Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Characteristics of international travellers

Canadians headed out of the country in increasing numbers between April and June 2006, surging into the United States as well as setting yet another quarterly record for travel to countries other than the United States.

Overnight travel to the United States rose for the third consecutive quarter on a year-over-year basis, likely boosted by a strong Canadian dollar. At the same time, second-quarter travel to overseas nations hit a record level for the third straight year.

The second quarter was also marked by an increase in overnight travel to Canada as more overseas visitors came to the country. However, fewer American residents made overnight trips to Canada.

Travel to the US: New York, Florida most popular states

Canadian residents took about 3.9 million overnight trips to the United States between April and June, up 7.5% from the same three months last year.

As is usually the case during the second quarter, more Canadians visited New York State than any other American state. An estimated 659,000 overnight visits were made by Canadians to the Empire State, up 19.1% from the second quarter last year.

There were about 569,000 overnight visits by Canadian tourists to Florida between April and June, a 5.6% gain from the same period in 2005.

Of the top 10 most visited states, only 2 recorded fewer overnight Canadian visitors: Nevada, where travel fell 15.0%, and Maine, where it was down 4.4%. Despite increases in the number of visits, spending by Canadians declined in 5 of the top 10 states.

Pleasure trips, which accounted for 56% of overnight Canadian travel to the United States, rose 7.9% from the second quarter of 2005. The number of business trips increased a slight 0.7%, while the number of trips to visit friends and relatives jumped 11.9%.

More than half of overnight travel to the US was by car. Canadians used an automobile for nearly 2.2 million overnight trips in the second quarter, up 8.3% compared to the second quarter of 2005. The number of overnight trips taken by air increased 5.4% during the same period.

Spending by Canadians in the United States rose 2.5% to about $2.9 billion. Average spending per overnight trip declined from $777 to $741.

In terms of US dollars, the Canadian dollar was 10.8% higher in the second quarter of 2006 than it was in the same period in 2005.

Canadians travelling overseas in record numbers

Canadians set a new record for second quarter travel to overseas nations this year as nearly 1.6 million trips were taken by residents during the second quarter. This was a 5.5% increase over the same quarter last year, when the previous record was set.

The top three most visited overseas countries for Canadians were the United Kingdom, France and Cuba. Travel to the United Kingdom fell 9.6% from the second quarter in 2005, while travel to France was up 5.5% and travel to Cuba rose 13.4%.

Italy experienced the largest decline among the top 10 overseas destinations, as there were 34.6% fewer overnight visits by Canadians to the country. This followed a jump of over 50% in Canadian visits in the second quarter of 2005 when the funeral of the late Pope John Paul II occurred, as well as the installation of Pope Benedict XVI.

Travel to China set a record in the second quarter, surpassing the previous mark established in 2002. Travel to this country had sharply declined from April to June of 2003 at the height of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) crisis.

During their travels in overseas countries, Canadians spent an estimated $2.4 billion, up 5.9% from the second quarter last year.

More overseas visitors coming to Canada

While Canadians were travelling in record numbers overseas, the number of overseas visitors to Canada also increased in the second quarter of this year.

An estimated 1.1 million overnight trips were made by overseas tourists to Canada between April and June, up 4.6% from the same period last year and the third straight year of increases for the second quarter. This follows three consecutive years of decreases that had culminated during the second-quarter of 2003 at the height of the SARS crisis.

The United Kingdom remained the top overseas country of origin with 234,000 overnight trips to Canada. Japan remained steady in second spot as 95,000 of its residents took overnight trips to Canada.

Mexican residents took 27.4% more overnight trips to Canada between April and June, perhaps reflecting the fact that Easter was celebrated in April this year rather than in March, as had been the case the year before. Easter is a major holiday in Mexico and a popular time for people to travel.

Overall, overseas residents spent an estimated $1.5 billion on overnight trips in Canada, down 0.8% from the second quarter of 2005.

