Destination Canada's Traveller Segmentation Program identifies diverse "Highly Engaged Guest" segments based on psychographics, economic value, and responsible values. Key segments include Outdoor Explorers, Culture Seekers, Refined Globetrotters, and Purpose-Driven Families. The program details each segment's motivations, travel values, preferred destinations, activities, travel frequency, age demographics, market size, and seasonality, providing insights for targeted tourism strategies.

Designed for tourism industry stakeholders and Canadians who want to understand the future trajectory of growth for Canada’s tourism industry, it’s an online visualization of the projected growth of tourism spending and visitation.

The following data provides a breakdown of past travel behaviour of Canadian travellers, future travel intentions, and likely type of future trips within Canada or internationally.

Created in collaboration with Tourism Economics, Destination Canada’s Tourism Outlook model forecasts future tourism visitation and spending driven by domestic and international travel. 

Mexico is a crucial market for Canada, showing rapid post-pandemic recovery (113% of 2019 visits in 2023). However, a 2024 visa requirement caused a 28% decline in visits. Spending is projected to remain strong (111% of 2019 levels by 2025), but visits won't fully recover until 2028. Key target segments are "Refined Globetrotters" and "Outdoor Explorers." Canada needs to reinforce its "open and friendly" image to maintain resilience.

The 2023 Global Traveller Research Program highlights South Korean travelers' interest in Canada, projecting 8.2 million visitors in the next two years. Key interests include local cuisine, nature walks, natural attractions, and Indigenous culinary/nature/arts experiences, with Fall being a popular season. Distance and cost are top barriers. Most past travelers visited with a spouse and used travel agents for booking. Québec, Ontario, and British Columbia are the most likely provinces to be visited.

Australia is a critical market for Canada. Spending recovered to 2019 levels in 2023 ($820M), but full visitor volume recovery is projected by 2029. Economic factors and potential 2025 disruption are noted. Two priority segments, "Refined Globetrotters" and "Outdoor Explorers," are crucial, seeking luxury/unique experiences and adventure/nature, respectively, driving significant spend and visitation.

South Korea is vital for Canada's tourism recovery. Spending is projected to reach 2019 levels by 2026 ($478M from 205K visitors), with visitation recovering by 2030. Key segments include "Refined Globetrotters" (seeking luxury, high spend) and "Outdoor Explorers" (adventure-focused). Popular regions are BC, ON, QC. Travel agents are frequently used for booking and research.

French travelers show strong interest in Canada (6.8M potential in 2 years), valuing its safety, diverse activities, and Indigenous tourism (2nd globally). Quebec & Ontario are top destinations, popular in summer/fall/spring. AI is gaining traction for planning, but traditional booking methods persist. Geopolitical climate makes 38% more likely to visit.