Tourism Numbers Down in Canada
Wednesday, June 11th, 2009
It seems that Mexico is not the only neighbor of the United States that is suffering from tourism troubles. Travel to the north - Canada - has also been down. More Americans are choosing Canada for travel but it has not been enough to push the sagging tourism industry above the historic lows that it now faces.The changing rules for crossing the border may hurt the tourism industry further. Currently those citizens driving across the border from the United States to Canada only have to produce a birth certificate. Starting in July everyone will have to have a passport in order to cross the border.
Overnight trips to Canada have increased in the last several months. It can be an easy and interesting alternative to visiting different states. The change of policy for passports may force these overnight trips to come to a halt for many travelers - particularly those caught off guard by the change.
Canadians are not helping their own stalled tourism industry for the most part. They ARE traveling more, but the rise in travel has been to destinations outside the country. Overnight trips by Canadians to the United States are also up.
Canada has seen a rise in its tourism industry since the 1970's when records were first kept. The recent numbers have been the lowest since that time. The numbers from overseas have seen the largest drop. The United Kingdom is typically one of the strongest markets for Canada. Travelers from the United Kingdom to Canada dropped almost 6%.
Many countries and the tourism industry are looking to special packages and incentives to boost travelers. Most, including Canada, are hoping that the typical peak travel season of summer will bring good news.