Fewer American visitors coming to Canada

An estimated 3.7 million overnight trips were taken by US residents to Canada during the second quarter of this year, a marginal 0.4% decline from the same period last year.

While cars remained the most popular method of travel for overnight trips to Canada, 3.3% fewer trips were taken by automobile. Nonetheless, about 2.2 million, or 58.6%, of all overnight trips were taken by car.

American residents took nearly 1.1 million overnight trips by air to Canada between April and June of this year, up 4.7%.

Travel from the US rose in the two largest categories. Americans made 2.1 million trips for pleasure, an increase of 2.7%, and about 691,000 to visit friends and relatives, up 4.9%. Overnight travel in the third largest category, business trips, edged downward 0.2% to about 555,000.

Among the top 10 states of origin for overnight travel to Canada, 6 states recorded year-over-year increases in the second quarter. New York remained the top state of origin for overnight visitors as nearly 500,000 trips were taken to Canada.

Massachusetts recorded the largest gain (+25.1%), and Michigan, the largest decline (-19.1%).

Despite the decrease in the number of overnight trips to Canada, American residents spent nearly $2.0 billion in Canada, up 2.3% from the second quarter of 2005.

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 preliminary second quarter 2006 data and revised first quarter 2006 data are now available on request.

Data on characteristics of international travellers for the third quarter of 2006 will be released on February 26, 2007.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3152.

To obtain one or more of these products, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-800-307-3382; 613-951-9169; fax: 613-951-2909; cult.tourstats@statcan.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.ca), Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics.

Overnight travel between Canada and other countries
	Trips				Expenditures
	Second quarter  2005r	First quarter  2006r	Second quarter  2006p	Second quarter  2005  to second quarter  2006	Second quarter 2005r	First quarter  2006r	Second quarter  2006p	Second quarter  2005  to second quarter  2006
	thousands			% change	$ millions			% change
Canadian trips abroad	5,102	5,740	5,454	6.9	5,045	5,748	5,249	4.0
To the United States	3,617	3,530	3,888	7.5	2,811	2,939	2,882	2.5
To other countries	1,485	2,210	1,566	5.5	2,235	2,809	2,367	5.9
Travel to Canada	4,817	2,528	4,851	0.7	3,411	1,837	3,445	1.0
From the United States	3,723	1,910	3,707	-0.4	1,938	963	1,983	2.3
From other countries	1,094	618	1,144	4.6	1,473	874	1,462	-0.8
r revised p preliminary

Top 10 overseas countries of origin for travellers to Canada
	Second quarter 2005r	Second quarter 2006p	Second quarter 2005 to second quarter 2006
	Overnight trips (thousands)		% change
United Kingdom	233	234	0.3
Japan	100	95	-5.2
Germany	78	79	1.5
France	74	76	2.8
Mexico	44	56	27.4
Australia	51	54	7.1
South Korea	42	46	9.3
China	30	35	19.2
India	31	35	12.4
Netherlands	32	33	3.3
r revised p preliminary

Top US States visited by Canadian residents
	Overnight visits			Expenditures
	Second quarter 2005r	Second quarter 2006p	Second quarter 2005  to second quarter 2006	Second quarter 2005r	Second quarter 2006p	Second quarter 2005  to second quarter 2006
	thousands		% change	$ millions		% change
State
New York	553	659	19.1	173	223	28.7
Florida	538	569	5.6	965	916	-5.1
Washington	389	434	11.6	83	95	15.2
Michigan	309	329	6.5	72	61	-15.7
California	216	230	6.5	174	216	24.1
Nevada	250	213	-15.0	225	217	-3.3
Pennsylvania	179	208	16.1	39	38	-2.6
Maine	148	141	-4.4	36	35	-3.3
Minnesota	114	133	17.4	33	39	18.8
Ohio	129	129	0.4	25	27	7.7
r revised p preliminary

---

Send this article to another person
E-mail to:
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Comments: