Canadian travellers are choosing to explore their own backyard in record numbers, according to new data from Statistics Canada. The second quarter of 2025 saw a significant boom in domestic tourism, a surge that came largely at the expense of trips south of the border.
Domestic Travel Soars in Q2
From April to June 2025, Canadian residents took a staggering 90.6 million trips that included a domestic visit. This represents a massive jump from the 67.6 million domestic trips taken in the first quarter. On a year-over-year basis, domestic travel within Canada increased by 10.9 per cent.
The breakdown shows that same-day trips led the charge, rising 12.4 per cent to 58.6 million visits. Overnight domestic trips also saw strong growth, increasing 8.4 per cent to 32.0 million. This surge in travel translated directly into spending, as Canadians poured $20.3 billion into the domestic tourism economy during the quarter, a 13.5 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
A Sharp Decline in U.S. Border Crossings
While travel within Canada flourished, international trips told a different story. Overall, Canadian residents took 99.3 million trips both at home and abroad in Q2, an 8.5 per cent annual increase. However, the number of trips outside the country fell by 12.1 per cent.
The primary driver of this decline was a steep drop in visits to the United States. Statistics Canada reported that Canadians took only 5.6 million trips to the U.S. in the second quarter, a dramatic year-over-year decrease of 21.6 per cent. Spending during these U.S. visits totalled $4.8 billion, down 14.9 per cent from 2024. On average, Canadians spent $125 per same-day visit to the U.S.
International Visitors to Canada Also Dip
The travel shift wasn't entirely one-sided. The data also indicates a slight cooling in inbound tourism. The total number of trips by non-residents to Canada was eight million from April to June, a 3.1 per cent decrease compared to the previous year.
Visitors from the United States accounted for most of this decline, with 6.1 million trips marking a 5.6 per cent drop. In contrast, there was a bright spot from overseas markets, where visitors increased by 5.8 per cent to 1.9 million trips.
This quarterly snapshot from Statistics Canada paints a clear picture of changing travel patterns. Economic factors, exchange rates, and a renewed interest in local destinations appear to be keeping Canadian tourists—and their dollars—closer to home, reshaping the North American tourism landscape.
