billion, making tourism one of the largest contributors to Canada’s service economy. The jump to a $140.9 billion visitor spend forecast for 2026 represents the kind of growth trajectory that policymakers in almost every sector would envy, particularly given that Canada’s broader GDP is only expected to grow by around 1.0% in 2026.
The tax revenue dimension is another story worth telling clearly. Tourism returned $32.7 billion in municipal, provincial, and federal tax revenue in 2024, funding everything from public transit to healthcare infrastructure. International visitors contributed $31.2 billion in export earnings, cementing tourism’s status as Canada’s second-largest service export. With an investment compound annual growth rate of 5.4% projected through 2025, the path to $160 billion in direct annual revenue by 2030 looks credible and well-supported by current demand trends.
Canada International Tourist Arrivals 2025 | Key Border & Air Travel Data
International Arrivals to Canada — Annual Totals (Millions)
2019 ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 88.5M (pre-pandemic peak)
2023 ██████████████████████████████████████████████████████ ~66M
2024 █████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 81.8M
2025 ████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 72.9M (-10.9% YoY)
Non-resident overnight arrivals only (2024): 19.91M
US-resident arrivals (2025): 22.8M | Overseas arrivals (2025): 6.8M
April 2026 (latest): 4.7M monthly — up 3.5% YoY (first increase since Jan 2025)
| Arrivals Category | Figure | Period / Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total international arrivals (all modes) | 72.9 million | Full year 2025, down 10.9% YoY |
| US-resident arrivals to Canada | 22.8 million | 2025 — 91.3% of 2019 levels |
| Overseas-resident arrivals to Canada | 6.8 million | 2025, up 7.5% from 2024 |
| Non-resident overnight visitor trips | 19.91 million | 2024 |
| April 2026 total international arrivals | 4.7 million | April 2026, +3.5% YoY |
| April 2026 US arrivals by air | Up 10.8% YoY | April 2026 |
| Ratio of 2025 arrivals vs 2019 levels | 82.3% | 2025 |
| US-resident arrivals as % of 2019 pre-pandemic | 91.3% | 2025 |
| Year-over-year change in non-resident arrivals | -0.6% | Full year 2025 |
Source: Statistics Canada — The Daily, “Travel Between Canada and Other Countries, December 2025” (released February 23, 2026); Statistics Canada Leading Indicator of International Arrivals, April 2026 (released May 11, 2026)
The arrivals picture for Canada’s international tourism in 2025 and early 2026 is one of contrasts. The headline number — 72.9 million total international arrivals in 2025, down 10.9% from 2024 — sounds alarming, but context is critical. A significant portion of that decline reflects fewer Canadians returning from US trips rather than a drop in inbound non-resident visitors. In fact, US-resident arrivals to Canada still represented 91.3% of their pre-pandemic 2019 levels, a solid reading given the trade tensions of the period. More encouragingly, overseas-resident arrivals grew 7.5% in 2025, reaching 6.8 million — evidence that Canada’s appeal as a long-haul destination is deepening across European, Asian, and other markets.
The April 2026 data signals the turning point the industry has been anticipating. Total international arrivals in April 2026 hit 4.7 million — up 3.5% year-over-year, marking the first annual increase since January 2025. US arrivals by air jumped 10.8% in April, and automobile crossings turned positive for the first time since December 2024. These are early but meaningful signs that the headwinds from geopolitical tensions between Canada and the US are easing, and that the summer 2026 season — boosted by FIFA World Cup traffic in Toronto and Vancouver — could post numbers that genuinely surprise on the upside.
