OTTAWA — Travel to Canada hit a record low for the fifth straight month in March, following big declines in both same-day car trips from the United States and the number of visitors from overseas nations. Statistics Canada reports foreign visitors made 2.3 million trips to Canada in March, the lowest since record keeping started in 1972.
That's a one per cent decline from February, and a 12.4 per cent drop from a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the number of Canadian trips abroad rose 1.4 per cent to almost 4.5 million, the vast majority (85 per cent) to the United States.
U.S. residents made only 730,000 same-day car trips to Canada in March, down 2.5 per cent from the previous month.
Same-day car travel to Canada has fallen by 41.1 per cent in two years.
Overseas travellers to Canada made 384,000 trips in March, down three per cent.
Travel declined in eight of Canada's top 12 overseas markets, with the strongest decreases in travel from Mexico, Germany and Hong Kong.
There were gains in visitors from India, Italy and the Netherlands.
Overall, Canadians made 3.8 million trips to the United States in March, up 1.6 per cent from February. Canadian travel to the United States in the past six months has been the highest since 1998.
Same-day car travel to the United States increased 1.5 per cent to 2.1 million trips, while overnight car travel rose 1.9 per cent to 991,000 trips.
Overnight plane trips to the United States set a new record high for the fourth straight month.
Canadian travel to countries other than the United States increased 0.4 per cent to a record 670,000 — the 10th month in the past year in which a new record high was set.
That's a one per cent decline from February, and a 12.4 per cent drop from a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the number of Canadian trips abroad rose 1.4 per cent to almost 4.5 million, the vast majority (85 per cent) to the United States.
U.S. residents made only 730,000 same-day car trips to Canada in March, down 2.5 per cent from the previous month.
Same-day car travel to Canada has fallen by 41.1 per cent in two years.
Overseas travellers to Canada made 384,000 trips in March, down three per cent.
Travel declined in eight of Canada's top 12 overseas markets, with the strongest decreases in travel from Mexico, Germany and Hong Kong.
There were gains in visitors from India, Italy and the Netherlands.
Overall, Canadians made 3.8 million trips to the United States in March, up 1.6 per cent from February. Canadian travel to the United States in the past six months has been the highest since 1998.
Same-day car travel to the United States increased 1.5 per cent to 2.1 million trips, while overnight car travel rose 1.9 per cent to 991,000 trips.
Overnight plane trips to the United States set a new record high for the fourth straight month.
Canadian travel to countries other than the United States increased 0.4 per cent to a record 670,000 — the 10th month in the past year in which a new record high was set.
