CTC, September 2012: the brass tacks of travel to Canada

Overall international visitor numbers dropped gently like fall leaves, says latest CTC Tourism Snapshot

2012-12-05 — /travelprnews.com/ — You can never rest on your laurels in the international tourism marketplace. The new Tourism Snapshot released by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)’s Research department reveals that 1.7 million international travellers came to Canada in September 2012, a 3% year-on-year dip.

Here are some other key stats:

• The UK market suffered a bad case of the moody blues in September 2012, with overnight arrivals to Canada tumbling 9%.
• CTC’s other European markets were also looking peaky: France (-6%) and Germany (-3%) both saw fewer consumers taking trips west across the Atlantic to Canada in September 2012.
• The Australia market stayed full of vim and vigour in September, notching a 14% rise in overnight trips to Canada. Year-to-date, the stats look equally encouraging, showing a 6% boost over 2011.
• After accelerating the previous month, the US market hit the brakes in September 2012. A 2% overall decline in overnighters to Canada was predominantly caused by a 6% decline in auto travel.
• However, the year-to-date figures show that 9.7 million Americans have crossed the 49^th parallel, up 3% on the same period in 2011.
• Mixed news from CTC’s key Asian markets in September 2012: the pace of growth slowed to 6% from China; India posted an encouraging 5% rise in overnight trips to Canada; Japan suffered a 2% dip; and South Korea endured another tough month, with visitor numbers shrinking by 12%, the seventh straight month of decline.
• After a long period on the up and up, the Mexico market took a little stumble in September 2012, with overnight trips to Canada dropping by 2%.
• Canadians headed to passport control in ever-increasing numbers in September 2012, taking 2.6 million trips abroad, up 8% on the previous year.
• Optimism flowed freely in Canada once again in September 2012. The Index of Consumer Confidence, released by The Conference Board of Canada, leapt 6.7 points to the heady heights of 82.2.
• Americans also had a spring in their steps in September 2012. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index strode purposefully forwards to 70.3, up nine points on August.

The Tourism Snapshot examines statistics and travel trends up to Sept. 30, 2012, in CTC’s—and partners’ — key global markets.

Read the Tourism Snapshot –September 2012 in full.

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