Canada Tourism Visitor Spending by Source Market 2024 | Domestic vs International
Tourism Spending by Market — Canada 2024 ($CAD Billion)
Domestic (Canadians) █████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $74.8B (57.6%)
US Residents █████████████████████ $15.6B (12.0%)
Overseas Residents █████████████████ $12.9B (9.9%)
Other/Indirect ████████████████████████████ $26.4B (remaining economic footprint)
Total Direct: $130B | Total Economic Footprint: $263B
| Visitor Source Market | Spending (CAD) | Share of Direct Spend | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian domestic travellers | $74.8 billion | ~57.5% | 2024 |
| US residents | $15.6 billion | ~12% | 2024 |
| Overseas residents | $12.9 billion | ~9.9% | 2024 |
| US spending growth forecast | +5.3% per year | US market | 2026–2035 outlook |
| Overseas market growth forecast | +9.8% per year | Overseas markets | 2026–2035 outlook |
| Reshored domestic spending (2025 gain) | $1.5 billion | Domestic shift | 2025 |
| Reshored domestic spending (2025–2027) | $4.4 billion | Cumulative | 2025–2027 |
| International tourism spending growth | +8.0% annually | International | 2024 vs 2019: at 92.3% |
| Average daily spend by international visitors | $250 CAD per day | International | 2023 benchmark |
Source: Wikipedia — Tourism in Canada (2024 statistics compiled from Statistics Canada, Destination Canada); Destination Canada Canadian Tourism Outlook 2026–2035; Statistics Canada National Tourism Indicators Q4 2024
What the spending breakdown for Canadian tourism in 2024 reveals most clearly is just how dominant the domestic market has become. Canadians spent $74.8 billion travelling within their own country in 2024 — roughly 57.5% of all direct tourism spending. This is not simply a product of pandemic-era habit; it reflects a deliberate and politically charged decision by millions of Canadian households to support their own economy. The BDC’s February 2026 survey found that 39% of domestic travellers cited wanting to support Canadian businesses and the economy as a key motivation — a figure that would have been almost unthinkable a decade ago.
The international spending picture is equally revealing. US visitors contributed $15.6 billion to Canada’s economy in 2024, while overseas visitors added $12.9 billion — and it is the overseas segment that is growing fastest. Destination Canada’s long-range forecast projects overseas market spending to grow at 9.8% annually through 2035, nearly double the 5.3% annual rate forecast for the US market. This structural shift toward greater geographic diversification in Canada’s visitor economy is exactly what the industry has needed, reducing the outsized dependency on a single border relationship that has proven volatile. The trend toward premium tourism packages — which grew 25% in 2023 — reinforces that overseas visitors are also high-value visitors.
Canada Tourism Employment Statistics 2025–2026 | Jobs & Workforce Data
Tourism Employment in Canada — 2024 vs 2025
2024 2025 Change
Total (LFS method) 2,068,000 2,129,900 +3.0%
Total (NTI method) 701,700 711,200 +1.3%
Tourism share of jobs 3.32% 3.33% Stable
Industry Growth (2024 → 2025):
Accommodations ████████████████████████ +15.1%
Recreation/Entertainment ██████ +3.3%
Travel Services █████ +2.9%
Food & Beverage ████ +2.0%
Transportation █ +0.5%
| Employment Metric | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Total tourism employment (Labour Force Survey) | 2,129,900 | 2025 annual |
| Total tourism jobs (National Tourism Indicators) | 711,200 | 2025 annual |
| Tourism’s share of economy-wide jobs | 3.33% | Q4 2025 |
| Tourism employment growth rate | +3.0% | 2024–2025 |
| Overall Canadian economy employment growth | +1.4% | 2024–2025 |
| Tourism labour force growth | +2.4% | 2024–2025 |
| Tourism sector unemployment rate | 5.5% | 2025 (down from 6.1%) |
| Overall economy unemployment rate | 6.8% | 2025 |
| Accommodations employment growth | +15.1% | 2024–2025 |
| Total businesses in tourism sector | 265,800 | 2024 |
| Tourism’s share of total labour force | ~10% | 2024 estimate |
| Tourism SMEs across Canada | ~85,000 | 2025–2026 estimate |
Source: Tourism HR Canada Labour Force Survey Annual 2025 (published January 29, 2026); Statistics Canada National Tourism Indicators Q4 2025 (published March 27, 2026); Destination Canada Value of Tourism
The employment story coming out of Canada’s tourism sector in 2025 and 2026 is one of the most positive dimensions of the entire industry report. Tourism employment grew 3.0% in 2025 — more than twice the rate of the overall Canadian economy’s 1.4% employment growth. The sector also showed a counter-cyclical strength that rarely gets attention: while the national unemployment rate rose from 6.3% to 6.8% in 2025, the tourism sector’s unemployment rate actually fell from 6.1% to 5.5% over the same period. That contrast speaks to genuine labour demand being created by rising visitor activity and the ongoing expansion of accommodation, food and beverage, and recreation services.
The 15.1% growth in accommodations employment is the single most striking sub-sector figure and it maps directly onto the surge in domestic travel and urban hotel occupancy. Tourism HR Canada estimates approximately 85,000 SMEs operate across Canada’s tourism sector, and these are the businesses absorbing the majority of new workers. For communities across provinces — from Ontario’s hotel corridors to Alberta’s national park visitor centres to British Columbia’s FIFA World Cup hospitality belt — this employment growth means real wages, real local spending, and real tax contributions to local governments. Destination Canada’s assessment that the sector already supports one in ten Canadian jobs is not marketing language; it is a verified structural reality.
