Brazil is an emerging market for the Canadian tourism sector. It reported the strongest gains in both overnight arrivals (up 25.5%) and spending (up 32.2%) in 2010. Canada welcomed approximately 71,300 overnight travellers from Brazil in 2010. Brazilian visitors injected $128.9 million into Canada’s tourism economy.

Find out what motivates Canadian outbound travel in order to gain insight into the types of travel influences that might also encourage Canadians to explore travel in their own country.

Following China granting Approved Destination Status (ADS) to Canada in June 2010, strong gains were recorded overall in 2010, with overnight arrivals up 21.2% and spending up 21.5%. Canada welcomed approximately 193,300 overnight travellers from China in 2010. Chinese visitors injected $317.1 million in Canada’s tourism economy.

France, Canada’s second-largest overseas inbound travel market, recorded a 5.1% increase in overnight trips to Canada in 2010 for a total of 408,100 trips. French overnight travellers spent more than $520.8 million in the Canadian tourism economy, up 1.6% over 2009.

Canada welcomed approximately 315,400 overnight travellers from Germany in 2010, up 8.1%. These visitors injected $470.8 million into Canada’s tourism economy in 2010, up 5.8%.

India

India is a growing emerging market for the Canadian tourism sector. Canada welcomed approximately 149,900 overnight travellers from India in 2010, up a healthy 16.6%, while these visitors injected $145.2 million in Canada’s tourism economy, up an impressive 18.8%.

Japan

Overnight arrivals from Japan improved by 19.5%, reaching 215,400 trips in 2010. Total spending from Japanese travellers in Canada soared to $330.1 million in 2010, a 21.9% year-over-year increase.

Following the introduction of visa requirement for Mexicans travelling to Canada in July 2009, Mexican overnight trips to Canada declined for most of 2010. However, the year ended on a positive note with three months of consecutive increases in arrivals. Overall, the number of Mexican overnight visitors in 2010 fell 28.1% to 115,900 trips.

Strong economic performance coincided with a 20% gain in overnight trips to Canada and an 18.1% gain in overnight travel-related spending. Canada welcomed approximately 157,500 overnight travellers from South Korea in 2010.

The UK represents Canada’s largest inbound overseas travel market. In 2010, the number of UK overnight visitors to Canada fell 3.8% to 659,400 trips.

US leisure travel represents Canada’s largest inbound travel market, accounting for 63% of all inbound travellers in 2010. US leisure travel to Canada improved in 2010, with a moderate increase of 0.9%, reaching 10,007,700 overnight trips.