Leading indicator of international arrivals to Canada, August 2023
Released: 2023-09-12
Highlights
In August 2023, the number of international arrivals to Canada—non-resident trips and returning Canadian-resident trips—increased from August 2022. However, the number of arrivals for the four indicators has not yet returned to the levels observed in August 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of non-resident arrivals at Canadian airports equipped with electronic sensors totalled 1.1 million in August 2023, up 27.7% from August 2022. Meanwhile, the number of Canadian-resident return trips from abroad stood at 1.5 million, a 16.9% increase from August 2022.
In August 2023, US-resident trips to Canada through land ports with electronic sensors reached 1.7 million, up 49.0% from the same month in 2022. Moreover, the number of Canadian-resident return trips from the United States via the same land ports rose 42.0% year over year to 2.8 million trips in August 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 August, the number of non-resident arrivals at Canadian airports equipped with Primary Inspection Kiosks (PIKs) totalled 1.1 million, an increase of 27.7% from August 2022. This includes both arrivals from overseas countries (543,700) and the United States (523,300).
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 four-fifths (81.6%) of their August 2019 pre-pandemic volume in August 2023. This is down 10.6 percentage points from the 92.2% recovery rate observed in July 2023.
Chart 1
Non-resident trips to Canada by commercial aircraft, August, 2019 to 2023
US-resident trips to Canada by automobile
In August, the number of US-resident trips entering into Canada by automobile through land ports equipped with the Integrated Primary Inspection Line (IPIL) application reached 1.7 million, an increase from 1.1 million trips recorded in August 2022. The number of arrivals by automobile in August 2023 accounts for almost three-quarters (74.8%) of the number of arrivals observed in August 2019. This is below the recovery rate of 83.2% posted in July 2023.
Chart 2
United States-resident trips to Canada by automobile, August, 2019 to 2023
Canadian-resident return trips by air
In August, Canadian-resident return trips from abroad through airports equipped with PIKs stood at 1.5 million, up 16.9% from August 2022.
Again, the figure for August 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 represented 98.7% of the pre-pandemic levels observed in August 2019. This is lower than the recovery rate of 104.4% observed in July 2023.
Chart 3
Canadian-resident return trips from abroad by commercial aircraft, August, 2019 to 2023
Canadian-resident return trips by automobile
In August, the number of Canadian-resident return trips by automobile from visiting the United States via IPIL-equipped land ports was 2.8 million, compared with 2.0 million trips in the same month of the previous year, representing a 42.0% increase.
In August 2023, the recovery rate of Canadian-resident return trips by automobile stood at 84.7% of the 3.3 million trips observed in the same month in 2019. This is lower than the 86.8% recovery rate posted in July 2023.
Chart 4
Canadian-resident return trips from the United States by automobile, August, 2019 to 2023
Note to readers
This release provides a first glimpse of international arrivals to Canada in August 2023. Complete counts for the August reference month will be available with the release of "Travel between Canada and other countries" on October 23, 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 June 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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