Top Canadian Tourism Destinations & Regional Spending 2024 | Visitor Numbers by Region
Top Destinations — Annual Visitor Volume Estimates
Niagara Falls ████████████████████████████████████████████████████ ~13 million/yr
Vancouver ██████████████████████████████████████████ ~10.3 million/yr
Banff National Park ████████████████████ 4+ million/yr
Niagara Region (NTS) █████████████████████████████████████ 8.26 million visits (2024)
Vancouver Island (NTS) ████████████████████████████████████ 8.15 million visits (2024)
CN Tower (Toronto) ███████ ~1.5 million/yr
Provincial Spending 2024:
Ontario ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ C$29.1B
Alberta ████████████████████████ C$14.4B
BC ████████████████████████ C$14B+ (est.)
| Destination / Region | Visitor Count / Spend | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario — tourism spending | C$29.1 billion | 2024 |
| Ontario — share of national tourism activity | ~44% | 2024 |
| Alberta — total visits | 38.1 million | 2024 |
| Alberta — tourism revenue | C$14.4 billion | 2024 |
| Alberta — tourism jobs | ~260,000 | 2024 |
| Niagara Falls & Wine Country (Ontario NTS) | 8.26 million visits | 2024 |
| Vancouver Island, BC (NTS) | 8.15 million visits | 2024 |
| Niagara Falls annual visitor count (general) | ~13 million | Annual est. |
| Vancouver city annual visitor count | ~10.3 million | Annual est. |
| Banff National Park | 4+ million | Annual est. |
| Toronto total visitor spend | C$8.8 billion (record) | 2024 |
| Winnipeg region visits | 3+ million | 2024 |
| Manitoba tourism spending | C$1.82 billion | 2024 |
| Canadian domestic trips total | 292.1 million trips | 2024 (NTS) |
Source: Statistics Canada National Travel Survey 2024 (“The Great Big See, from Sea to Sea to Sea,” July 29, 2025); Wikipedia — Tourism in Alberta (2024); Travel and Tour World — Provincial Tourism Spending Analysis (November 2025)
When you break Canada’s tourism statistics for 2024 down to the provincial and destination level, Ontario’s dominance is immediately apparent. The province accounted for nearly 44% of Canada’s tourism activity in 2024, generating C$29.1 billion in tourism spending — driven by the magnetic pull of Toronto, Niagara Falls, the Royal Ontario Museum, and a thriving festival calendar. Toronto alone posted a record C$8.8 billion in total visitor spending in 2024, up 4% from 2023 and 7% above pre-pandemic levels. Notable catalysts included the Taylor Swift Eras Tour performances in the city, which contributed to a strong Q4 accommodation and food services surge.
Alberta is the country’s second major tourism engine, and the numbers from 2024 are formidable: 38.1 million visits generating C$14.4 billion in revenue and supporting around 260,000 jobs. The Rocky Mountains, Banff, and Jasper remain globally iconic draws, and while the 5.5 million domestic visits to the Alberta Rockies in 2024 were slightly below the all-time peak set in 2021, they remain historically elevated. For readers planning where to direct tourism investment or marketing, the concentration of spending in Ontario and Alberta stands out clearly — but the growth edge, as the data confirms, is increasingly found in British Columbia (especially heading into FIFA 2026), Atlantic provinces leveraging cruise traffic, and Manitoba diversifying its urban tourism offering through Winnipeg.
Canada Tourism GDP Growth & Economic Contribution 2025 | Quarterly Performance
Tourism GDP Growth Rate — Canada 2025 (Quarterly, Real)
Q1 2025 ██████████ 2.8% (estimated)
Q2 2025 █████ 1.3%
Q3 2025 ███ 0.9%
Q4 2025 ████ 1.2%
Annual ████████ 2.2%
For comparison — Economy-wide GDP 2025:
Q2 ██ 0.6% (slower)
Q3 █ 0.5% (slower)
Q4 -▌ -0.1% (contracted)
Annual ████ 1.6%
Tourism consistently outgrew the broader economy in 2025.
