Tourism In Canada On The Rise

On the eve of Canada Day, we would like to take this opportunity to welcome all visitors to our great country. And hey, if you haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting the Great White North (it’s really not all that white, to be honest with you!), now would be the best time.

In addition to the numerous Canada Day celebrations that will be taking place all over the country tomorrow, the summer months offer up the best weather and most exciting experiences. And believe it or not, Canadians really know how to party! Please don’t let the events surrounding this past weekend’s G20 Summit in Toronto deter you.

Now if you were to travel to Canada this summer, you would be joining a long list of others who have made our nation their travel destination of choice this year. As The Canadian Press reported earlier today on The Toronto Star‘s website, “tourism spending in Canada increased 1.3 per cent in the first quarter, as both international visitors to Canada and Canadians spent more.”

Statistics Canada reports that this marks the “third straight increase in tourism spending after four consecutive quarters of declines.” Spending by international visitors also increased by 5.9 per cent, creating the largest quarterly increase in visitor spending since the end of 2003.

Naturally, the Vancouver Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games held earlier this year contributed to the increase. People from all over the world flocked to the west coast of Canada to cheer on their country’s athletes in what became one of the most thrilling Olympic events ever.

Canada, of course, must have left a great impression on the many visitors by racking up a record number of medals. Not to mention, the hospitality that Canadians are known for always makes a great impact on those visiting the country.

It’s no wonder then, that “spending by international visitors on accommodation, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, and non-tourism commodities, such as groceries and clothing, all increased during the first quarter.”

So on the day before Canadians celebrate the birth of their nation, we would like to congratulate…well, ourselves! Good job Canada. You continue to lead the world in recession recovery AND showing the world your nation is a great place to visit.