August 2012: the long and short of travel to Canada

Americans headed north in droves this past summer, according to latest CTC Tourism Snapshot

2012-11-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — Those lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer witnessed millions of international visitors to Canada. Approximately 2.5 million travellers came for an overnight trip to Canada in August 2012, reports the new Tourism Snapshot, just off the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)’s Research department’s presses, a 7% increase over the same month in 2011.

Here are some other salient facts and figures:

• The US market moved swiftly up through the gears in August 2012. More than 1.8 million Americans heard the siren call of the north, an 11% year-on-year gain. This was largely driven by a 14% acceleration in auto travel.
• The year-to-date numbers are equally encouraging: our American cousins took 8.5 million trips to Canada up to August 2012, up 3% on 2011.
• The 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London did not staunch the flow of Brits coming to Canada in August 2012, with the total number of UK visitors only dipping -1% on the previous year.
• The wind was not so fair in the France market, with 6% fewer Gallic consumers crossing the Atlantic to Canada in August 2012.
• Australians continued to head north to escape their winter in August 2012, with this market registering a rosy-cheeked 8% bump in arrivals to Canada.
• The Japan market regained its vigour in August 2012, showing 5% year-on-year growth, while the India market stayed sure and steady (up 1%).
• Elsewhere in Asia, the powerful China market flexed its muscles for a 16% rise in visitors to Canada in August 2012.
• There were tough times still in South Korea, this key market declining 9% in visitors to Canada.
• The Mexico market maintained its sunny disposition, with 10% more consumers taking a trip to Canada in August 2012.
• The country resounded to the closing of suitcases and zipping of backpacks in August 2012 as Canadians took 3.8 million trips abroad, a 6% year-on-year increase.
• Canadians got a bit twitchy again in August 2012. The Index of Consumer Confidence, released by The Conference Board of Canada, shuffled down 1.3 points to 75.6.
• Perhaps with an eye on the upcoming presidential election, Americans are hedging their bets. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index tumbled to 60.6, down 4.8 points on July 2012.

The Tourism Snapshot examines statistics and travel trends up to August 31, 2012, in CTC’s—and partners’—key global markets.

Read the Tourism Snapshot –August 2012 in full.

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