Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world. Its cities are modern and diverse, making it a perfect destination for foodies, adventure seekers, cultural enthusiasts, and history buffs. The French-Canadian cities of Montreal and Quebec have fascinating European-style architecture to marvel at. Toronto and Vancouver are vibrant metropolises with rich performing arts scenes and multicultural experiences.
Toronto
VancouverThe tourism industry includes both domestic travel, in which residents of a country travel within that country, and international travel. It can also be broken down into the business and leisure travel segments. In Canada, total tourism expenditure reached a high of almost 100 billion Canadian dollars in 2019, a figure which has been growing steadily over the last decade. Tourism impacts many sectors, and this reported expenditure included money spent on transportation, accommodation, food and drink services, and other commodities as well.
Industries supported by tourism in Canada
Some of the primary industries supported by tourism in Canada are accommodation, food and drink services, and visitor attractions, such as national parks. The market size of the Canadian hotel and motel sector rose steadily over the last decade. However, it experienced a significant decline in 2020 due to travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The market size of the full service restaurant sector in Canada experienced a similar growing trend over the last decade but also saw a decline in 2020. Aside from visiting hotels and restaurants, tourists in Canada often traveled to Canada’s many national parks. In a ranking of the leading national parks in Canada by number of visitors, Banff National Park alone received over four million visitors in 2019. As a result of tourism’s presence in many industries, it may come as no surprise that the contribution of tourism to employment in Canada in 2019 was over 750 thousand jobs, a number that has risen in recent years.
Here are some additional tips for planning your trip:
- Canada is a large country, so it is important to plan your itinerary carefully. Decide which cities and regions you want to visit, and book your transportation and accommodation in advance.
- Canada has a continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters. Be sure to pack appropriate clothing for the time of year you are traveling.
- Canada uses the Canadian dollar. Be sure to exchange your currency for Canadian dollars before you go.
- Canada is a bilingual country, with English and French being the official languages. It is helpful to learn some basic French phrases before you go, especially if you are planning to visit Quebec.
Industries supported by tourism in Canada
Some of the primary industries supported by tourism in Canada are accommodation, food and drink services, and visitor attractions, such as national parks. The market size of the Canadian hotel and motel sector rose steadily over the last decade. However, it experienced a significant decline in 2020 due to travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The market size of the full service restaurant sector in Canada experienced a similar growing trend over the last decade but also saw a decline in 2020. Aside from visiting hotels and restaurants, tourists in Canada often traveled to Canada’s many national parks. In a ranking of the leading national parks in Canada by number of visitors, Banff National Park alone received over four million visitors in 2019. As a result of tourism’s presence in many industries it may come as no surprise that the contribution of tourism to employment in Canada in 2019 was over 750 thousand jobs, a number that has risen in recent years.