It was the merry month of May for international travel to Canada. With 1.4 million visitors from around the world—up 2% on 2011—coming to Canada, the latest fact-packed Tourism Snapshot by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)’s Research department is good enough for a jig around the maypole.

Here are some more data hot spots:

• Sacrebleu! Overnight arrivals from France fell 2% in May 2012 after three consecutive monthly increases.
• Heavy economic clouds still gathered over the UK market in May 2012: it continued its downward spiral with another 8% drop in trips to Canada.
• It was Yankee-doodle-dandy in the US market, in May 2012. A 6% rise in auto travel meant that overnighters to Canada hit the accelerator, growing 3% to nudge against one million.
• Year-to-date, Americans have made 4% more trips to their northerly neighbours, a total of 3.3 million arrivals.
• Those positive vibes spread through the Americas: the Mexico market knocked up an 11% increase in Canadian expeditions, while Brazilians stayed nuts about Canada, taking 7% more trips here than in 2011.
• The inexorable rise of the China market continued in May 2012, with a 22% rise in overnight trips to Canada.
• Also upwardly mobile in Asia: the India market was looking frisky, posting a 21% surge in visitors to these shores, while Japan’s steady recovery continued with 4% growth.
• South Korea also remained in the doldrums: May 2012 brought no sign of relief, with 9% fewer trips to Canada.
• Canada’s tourism rivals had a good April: total international travel to the US rose 8% and to Australia, 3%.
• Home sweet home: for the first time since October 2009, Canadians took fewer trips to passport control. A total of 2.5 million outbound trips in May 2012 represented a 2% year-on-year decline.
• Canadians were full of the joys of spring in May 2012. The Index of Consumer Confidence, released by The Conference Board of Canada, leapt 5.8 points to hit 80.8.
• Dodgy job prospects haunted American thoughts in May. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index dipped to 64.9, a 3.8-point decline on April.

The Tourism Snapshot examines statistics and travel trends up to May 31, 2012, in CTC’s—and partners’—key global markets.

Read the Tourism Snapshot – May 2012 in full.