Tourism in Canada is a major economic driver in the service sector, attracting millions of visitors and supporting approximately 10% of the national labor force. In recent years, statistics show that Canada has received over 20 million international tourists annually. The summer months are especially popular for travellers both domestically and internationally. Tourism and supporting industries contributed over $100 billion to the Canadian national economy in 2024. The sector supports nearly 1.8 million Canadians working in tourism-related fields.

Domestic tourism in Canada is the principal economic driver of the sector, with statistics indicating that, in 2024, about 70% of all tourism spending came from Canadian residents exploring their own country. Domestic statistics also indicate that travel within provinces is prevalent, with residents supporting local businesses and attractions. Land border crossings by United States citizens has historically been the largest source of inbound tourists, followed by international airline travel from the United Kingdom and other European countries. Visitors from Asia have become more popular in recent decades. Passport holders from over 50 visa-exempt countries and nationals who require a visa can visit Canada for up to six months at a time.

Federal, provincial, municipal and local government initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable tourism and attracting foreign tourists play a major role in the industry. Canada is known for its safety and security, attracting tourists through its natural features (e.g., Niagara Falls), festivals (e.g., Calgary stampede), arts (e.g., Toronto International Film Festival), heritage sites, (e.g., Quebec city) sporting events (e.g.,Grey Cup), amusement parks (e.g., Canada's Wonderland) and its diverse culture (e.g., Caribbean Carnival).

Canada's national parks like Banff and Jasper see millions of visitors annually, drawn by their landscapes and outdoor activities. Provincial parks including Algonquin Provincial Park, Bow Valley Provincial Park and Cabot Beach Provincial Park also attract a multitude of visitors annually. Natural wonders such as, Great Bear Rainforest, the Northern Lights, Hopewell Rocks, Sandbanks and Moraine Lake attract a variety of international and domestic tourist throughout the year. The country is home to numerous historical and cultural national museums and galleries, such as the Canadian Museum of History, Canadian Museum for Human Rights and National Gallery of Canada. Provincial museums that attract significance amount of tourist include, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Royal British Columbia Museum and the Nova Scotia museum system.

Statistics

Canada ranks among the safest countries in the world for tourists by multiple indexes. According to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, that measure the attractiveness and potential of countries for investment and development in the travel and tourism sector, ranks Canada 11th out of 116 countries studied. The index also shows that Canada has a low standing when it comes to price competitiveness, coming in at 101 out of 116 countries looked at globally.

According to various sources tourism related industries contributed between $104.4 billion, to $129.7 billion to the Canadian economy. Resulting in GDP contributions of approximately $41.0 billion to $50.8 billion.

In 2024, total spending by visitors from the U. S. was $15.6 billion (78.7% of trips), while overseas visitors spent $12.9 billion (21.3% of trips). Canadians spent a total of $74.8 billion while travelling within Canada, with the highest spending on transportation (34.3%), followed by food and beverages (25.8%), accommodations (21.6%), recreation and entertainment (9.4%), clothing and gifts (3.7%), and other expenses (5.2%). Conversely, visitors from abroad spent most on accommodations (35.8%), food and beverages (26.6%), and transportation (13.2%).

Ontario was the most visited province in Canada, receiving 39.8% of Canadian visitors and 41.8% of visitors from abroad. Quebec followed with 20.3% of Canadian visitors and 14.8% of international visitors, while British Columbia received 11.9% of Canadian visitors and 26.7% of visitors from abroad. Text was copied from this source, which is available under the Statistics Canada Open Licence

Canadians made a total of 42.9 million visits abroad, with the top five countries visited being the United States (30.2 million visits), Mexico (2.2 million), the Dominican Republic (1.0 million), the United Kingdom (829,000), and Italy (784,000). Visitors from other countries made 29.8 million trips to Canada, primarily from the United States (23.5 million), followed by the United Kingdom (843,000), France (642,000), India (439,000), and Mexico (432,000).

In 2023, non-Canadian visitors made 27.2 million trips to Canada, with U.S. residents contributing the most, accounting for 21.2 million of those trips. The total spending by tourists reached $12.9 billion for U.S. residents and $12.6 billion for overseas visitors.