| GDP Metric | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Annual real tourism GDP growth | +2.2% | Full year 2025 |
| Economy-wide real GDP growth | +1.6% | Full year 2025 |
| Tourism GDP — Q4 2025 | +1.2% | Q4 2025 |
| Economy-wide GDP — Q4 2025 | -0.1% (contraction) | Q4 2025 |
| Tourism GDP — Q3 2025 | +0.9% | Q3 2025 |
| Tourism GDP — Q2 2025 | +1.3% | Q2 2025 |
| Tourism GDP as % of nominal GDP — Q4 2025 | 1.74% | Q4 2025 |
| Tourism GDP as % of nominal GDP — Q3 2025 | 1.70% | Q3 2025 |
| Tourism contribution to GDP (2024) | C$50.8 billion | 2024 |
| Tourism as % of GDP | 1.8% | 2024 |
| Canada GDP growth forecast | +1.0% | 2026 |
| Tourism revenue growth forecast | +6% (visitor spending) | 2026 |
Source: Statistics Canada — National Tourism Indicators Q4 2025 (released March 27, 2026); Statistics Canada — National Tourism Indicators Q3 2025 (released January 6, 2026); Destination Canada Canadian Tourism Data Collective 2024
The tourism GDP data for Canada in 2025 tells a story of genuine sectoral resilience during a difficult macro environment. While economy-wide real GDP actually contracted by 0.1% in Q4 2025, real tourism GDP grew 1.2% in the same quarter — driven largely by a 3.5% surge in transportation activity and a 1.0% gain in accommodation services. For the full year, tourism GDP grew 2.2% in real terms against an economy-wide growth rate of just 1.6%. This consistent pattern of outperformance is not a one-quarter anomaly; tourism has outgrown the broader Canadian economy in every quarter of 2025 for which Statistics Canada has released data.
The 2024 absolute numbers are equally impressive: tourism contributed C$50.8 billion to GDP, representing 1.8% of nominal GDP — a meaningful share of a $2.8 trillion economy. Destination Canada projects that the sector’s compound annual growth rate of 5.4% through 2025 could accelerate further, given the FIFA World Cup tailwind in 2026 and the structural shift in domestic spending habits. For 2026 specifically, tourism revenue growth is forecast at 6% against a backdrop of only 1.0% broader GDP growth — reinforcing the view that tourism is becoming one of the most reliable engines of Canadian economic activity, not a peripheral contributor.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Tourism Impact on Canada | Economic Projections
FIFA World Cup 2026 — Canada Tourism Impact Snapshot
Economic activity projected: CAD $2 billion+ (tourism + event economists)
BDC wider estimate (Jun 2023–Aug 2026): $3.8 billion
B.C. tourism spending boost: $1.7 billion (2026–2031)
B.C. additional visitors: 1 million extra (2026–2031)
Matches in B.C. (BC Place): 7 matches — 362,100 attendees
Toronto host city: ✔ Multiple group + knockout matches
Vancouver host city: ✔ Multiple group + knockout matches
Global TV viewers per match: 360 million+
| FIFA World Cup 2026 Tourism Metric | Figure | Source / Note |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated economic activity for Canada | CAD $2 billion+ | Tourism & event economists |
| BDC wider economic estimate (2023–2026) | $3.8 billion | June 2023–August 2026 period |
| B.C. tourism industry output boost | $1.7 billion | 2026–2031 projection |
| B.C. additional out-of-province visitors | 1 million | 2026–2031 |
| B.C. provincial tax revenue (during event) | $88 million | Provincial government estimate |
| B.C. provincial tax revenue (post-event to 2031) | $136 million | Post-event legacy |
| Matches at BC Place (Vancouver) | 7 matches | FIFA 2026 schedule |
| Expected attendees at BC Place | 362,100 | Government of B.C. projection |
| FIFA 2026 total North America tourist expenditures | $6.4 billion (US share) | Tourism Economics (March 2025) |
| Total stadium attendance globally | 6.5 million+ | Tourism Economics forecast |
| Canada’s host cities | Toronto & Vancouver | Official FIFA allocation |
Source: BDC Canada Tourism Outlook 2026 (published May 13, 2026); B.C. Business — FIFA 2026 B.C. Economic Impact (October 2025); Tourism Economics — FIFA World Cup 2026 Socioeconomic Impact Analysis (March 2025); North America Outlook Magazine — FIFA 2026 Economic Opportunity for Canada (April 2026)
The FIFA World Cup 2026 represents the most significant single event catalyst for Canadian tourism in a generation. Co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico, the tournament is the largest in FIFA history — 48 teams, 104 matches, 16 host cities across North America — and the global television audience is expected to exceed 5 billion viewers. For Canada specifically, Toronto and Vancouver are the two host cities, and the media exposure alone — showcasing Canadian cities, landscapes, and hospitality to billions of viewers worldwide — is the kind of destination marketing that no advertising budget could replicate.
