Canadians’ trips to the United States slid 1.7% in May relative to the previous month, while Americans’ trips to Canada increased by 0.5%, Statistics Canada announced this morning.
In April, Canadians’ cross-border trips rose 4.2% to 4.3 million trips – the highest figure since March 1995 (See: “Canadian cross-border trips rise to 1995 levels” – BIV Business Today, June 17.)
In May, those numbers slid to 4.2 million trips, mainly as a result of a 5.2% decline in overnight car travel.
Americans’ overnight trips to Canada, however, climbed by 1.2% in May, driven by a 6.7% rise in overnight plane trips, which counteracted a 2.3% decrease in overnight car travel.
Trips by overseas residents to Canada rose by 1.9% from April to 379,000 trips. In May, seven of Canada’s top-12 overseas markets recorded increases, led by Italy (9%) and the United Kingdom (8.8%).
The largest decrease was by residents of Japan, whose trips to Canada dropped 4.9% from April to May.
Statistics Canada noted that there was above-average precipitation in some parts of the country in May, with major flooding occurring along the Richelieu River in Quebec and along the Assiniboine River in Manitoba.
Jenny Wagler
Twitter: JennyWagler_BIV