Canada’s Tourism Industry Has Robust Summer

Canada’s tourism industry experienced a healthy summer with international Visa cardholders spending US$3.6 billion in Canada, according to the 2015 Summer Travel Snapshot released by Visa Canada and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC).

For the first time, the uniquely detailed report broke down US spending by state revealing that California, New York and Washington were the top source markets.

The 2015 Summer Travel Snapshot (May through September) uses data collected by international Visa card holders to reveal other interesting findings including:

• The top 10 Canadian cities visited by travellers from the top five inbound countries – USA, China, France, the UK, and Germany.
• Insights into the categories of spending from international visitors including the revelation that international visitors spend almost 10 times more on restaurants than fast food restaurants.

“The Travel Snapshot report gives the tourism industry unique insight into international Visa cardholders’ spending in Canada. Information on spending categories, cities visited and US state of origin are vital as we work to strengthen Canada’s competitiveness as a top global destination,” said TIAC president and CEO Charlotte Bell.

Tourism is an $88 billion industry that employs Canadians in every region of the country. In 2014, 80% of tourism revenue came from domestic travellers. However, with international visitors spending on average three times more than their domestic counterparts, TIAC is looking to boost international travel and capitalize on this booming industry.

For a look at the full report, visit http://bit.ly/1MsM09Z.