Canadian Tourism Commission reports international visitor numbers to Canada soared through the one-million barrier in May 2013

2013-08-06— /travelprnews.com/ — May 2013 was a merry month for the Canadian tourism industry. More than 1.4 million international travellers paid a visit to Canada, a 4% rise on the previous year, says the latest Tourism Snapshot, hot off the cyber presses from the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)’s Research department.

Some other key stats:

• Americans displayed a renewed thirst for Canadian adventures, taking just over one million overnight trips across the 49^th parallel, a 4% boost. Air travel (+7%) was the wind beneath this increase’s wings.
• In the first five month of 2013, Americans made 3.4 million trips to Canada, a 1% year-on-year gain.
• Better news from two of CTC’s European markets: France and Germany posted 8% and 2% gains respectively.
• The UK market remained stuck in a rut, with arrivals to Canada falling 4% in May 2013, the sixth consecutive month of declines.
• Growth from the China market seems to know no bounds: May 2013 witnessed another 23% surge in visitors to Canada over the previous year.
• Elsewhere in Asia, the Japan (+3%) and South Korea (+0.1%) markets saw more consumers take trips to Canada in May 2013.
• The India market remained under pressure due to a lack of direct air capacity, which accounted for a 7% fall in arrivals in May 2013.
• The Brazil market went nuts (again) for Canada in May 2013, notching a 10% year-on-year increase in trips to these shores.
• Outside CTC’s key international markets, increased air capacity from Hong Kong and Taiwan led to strong expansion in May 2013, with 8% and 30% gains respectively over 2012.
• Canadians had itchy feet in May 2013, taking 2.7 million trips outside their country, a 6% rise.
• Year-to-date May 2013, Canadians have already clocked 14.1 million outbound trips, up 3% on the previous year.
• Canadians felt more optimistic about the months ahead in May 2013. The Index of Consumer Confidence, released by The Conference Board of Canada, rose 5.1 points to 80.7.
• The only way is up is the mood in the US. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index climbed 7.2 points in May 2013 to reach 76.2.

The Tourism Snapshot examines statistics and travel trends up to May 31, 2013, in CTC’s—and partners’—key global markets.

Read the Tourism Snapshot –May 2013 in full

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