National tourism indicators, third quarter 2014
Archived Content
Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.
Released: 2015-01-08
Tourism spending in Canada rose 1.3% in the third quarter, the sixth consecutive increase and the largest gain since the first quarter of 2010.
Increased tourism spending by Canadians at home and by international visitors in Canada contributed to the overall gain.
Chart 1
Tourism spending in Canada grows at fastest pace since the first quarter of 2010
Tourism spending by Canadians up again
Tourism spending by Canadians at home rose 1.1% in the third quarter, following a 0.2% gain in the previous quarter. Over the last three years, quarterly growth has averaged 0.5%.
Outlays on passenger air transport were up 2.5%, contributing the most to the increase in spending by Canadians at home. Food and beverage services (+0.4%) were also higher. Spending on non-tourism goods and services such as clothing increased 3.2%.
Conversely, recreation and entertainment (-1.1%), vehicle fuel (-0.4%) and accommodation (-0.3%) declined.
Chart 2
Increased tourism spending by Canadians at home
Spending by international visitors increases
Spending by international visitors in Canada rose 1.7% in the third quarter, after increasing 3.6% in the previous quarter. Despite the slowdown, quarterly growth was among the strongest in the last three years.
Spending on most tourism goods and services was up, with passenger air transport (+3.4%), accommodation (+1.8%) and food and beverage services (+2.0%) as the largest contributors. Outlays on recreation and entertainment declined 0.5%.
Overnight travel from overseas countries was up 4.7% in the third quarter, contributing to the increase in spending by international visitors.
Chart 3
Tourism spending by international visitors rises
Tourism gross domestic product expands
Tourism gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.7% in the third quarter, continuing an upward trend that began in the third quarter of 2009. By comparison, the national GDP increased 0.6% in the third quarter.
Among tourism industries, transportation (+2.1%) and food and beverage services (+1.1%) contributed the most to the increase in tourism GDP. Other tourism industries (such as travel services as well as recreation and entertainment) declined 1.0%. Tourism GDP in non-tourism industries increased 0.8%.
Tourism employment edged up 0.2% to 627,300 jobs in the third quarter. This was the 10th consecutive increase in tourism jobs.
Job growth was mostly due to a 1.3% gain in the food and beverage services industry. Accommodation was up 0.3%. Tourism jobs in non-tourism industries also increased 0.3%.
Employment was down in both the travel services (-3.0%) and the air transportation (-1.9%) industries.
Note to readers
Growth rates of tourism spending and gross domestic product are expressed in real terms (that is, adjusted for price changes) as well as adjusted for seasonal variations, unless otherwise indicated. Employment data are also seasonally adjusted. Associated percentage changes are presented at quarterly rates, unless otherwise indicated.
With the third quarter 2014 release of the National tourism indicators, all data for the first and second quarters of 2014 have been revised. Revised data can be obtained from CANSIM.
The National tourism indicators are funded by the Canadian Tourism Commission.
The System of macroeconomic accounts module, accessible from the Browse by key resource module of our website, features an up-to-date portrait of national and provincial economies and their structure.
Data on the National tourism indicators for the fourth quarter of 2014 will be released on March 27, 2015.
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 (613-951-4636; statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@canada.ca).
- Date modified: