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9
TRANSPORTATION
AND TOURISM
Travel Overview
Table 9-2 shows a summary of Canadian travel, which is made
up of domestic travel (travel by Canadians in Canada) and international
travel (travel by Canadians outside the country and travel to
Canada by visitors from other countries).
Domestic Travel
In 1998, Canadians made 144.3 million trips that were considered
tourist travel in Canada. This is a 13 per cent increase from
the 128 million trips taken in 1997. Both same-day and overnight
trips increased by about the same percentage. The increase in
domestic trips continued in 1999. In the first three quarters,
Canadians made 115.3 million domestic person-trips -- a 3.9
per cent increase over the same period in 1998. An overview
of domestic travel in Canada for 1998 is presented in Table 9-2.
In 1998, 74.4 million, or just over half (51 per cent), of
all person-trips were for more than one night, whereas 69.9 million
trips were completed on the same day. Of the overnight trips,
59.5 million, or 80 per cent, were to a destination within the
same province, which is unchanged from 1997. The average one-way
distance for all domestic trips was 293 kilometres. Overnight
interprovincial trips went the farthest, with an average of 430
kilometres, and lasted the longest, with an average of 5.4 nights.
Distribution of Travel by Province
The distribution of travel volumes by province is reflective
of the provincial distribution of the Canadian population, as
shown in Table 9-3. In 1998, Ontario, the most populous province,
was the destination for 36 per cent of all domestic
trips made, followed by Quebec with 21 per cent, Alberta
with 14 per cent and British Columbia with 11 per cent. The number
of trips taken by provincial residents also closely followed the
relative provincial population size. The two provinces with the
largest differences between the relative population size and the
number of trips taken was Alberta, with about five per cent
more trips than its relative population size would indicate, and
Quebec, with about five per cent fewer trips. On a per-capita
basis, each Canadian took 4.8 trips in 1998. Residents of Prince
Edward Island had the lowest travel rate, at 3.2 trips per
year, while those living in the Prairie Provinces, New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia travelled more than the national average.
Purpose of Travel
The reasons behind Canadians' travel in Canada did not change
significantly in 1998. As in 1997, most trips were either to visit
friends or relatives, or for pleasure, accounting for 36 and 37
per cent, respectively, of total trips in 1998. Travelling for
business and attending conventions made up only 14 per cent of
all domestic trips, although this category accounts for a
significant percentage of all spending. Personal reasons, such
as for health or religion, were the main purpose behind 13 per cent
of domestic trips.
Means of Travel
As Table 9-4 shows, the automobile is the most common means
of transportation in Canada, accounting for 91.7 per cent
of all trips taken in 1998, virtually unchanged from 1997. The
automobile accounted for 96.1 per cent of same-day trips compared
with 87.5 per cent of overnight trips. The second most important
means of transportation is the airplane, which accounted for 4.5
per cent of all travel. Air travel was particularly important
for overnight business, accounting for 30.5 per cent of all trips.
Compared with 1997, however, the share of automobile travel for
overnight business increased by 2.5 per cent and, consequently,
the share of airplane and bus travel showed small decreases.
International Travel
Figures for international travel in 1999, by both Canadians
and non-residents, are shown in Table 9-2. In 1999, 95.6
million international travellers crossed Canadian borders, a 0.5
per cent increase from 1998. Overall, the number of Canadians
who took international trips fell 1.4 per cent to 46.3 million.
Trips by Canadians to the US showed a 1.6 per cent decrease,
while the number of Canadians travelling overseas increased just
less than one per cent. Americans took 44.8 million
person-trips, or 2.1 per cent more trips, to Canada in 1999 than
in 1998. The number of trips to Canada by other nationalities
rose five per cent to 4.4 million.
Figure 9-5 shows a steady increase in past years since 1992
of Americans coming into Canada and a decline in international
travel by Canadians.
Canada/US Travel
Figures 9-6 and 9-7 show trends in Canada/US travel. Travel
between Canada and the US accounted for 91 per cent
of all international trips in 1998. The most significant portion
of Canada/US travel is same-day trips by automobile, which account
for 63.8 per cent of all trips between the two countries. After
the dollar reversed its decline in mid-1998, the number of Canadians
visiting the US, both overnight and same-day, showed a similar
reversal in decline. In addition, the number of same-day visits
by Americans to Canada has levelled off, but the number of overnight
visits has increased steadily. Compared with 1998, same-day visits
by Canadians to the US fell 4.4 per cent in 1999 to
28.0 million, well below the 18.1 per cent drop
in 1998. Overnight visits rose 4.6 per cent to 14.0
million, a reversal from the 11.2 per cent drop the
previous year. Same-day trips by Americans to Canada rose 1.8
per cent to 29.5 million and overnight trips rose 2.8 per cent
to 15.3 million.
Distribution of Travel
Although the number of Canadians visiting the US in 1998 declined
14 per cent from 1997, the states that Canadians visited most
often in past years continued to be the most popular. Of total
same-day visits in 1998, New York and Michigan accounted for 18
per cent and nine per cent, respectively, while Pennsylvania
and Washington each accounted for six per cent. The most popular
states for overnight stays in 1998 were New York, with 12 per
cent of the total trips, Florida with nine per cent,
Washington at eight per cent, Michigan with seven per cent, and
California with six per cent. In 1998, while overnight trips to Florida
and California increased by ten per cent and seven per cent,
respectively, trips to New York declined by nine per cent.
