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Characteristics of international travellers
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Canadian residents took 4.6 million overnight trips to the United States between April and June, up 12.1% from the second quarter of 2007.
Second quarter travel to overseas countries also continued its upward trend. Canadians took nearly 1.9 million overnight trips to countries other than the United States between April and June, up 9.5% from the same quarter last year.
In total, Canadians made 6.4 million trips out of the country between April and June 2008, up 11.4%. This was the fourth consecutive year-over-year increase for second quarter travel abroad.
Pleasure travel to the United States on the rise
Pleasure trips, which accounted for 59.6% of overnight Canadian travel to the United States, rose 19.3% from the second quarter of 2007. The number of business trips, however, declined 5.8% to 637,000.
The number of overnight trips by plane increased 12.4%, while the number of overnight trips by automobile rose 14.7%.
Spending by Canadians in the United States rose 17.6% to nearly $3.7 billion. Average spending per overnight trip increased from $762 to $799.
The Canadian dollar had an average value of 99.0 US cents in the second quarter of 2008. This was up from 91.1 US cents during the same three months of 2007.
Fewer American visitors coming to Canada
United States residents took 3.3 million overnight trips to Canada during the second quarter of this year, a 7.8% decline from the same period in 2007. This was the fewest number of overnight visitors from the United States during a second quarter since 1994.
Travel by car remained the most popular method for overnight trips to Canada, accounting for 57.4% of all overnight trips from the United States. Even so, travel by car declined by 9.1% to 1.9 million trips.
Overnight travel from the United States decreased in two main purpose categories. Business travel fell 1.2%, while pleasure trips were down 12.5%. About 618,000 Americans crossed the border to visit friends and relatives in Canada, up 0.5%.
American residents spent $1.7 billion in Canada, down 10.2% from the second quarter of 2007.
Top three overseas destinations: United Kingdom, France and Cuba
The top three overseas destinations for Canadians making overnight visits were the United Kingdom, France and Cuba.
Canadians spent nearly $2.8 billion on their overnight trips, up 3.4% from the second quarter of 2007.
More overseas visitors coming to Canada
The number of overseas visitors taking overnight trips to Canada increased 6.2% in the second quarter of 2008 to just over 1.2 million.
The United Kingdom remained the top overseas country of origin with 232,000 overnight trips to Canada. France and Germany were next, with Japan dropping to fourth spot from second place a year earlier.
Japanese residents took 66,000 overnight trips to Canada in the second quarter of this year, down 16.5% from the same period in 2007. This was a continuation of a downward trend in the number of visitors from Japan.
Overall, overseas residents spent $1.6 billion on overnight trips in Canada, up 2.8% from the second quarter of 2007.
Table 1
Top 10 overseas countries of origin for travellers to Canada
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3152.
This release summarises data now available from the International Travel Survey. Tables, various statistical profiles and microdata files of characteristics of international travellers using preliminary second quarter 2008 data and revised first quarter 2008 data are now available on request.
Data on characteristics of international travellers for the third quarter of 2008 will be released on February 26, 2009.
To obtain one or more of these products, 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 Frances Kremarik (613-951-4240; fax: 613-951-2909; frances.kremarik@statcan.gc.ca), Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics.
Table 2
Overnight travel between Canada and other countries
