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An increase in travel from the United States to Canada more than offset a decline in travel from overseas countries in February. As a result, inbound travel climbed 2.3% from January to 2.2 million trips in February. Despite the increase, this remains one of the lowest levels since record keeping started in 1972.
United States residents made 1.0 million overnight trips to Canada in February, up 1.9% from the previous month. Overnight car and plane trips increased 3.0% and 1.5%, respectively, while overnight travel by other modes of transportation fell 2.6%.
Same-day car travel from the United States climbed to 754,000 trips, up 6.5% from January and the highest level since October 2008.
However, trips from countries other than the United States fell 4.4% to 373,000 in February, with most top overseas markets recording declines in travel to Canada. Travel from the United Kingdom, Canada's most important overseas market, fell 5.8%. Germany, which ranked third, recorded an 11.4% drop.
In the other direction, Canadian travel to both the United States and overseas countries increased in February. Canadians made 4.0 million trips outside the country in February, up 4.1% from January.
Canadian residents made 1.5 million overnight trips to the United States, up 3.2% from January. This was mainly the result of a 5.4% increase in overnight travel by car. Overnight plane travel slipped 0.4% while overnight travel by other modes of transportation rose 2.0%.
Same-day car travel to the United States increased 6.0% to 1.7 million trips. This was the first increase in six months.
Canadians also made 702,000 trips to non-US destinations in February, up 1.5% from January and the second highest monthly level ever.
Available on CANSIM: tables 427-0001 to 427-0006.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 5005.
The February 2009 issue of International Travel, Advance Information, Vol. 25, no. 2 (66-001-PWE, free), is now available from the Publications module of our website.
For more information, 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 Eric Desjardins (613-951-1781; eric.desjardins@statcan.gc.ca), Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics.
Table 1
| February 2008r | August 2008r | January 2009r | February 2009p | January to February 2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonally adjusted | |||||
| thousands | % change1 | ||||
| Canadian trips abroad2 | 4,384 | 4,452 | 3,807 | 3,965 | 4.1 |
| To the United States | 3,720 | 3,786 | 3,116 | 3,263 | 4.7 |
| To other countries | 665 | 666 | 692 | 702 | 1.5 |
| Same-day car trips to the United States | 2,053 | 2,104 | 1,649 | 1,748 | 6.0 |
| Total trips, one or more nights | 2,275 | 2,290 | 2,118 | 2,173 | 2.6 |
| United States3 | 1,611 | 1,624 | 1,426 | 1,471 | 3.2 |
| Car | 965 | 980 | 844 | 889 | 5.4 |
| Plane | 545 | 539 | 494 | 492 | -0.4 |
| Other modes of transportation | 101 | 105 | 89 | 90 | 2.0 |
| Other countries4 | 665 | 666 | 692 | 702 | 1.5 |
| Travel to Canada2 | 2,284 | 2,212 | 2,199 | 2,250 | 2.3 |
| From the United States | 1,882 | 1,807 | 1,809 | 1,877 | 3.8 |
| From other countries | 403 | 405 | 390 | 373 | -4.4 |
| Same-day car trips from the United States | 759 | 760 | 708 | 754 | 6.5 |
| Total trips, one or more nights | 1,428 | 1,358 | 1,389 | 1,392 | 0.3 |
| United States3 | 1,036 | 964 | 1,009 | 1,028 | 1.9 |
| Car | 603 | 554 | 607 | 626 | 3.0 |
| Plane | 305 | 287 | 285 | 289 | 1.5 |
| Other modes of transportation | 127 | 123 | 117 | 114 | -2.6 |
| Other countries4 | 392 | 394 | 380 | 364 | -4.2 |
| Travel to Canada: Top overseas markets, by country of origin5 | |||||
| United Kingdom | 76 | 72 | 68 | 64 | -5.8 |
| France | 34 | 40 | 34 | 33 | -1.1 |
| Germany | 28 | 29 | 30 | 27 | -11.4 |
| Mexico | 24 | 21 | 24 | 22 | -6.7 |
| Japan | 26 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 0.3 |
| Australia | 20 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 0.0 |
| China | 15 | 13 | 17 | 15 | -9.8 |
| South Korea | 19 | 17 | 14 | 13 | -8.5 |
| Hong Kong | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 10.3 |
| India | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | -3.2 |
| Netherlands | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | -2.9 |
| Italy | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | -3.1 |
