Canadians are traveling less and exploring more international destinations: Statistics Canada.

With fewer travelers seeking stays in domestic tourist destinations, property owners must contend with increasing competition.

30/08/2024 - The total number of trips taken by Canadians saw a slight decrease, according to data released on Wednesday, August 28, by Statistics Canada, for the first quarter of 2024. There was a reduction in domestic travel and travel to the United States, while trips to international destinations, excluding the U.S., increased significantly. This increase may be contributing to the more pronounced decline in domestic travel.

Domestic tourism in Canada is crucial for the accommodation sector, with recent data indicating that 62.57% of the demand for accommodations comes from local tourists. This means that the decrease in domestic travel could directly impact the generation of bookings for accommodations. The second quarter 2024 data is expected to be released by November.

Reduction in Travel

• All Trips: In the first quarter of 2024, the total number of trips taken by Canadians to all destinations was 66.275 million, a number that remained practically stable compared to the 66.482 million trips during the same period in 2023, but still below the peaks of summer 2023.
• Domestic Destinations: Specifically, trips within Canada fell to 56.755 million, a 2.5% decrease compared to the 58.207 million trips in the first quarter of 2023, a drop of 1.452 million trips. Despite this, domestic trips continue to dominate, accounting for 86% of the total.
• United States: The downward trend also extended to travel to the United States, which fell from 6.872 million in the first quarter of 2023 to 5.970 million in the first quarter of 2024. Leisure trips to the U.S., in particular, dropped significantly from 3.789 million to 2.908 million.
• Other International Destinations: Conversely, trips to destinations outside North America grew from 2.234 million in the first quarter of 2023 to 3.549 million in the first quarter of 2024, a significant increase of 58.86%. The net increase of 1.315 million trips is comparable to the number of domestic trips that were not made (1.452 million).

Stay competitive with CHECKiN

As Canadians seek to explore more distant and exotic destinations, traditional domestic and neighboring country trips are being postponed. Attractive prices for longer trips, compared to those for travel within North America, along with the desire for new experiences and the resurgence of confidence in international travel after the pandemic restrictions, seem to be driving this trend.

With fewer travelers seeking stays in the country's tourist destinations, property owners need to face growing competition. To stand out, it is essential to invest in professional services and adopt intelligent pricing strategies, ensuring bookings and profitability compatible with real estate investments. The specialized services offered by CHECKiN can be key to thriving in a challenging market. Read more about CHECKiN services here.