Ontario was by far the most popular province for Americans
travelling to Canada, accounting for 47 per cent of
the overnight trips charted in Figure 9-8. British Columbia accounted
for 25 per cent and Quebec for 15 per cent, while
nine per cent went to Alberta and seven per cent to
the Atlantic Provinces.
Purpose of Travel
In 1998, pleasure, including recreation and holiday, was the
primary reason for 52 per cent of Canadians' overnight trips to
the US and 57 per cent of Americans' overnight trips to Canada.
Visiting friends and relatives was the reason for 20 per cent
of Canadian trips and 16 per cent of American trips. Business
was the main reason for 19 per cent of Canadian trips
and 16 per cent of American trips, while personal reasons, such
as health and religion made up the remaining nine per cent of
both Canadian and American trips.
Means of Travel
Table 9-5 shows that automobile trips were the most important
part of Canada/US same-day travel. In 1999, 96.5 per cent of the
same-day trips that Canadians made to the US were by automobile,
and 93.3 per cent of these trips made by Americans to Canada were
also by automobile. Bus travel accounted for 2.5 per cent of Canadian
same-day trips and 3.4 per cent of American trips.
For overnight trips in 1999, Table 9-5 shows that automobile
travel was less dominant but still the most important mode of
travel: 55.9 per cent of the overnight trips by Canadians and
62.7 per cent of those by Americans were made by automobile. Air
is the next most important mode for overnight travel, accounting
for 35.0 per cent of Canadian trips and 24.8 per cent
of American trips.
Travel Between Canada and Countries Other Than US
Overseas Travel to Canada
Overall, the number of visitors from overseas countries rose
5.2 per cent to 4.4 million in 1999, after falling 8.3 per cent
in 1998. Figure 9-9 shows that the number of visitors from Asia
rose 7.6 per cent to 1.3 million in 1999, reversing the decline
of 21.4 per cent in 1998. The number of Japanese visiting in 1999
rose 4.9 per cent, after declining 16.0 per cent in 1998 as the
Japanese yen rose 15.0 per cent. The number of visitors from South
Korea and Taiwan soared 50.5 and 24.8 per cent, respectively,
after falling 59.0 and 14.7 per cent in 1998.
Figure 9-10 shows that the number of visitors from Europe also
reversed the decline of 1998, rising 4.1 per cent after
falling 2.4 per cent in 1998. In 1999, all major countries in
Europe other than Switzerland showed increases in visitors to
Canada. Visitors from France and Germany increased 2.9 per cent
and 2.7 per cent respectively, while visitors from the UK increased
4.5 per cent. The increase in visitors from Europe has
occurred despite a decline in the value of the European currencies.
Figure 9-11 shows the origin of the visitors to Canada in recent
years.
Distribution of Travel
Ontario remains the most popular destination for international
visitors, being the destination of 47 per cent of all overseas
visits. British Columbia was the second most popular with 25 per
cent. Visits by Americans increased in all regions of Canada in
1998. Overseas visits declined 16.5 per cent in Ontario, 12.0
per cent in Quebec, and about ten per cent in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
They did, however, rise 19 per cent in Alberta, 14.8 per cent
in British Columbia, and three per cent in the Atlantic Provinces.
Figure 9-8 shows the destination by provincial region for
overseas visitors staying at least one night.
Canadian Travel Overseas
In 1999, Canadians only marginally increased their overseas
trips after increasing them by 5.9 per cent in 1998 and by 8.5
per cent 1997. In 1998, Canadians increased their travel to Europe:
16.2 per cent to continental Europe, 14.7 per cent to Europe and
the UK, and 4.7 per cent to the UK. Travel to the Caribbean declined
slightly, whereas travel to Central and South America fell 15.2
per cent. Cruise travel continued to increase, rising 18.8 per
cent, following a 27.6 per cent rise in 1997. Figure 9-12 shows
that Europe remains the most popular overseas destination for
Canadians, accounting for 42 per cent of total overseas trips.
The Asian financial crisis continued to affect trips to the Far
East, which fell 3.1 per cent in 1998.
Reasons for Overseas Travel
Travelling for pleasure is the most common reason for overseas
travel. In 1998, it accounted for 57 per cent of Canadian overseas
travel and 50 per cent of travel to Canada from overseas visitors.
Visiting friends and relatives was the main purpose of 20 per
cent of Canadian overseas travel and 27 per cent of overseas travel
to Canada. Business travel was the reason for 18 per cent of overseas
travel in both directions. All three types of travel -- pleasure,
visiting and business -- increased for Canadians but decreased
for overseas travellers to Canada in 1998.
Means of Travel
Virtually all international travel to and from overseas countries
is by air, although about 20 per cent of overseas visitors entered
Canada by surface transportation from the US in 1998. Thirty-eight
per cent of non-Americans coming to Canada by air entered via
the US in 1999, up from the 33 per cent of the past two years.
Fifteen per cent of Canadians returning by air from
countries other than the US returned via the US in 1999.
This percentage has been stable in recent years.
Travel Overview
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