National tourism indicators, first quarter 2024
Released: 2024-06-26
$23.7 billion
First quarter 2024
1.8% 
(quarterly change)
$17.9 billion
First quarter 2024
1.9%
(quarterly change)
$5.8 billion
First quarter 2024
1.8%
(quarterly change)
1.59%
First quarter 2024
688,200
First quarter 2024
0.9%
(quarterly change)
Tourism spending in Canada grew 1.8% in the first quarter, following a 2.4% increase in the fourth quarter of 2023. Tourism gross domestic product (GDP) (+1.5%) and jobs attributable to tourism (+0.9%) also rose in the first quarter of 2024.
Increased tourism spending by both Canadians and international visitors in Canada contributed to the rise in the first quarter. Passenger air transport (+4.7%) contributed to nearly two-thirds of total tourism spending growth. Overall, tourism spending rose to 93.3% of its level recorded in the fourth quarter of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chart 1
Tourism spending increases
Tourism GDP rose 1.5% in the first quarter of 2024, following a 2.2% increase in the fourth quarter of 2023. Transportation services (+5.3%) was the main contributor to the overall growth in the first quarter of 2024. Economy-wide, real GDP by industry rose 0.6% in the first quarter. On a nominal basis, tourism's share of GDP increased to 1.59%.
Chart 2
Tourism and major industrial sectors, gross domestic product, first quarter of 2024
Tourism jobs increased 0.9% in the first quarter, following a 1.3% gain in the fourth quarter of 2023. Accommodation (+1.6%) and food and beverage (+0.8%) services industries were the largest contributors to job growth in the first quarter of 2024. The total number of jobs in Canada also rose 0.9% in the first quarter, resulting in tourism's share of jobs being unchanged.
Chart 3
Tourism gross domestic product and jobs attributable to tourism increase
Tourism spending by international visitors increases
Tourism spending by international visitors in Canada increased 1.8% in the first quarter, following a 4.0% increase in the fourth quarter of the previous year. Spending on accommodation (+2.0%) and food and beverage (+2.0%) services were the main contributors to the first quarter's increase. Overall, non-resident travellers entering Canada increased 1.7%.
Chart 4
Share of tourism spending in Canada by international visitors edges down
Tourism spending in Canada by Canadians increases
Tourism spending in Canada by Canadians was up 1.9% in the first quarter, following a similar increase in the fourth quarter of 2023 (+1.8%). Domestic tourism spending on passenger air transport (+5.5%) was by far the main contributor to the rise in the first quarter of 2024.
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Sustainable development goals
On January 1, 2016, the world officially began implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—the United Nations' transformative plan of action that addresses urgent global challenges over the next 15 years. The plan is based on 17 specific sustainable development goals.
The national tourism indicators are an example of how Statistics Canada supports the reporting on the global goals for sustainable development. This release will be used in helping to measure the following goal:
Note to readers
With the first quarter 2024 release of the national tourism indicators, all data starting from the first quarter of 2023 have been revised.
Growth rates for tourism spending and gross domestic product (GDP) are expressed in real terms (that is, adjusted for price changes), using reference year 2017, as well as adjusted for seasonal variations, unless otherwise indicated.
Tourism jobs data are also seasonally adjusted.
Tourism's share of economy-wide GDP is calculated from seasonally adjusted nominal values.
Tourism's share of economy-wide jobs is calculated using seasonally adjusted values.
Economy-wide GDP is obtained from Table 36-10-0449-01. Economy-wide total number of jobs is obtained from Table 36-10-0207-01. Non-resident travellers entering Canada are obtained from Table 24-10-0054-01.
For information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonally adjusted data – Frequently asked questions.
Associated percentage changes are presented at quarterly rates unless otherwise noted.
Non-tourism industries, also referred to as other industries, are industries that would continue to exist in the absence of tourism. For example, retail trade industries, which benefit from tourism activity, would not cease to exist in the absence of tourism. Tourism GDP takes into account the production of these products purchased by tourists.
Non-tourism products, also referred to as other products, are products for which a significant part of its total demand in Canada does not come from visitors, such as groceries, clothing and alcohol bought in stores.
The national tourism indicators are funded by Destination Canada.
Next release
Data on the national tourism indicators for the second quarter of 2024 will be released on September 23.
Products
The Economic accounts statistics portal, accessible from the Subjects module of the Statistics Canada website, features an up-to-date portrait of national and provincial economies and their structure.
The Latest Developments in the Canadian Economic Accounts (13-605-X) is available.
The User Guide: Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts (13-606-G) is available.
The Methodological Guide: Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts (13-607-X) is available.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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