Canada moved closer to pre-pandemic travel volumes in October, as nearly 2.3 million non-resident visitors entered the country and more than four million Canadian residents returned from trips abroad.
Non-resident arrivals for the month reached 93 percent of the count observed in October 2019, signaling a continued rebound in international tourism. Meanwhile, travel by Canadian residents abroad topped 95 percent of the 2019 benchmark. Despite slight monthly fluctuations, the overall trend shows Canadians and foreign visitors crossing borders in numbers not seen in nearly five years.
United States residents made 1.8 million trips north of the border in October, an 8.2 per cent jump from a year earlier. More than half arrived by automobile — about 1.2 million travellers — with same-day trips accounting for just over half of those vehicle entries.
Air arrivals comprised close to a quarter of all U.S. trips to Canada. The 421,400 air travellers in October marked a 10.6 per cent increase from October 2023 and sat at 95.3 per cent of levels recorded just before COVID-19 restrictions took hold. By contrast, cruise-ship and other commercial boat arrivals dropped 18.2 per cent year over year, though they remained above the volume seen at the same point in 2019.
Niagara Falls, Windsor and Vancouver continued to be the busiest crossing points for Americans entering Canada by car in October. For flights, Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and Calgary served as the top gateways.
Arrivals from outside the United States totaled 491,300, down 3.6 per cent from October 2023 but still representing 86.4 per cent of pre-pandemic traffic. Of those overseas visitors, more than three-quarters arrived by plane.
Britain, France and China ranked as the top sources of travelers from overseas, combining for nearly one-third of the month’s total. On Canadian soil, Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and Calgary airports saw 96.4 per cent of all air arrivals from overseas.
Canadians made 4.1 million trips outside the country, reflecting a 4.7 per cent increase from the same period last year and sitting at 95.1 per cent of October 2019 numbers.
More than half of Canadians’ international excursions were to the United States by car. Among those 2.3 million road trips, two-thirds were same-day visits. Southwestern Ontario, the Vancouver region and Niagara-area crossings were the top exit points.
Air travel accounted for 1.7 million Canadian trips abroad in October, an increase of 6.1 per cent over last year. Notably, this segment was seven per cent higher than October 2019 levels, with the busiest return airports in Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and Calgary.
Seasonally adjusted figures show a modest 0.8 per cent uptick in non-resident arrivals compared with September, driven by a surge in same-day visits. Meanwhile, entries by returning Canadians dropped by 0.6 per cent overall, largely due to fewer automobile trips from the United States.
Breakdowns by region underline the fluid nature of overseas travel trends. While arrivals from Africa climbed 23.6 per cent from September to October, the number of visitors from Asia and Europe shrank marginally.
The near-return to 2019 travel levels in October underscores the gradual resumption of global tourism following pandemic disruptions. Analysts say the reopening of borders and pent-up demand continue to shape both visitor volumes and Canadians’ trip patterns.