StatsCan: Canadians spending less on international travel

Canada’s international travel deficit shrank this summer for the third consecutive quarter of this year, dropping below $3 billion for the first time in a year, says Statistics Canada.

Less spending by Canadians travelling outside the country and higher spending by foreigners in Canada both contributed to the drop, the agency said Thursday.

Overall, Canadians spent just over $7 billion on travel in the third quarter of this year, down 1.7 per cent from the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, spending by foreign travellers in Canada crept up 0.2 per cent to $4.1 billion, the second consecutive increase and the highest level this year.

Quarterly spending by foreign travellers in Canada has been fairly stable since mid-2004, hovering between $4 billion and $4.4 billion.

On the other hand, spending by Canadians travelling abroad has generally been increasing since 2004, fluctuating between $5.1 billion and $7.5 billion. As a result, the travel deficit has nearly quadrupled in four years, despite the most recent drop.

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