The economic projections are substantial and increasingly well-grounded. The BDC’s estimate of $3.8 billion in economic activity for Canada spanning June 2023 through August 2026 includes pre-tournament infrastructure spending, tournament period visitor flows, and immediate post-event legacy benefits. British Columbia’s government has modelled the provincial impact with particular care: $1.7 billion in tourism industry output, 1 million additional visitors, and $224 million in combined provincial tax revenues across the event period and its aftermath through 2031. The 7 matches at BC Place are expected to draw 362,100 attendees — with a significant proportion arriving from overseas markets, particularly Latin America and Europe, where football fandom runs deepest. While some concerns have emerged about hotel booking pace falling short of initial projections, the fundamental demand for FIFA 2026 travel to Canada remains strong.
Canada Domestic Tourism Statistics 2025–2026 | Canadian Traveller Trends
Canadian Domestic Travel Behaviour — 2025/2026
Domestic trips taken (2024): 292.1 million
Domestic trips growth (2025 Q1–Q3): +3.6% YoY
Share of travellers taking ≥1 Canada trip: 92%
Average nights travelling in Canada (2026): 13 days
Average household travel budget (2026): ~$7,000
Share of budget spent in Canada: ~1/3 (~$2,333)
Canadians already booked ≥1 trip (survey): ~50%
Travellers making compromises to afford travel: 81%
Top reasons for domestic travel:
#1 Explore Canada's diverse regions 45%
#2 Support Canadian economy 39%
#3 Affordability vs international (saves ~$43/night)
| Domestic Tourism Metric | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Total domestic trips by Canadians | 292.1 million | 2024 (NTS) |
| Q3 2024 domestic trips (peak) | 94.3 million | Q3 2024 |
| Domestic trip growth rate (first 3 quarters) | +3.6% YoY | 2025 vs 2024 |
| Canadians planning ≥1 domestic trip in 2026 | 92% of travellers | BDC survey, Feb 2026 |
| 9 in 10 Canadians planning to travel overall | ~90% intention rate | BDC survey, Feb 2026 |
| Average household travel budget 2026 | ~$7,000 | BDC survey |
| Average days travelling within Canada | 13 days | 2026 expectation |
| Average days travelling abroad | 12 days | 2026 expectation |
| Savings per night — domestic vs abroad (2025) | $43 CAD/night cheaper | Statistics Canada |
| Households making travel compromises | 81% | BDC survey, Feb 2026 |
| Canadians boycotting US travel | ~70% | BDC survey, Feb 2026 |
| Domestic reshored spending added (2025) | $1.5 billion | Destination Canada estimate |
Source: Statistics Canada — “The Great Big See, from Sea to Sea to Sea” (July 29, 2025); BDC Survey on Travel Intentions February–March 2026; Destination Canada Canadian Tourism Outlook 2026–2035
Canadian domestic tourism in 2025 and 2026 is being shaped by a confluence of forces unlike anything the industry has seen before. Canadians took 292.1 million domestic trips in 2024, and the first three quarters of 2025 showed that trend accelerating with a 3.6% year-over-year increase in domestic trip volumes. The pattern continued into 2026: the BDC’s February 2026 survey of 1,000 Canadians found that 92% of travellers expect at least one trip within Canada, while roughly 50% had already booked at least one leisure trip with an overnight stay by early March 2026. These are extraordinary commitment rates for travel intentions data, which often overstates actual travel.
The economic logic driving domestic travel is compelling and durable. Statistics Canada found that Canadians saved approximately $43 per night when travelling domestically versus internationally in 2025 — over a 12-13 night trip, that adds up to more than $500 in household savings. At the same time, 81% of households are actively making travel compromises — choosing off-peak dates, more affordable accommodation, or flexible itineraries — to preserve their travel plans rather than cancel. Tourism businesses that lean into value, flexibility, and authentic local experiences are positioned to capture the lion’s share of this enormous, motivated market. Destination Canada estimates that reshored domestic spending added $1.5 billion to the economy in 2025 alone, with a cumulative benefit of $4.4 billion projected between 2025 and 2027.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