Historical data

Historically, tourists to Canada were predominantly Americans, making up 98% of visitors in 1947. By 2015, this number dropped to 70%, reflecting a rise in overseas tourists. The number of overseas visitors grew faster than U. S. tourists over the decades. Between 1960 and 1970, there was a notable increase of over six times in overseas tourists, while American tourist numbers decreased during the 1970s. Text was copied from this source, which is available under the Statistics Canada Open Licence

In 1946, around 4 million tourists visited Canada, and this number grew to over 15 million by 1967, largely due to the rise in commercial air travel. The visitor count continued to increase until 2002 when it topped 20 million, before experiencing a decline largely caused by a drop in American tourists. Factors that contributed to this downturn included the SARS outbreak in 2003, the rise in the Canadian dollar, stricter ID laws introduced in 2009, and the global recession of 2008–2009. After these challenges, tourism numbers rebounded to nearly 18 million in 2015.

From 1960 to 1970, the number of overseas tourists increased more than sixfold. Conversely, American tourist numbers grew by only 55% during the 1960s and fell by 16% in the 1970s. The trend of increasing overseas tourists continued into the late 1990s, reaching 4 million for the first time during that decade.

The number of trips taken by Canadians abroad also increased significantly. From 1946 to 1960, trips to both the U. S. and overseas more than tripled. This growth continued, peaking at nearly 35 million trips by 2014. Travel trends for Canadians have often mirrored the value of the Canadian dollar; when the dollar depreciated in the 1990s, trips abroad declined, but this figure rose again after 2002 as the dollar appreciated.

Canada welcomed 32 million visitors in 2019, with Toronto and Vancouver drawing the most attention. However, the COVID-19 epidemic had a significant influence on the tourism sector. April 2020 was the first complete month when countries around the world started to limit border access, which nearly halted international travel to and from Canada. The count of arrivals from countries other than the United States dropped by 96.6%, and those coming from the United States decreased by 96.8%. Text was copied from this source, which is available under the Statistics Canada Open Licence By June 2022, over two years later, and the number of international travellers arriving at Canadian airports was almost back to what it was before the pandemic hit. It was estimated that 846,700 non-resident visitors came in, which was a big jump from the 26,200 arrivals seen in June 2021. Canadians accounted for 85.8% of all tourism spending in early 2022, including 315,400 foreign visitors to Canada in May 2022. Almost ten times as many American tourists visited Canada in May compared to the year before, and similar increases were seen from other countries. In May 2019, 73.6% of all air travel comprised 593,200 Canadians who travelled to the United States.

Government initiatives

The Canadian government and private businesses have a long tradition of promoting tourism from abroad. Destination Canada was created in 1995 and reports to the Minister of Small Business and Tourism and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. It sponsors marketing campaigns domestically and in Australia, China, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, United Kingdom and the United States.

In 2023 the federal government allocated $108 million over three years to support tourism initiatives across the country. This financing is intended to help small businesses, non-profits, and both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities improve their tourism products. The distribution of funds are directed to "provincial and regional tourism associations, government agencies, hoteliers, tour operators, airlines and attractions managers".

Provincial and municipal governments also have programs to assist in the promotion of tourism, such as "The Experience Ontario program", which helps coordinate community events and offers financial support to festival organizers, non-profits, and municipalities for impactful celebrations, such as Canada Day. Small grants are also available through various provincial and municipal initiatives to support environmental and sustainability projects related to ecotourism.

Ecotourism

Ecotourism, which emphasizes low-impact appreciation of nature, is gaining traction, with 82% of Canadians showing interest in it. A survey by Deloitte - Future of Canada centre found that 54% of Canadians are interested in Indigenous experiences, such as cultural workshops and traditional accommodations. Canada made up 2.2% of the world's ecotourism market in 2023. The ecotourism industry in Canada brought in a total of US$5,296.3 million in 2023.

Organizations like Parks Canada and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) support local communities to bolster tourism. Destination Canada joined the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) in late 2023. Ecotourism hotspots include Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, Manitoulin Island in Ontario, the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, Torngat Mountains National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador for Inuit culture, and Wanuskewin in Saskatchewan for Plains Cree culture and bison restoration efforts.

National parks

Provincial parks

World Heritage Sites

National Historic Sites

Festivals, sporting events and amusement parks

Canada has a long tradition of hosting festivals and events throughout the year. The industry adds over $33 billion to the country's economy and provides jobs for more than 229,000 people in areas like business events, trade fairs, festivals, and meetings. Popular festivals include the summer's Montreal Jazz Festival and Calgary Stampede, Winterlude in Ottawa-Gatineau during the winter, and nationwide celebrations for Canada Day. Other notable festivals include the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Vancouver Pride Parade and Just For Laughs comedy festival. The Canadian National Exhibition is an annual fair that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto with approximately 1.6 million visitors each year, it's Canada's largest annual community event and one of the top fairs in North America.