Leading indicator of international arrivals to Canada, July 2023
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Released: 2023-08-14
Highlights
In July 2023, the number of international arrivals to Canada, including non-resident trips and returning Canadian-resident trips, increased relative to July 2022. However, the number of arrivals has not yet reached the levels recorded in July 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of non-resident arrivals at Canadian airports equipped with electronic sensors reached 1.3 million in July 2023, up 28.0% from July 2022. Additionally, the number of Canadian-resident return trips from visiting abroad amounted to 1.3 million, up 18.3% from July 2022.
In July 2023, US-resident trips to Canada through land ports with electronic sensors totalled 1.8 million, up 47.0% from the same period the previous year. Furthermore, the number of Canadian-resident return trips from the United States via the same land ports increased by 44.0% to reach 2.6 million trips in July 2023.
To further explore current and historical data in an interactive format, please visit the Frontier Counts: Interactive Dashboard.
Non-resident trips to Canada by air
In July, the number of non-resident arrivals at Canadian airports equipped with primary inspection kiosks (PIKs) totalled 1.3 million, up 28.0% from July 2022 arrivals. This number includes both arrivals from overseas countries (662,000) and the United States (635,800).
Since July 2021, the number of non-resident arrivals by air also includes Toronto Pearson International Airport Terminal 1, which makes up a sizeable portion of total arrivals (see Note to readers). When data from Toronto Pearson International Airport Terminal 1 are excluded from the totals, non-resident arrivals recovered over nine-tenths (92.2%) of their July 2019 pre-pandemic volume in July 2023. This is up slightly from the 92.1% recovery rate observed in June 2023.
Chart 1
Non-resident trips to Canada by commercial aircraft, July, 2019 to 2023
US-resident trips to Canada by automobile
In July, the number of US-resident trips to Canada by automobile through land ports equipped with the Integrated Primary Inspection Line (IPIL) application reached 1.8 million, which is higher than the 1.2 million trips recorded in July 2022. The number of arrivals by automobile was over four-fifths (83.2%) of that observed in July 2019 and is lower than the 84.8% recovery rate posted in June 2023.
During the 2023 Canada Day weekend, 118,500 arrivals by US residents were observed on Saturday, July 1, representing a 51.4% increase compared with the average number of arrivals on the remaining four Saturdays in July. Furthermore, an additional 102,500 trips were already recorded on June 30, the Friday before the holiday.
Chart 2
United States-resident trips to Canada by automobile, July, 2019 to 2023
Canadian-resident return trips by air
In July, Canadian-resident return trips from abroad through airports equipped with PIKs totalled 1.3 million, up 18.3% compared with July 2022.
Again, the figure for July 2023 includes arrivals at Toronto Pearson International Airport Terminal 1 (see Note to readers). When arrivals at Toronto Pearson International Airport Terminal 1 are excluded, the number of return trips for the month was 4.4% higher than the pre-pandemic level observed in July 2019. This is an increase from the recovery observed in June 2023, when the number of return trips was 98.4% of the pre-pandemic level.
Chart 3
Canadian-resident return trips from abroad by commercial aircraft, July, 2019 to 2023
Canadian-resident return trips by automobile
In July, the number of Canadian-resident return trips from visiting the United States by automobile via IPIL-equipped land ports was 2.6 million, compared with 1.8 million trips in the same month of the previous year, representing a 44.0% increase.
In July 2023, the recovery rate of Canadian-resident return trips by automobile reached 86.8% of the 3.0 million trips observed in the same month in 2019. This was up from the 78.3% recovery rate posted in June 2023.
Chart 4
Canadian-resident return trips from the United States by automobile, July, 2019 to 2023
Note to readers
Additional levels of aggregation are available in tables 24-10-0057, 24-10-0058 and 24-10-0059.
This release provides a first glimpse of international arrivals to Canada in July 2023. Complete counts for the July reference month will be available with the release of "Travel between Canada and other countries" on September 22, 2023.
All counts of arrivals by air are from commercial aircraft and are produced exclusively using Primary Inspection Kiosk (PIK) data. PIKs were deployed at Toronto Pearson International Airport Terminal 1 on June 22, 2021, and, as of July 2021, these arrivals are included in the total counts, which has consequently improved coverage. In 2022, PIKs captured approximately 92% of all commercial air arrivals.
Counts of arrivals entering the country by automobile through land ports equipped with the automated Integrated Primary Inspection Line (IPIL) system represent a subset of US-resident trips and Canadian-resident return trips by automobile. In 2022, IPIL land ports captured approximately 89% of all automobile entries.
In January 2022, some IPIL ports switched mode from land to water. In 2019, arrivals at these ports accounted for a small fraction (0.7%) of all arrivals entering or returning to Canada by automobile.
Readers are encouraged to review the concepts, definitions, data sources and methods for Frontier Counts, especially when making historical comparisons and examining specific regions.
Selective estimates from the Canadian Tourism Activity Tracker for May 2023 are available upon request.
Products
The product "Frontier Counts: Interactive Dashboard," part of the Data Visualization Products series (71-607-X), is also 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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