Majority of Canadians haven’t travelled beyond their province, survey says

A new survey from Go RVing Canada – a non-profit that represents the RVing industry in Canada – reveals most Canadians have or plan to explore Canada this year, many for the first time.

The study found an interesting gap between desire and experience: Almost eight in 10 Canadians say they’re interested in exploring more of Canada, however, nearly half (43%) haven’t ever ventured beyond their home province.

For those who haven’t yet explored Canada, there seems to be a lack of awareness, inspiration or urgency– 42 per cent say it’s because they just don’t know where to go, while 64 per cent admit they simply haven’t gotten around to planning a trip yet. With the majority of Canadians who are planning a trip this year set to travel within Canada (nearly 65 per cent), 2025 is primed to be the perfect time to seize the opportunity to broaden the Canadian travel landscape.

“It’s inspiring to see so much patriotism among Canadians this year, especially when it comes to supporting domestic travel and local businesses,” said Chris Mahony, President of Go RVing Canada. “But it’s surprising how many of us haven’t truly experienced all that Canada has to offer. We’re challenging Canadians to turn that patriotic spirit into action this year—get out there, hit the road, and explore this incredible country for yourself.”

Where are Canadians going?

For those with domestic travel plans this year, across the board, Canadians are mostly travelling within their home province, while some are venturing further, crossing provincial borders in search of new experiences. Here’s where Canadians plan to explore this year as part of domestic travel plans:

• Ontario leads the pack as the most sought-after province for Canadians to visit. More than one-third of Canadian travellers are planning to visit the province for their domestic getaway. Quebec is second, with over one in four planning to explore “La Belle Province,” followed by British Columbia, attracting a quarter of domestic travellers.
• Quebeckers are staying put. With 78 per cent planning their domestic getaway within Quebec, residents of the province are the most likely in the country to stay close to home for their domestic travel plans. For those venturing beyond provincial borders, top destinations include Ontario (18 per cent) and New Brunswick (13%).
• British Columbians and Ontarians stay local…until they don’t! About 70 per cent of residents in each province planning a Canadian vacation are opting for a staycation within their borders this year.  But once they hit the road, they go big: roughly 20 per cent from both provinces are planning cross-country trips for a Canadian vacation, with B.C. residents eyeing Ontario and vice versa.
• Albertans are the most adventurous. Just 55 per cent plan to travel within Alberta when it comes to domestic travel—the lowest staycation rate in the country—while 43 per cent are looking beyond provincial borders – B.C. (34%) and Ontario (23%) top Albertans’ Canadian travel wish lists.