How to Become Canadian Travellers’ New Favorite Destination

DCI’s newest edition of “Capturing the Canadian Consumer: Insights into the Path to Purchase for Canadian Travellers” delivers the freshest data about this market during a turbulent time for the travel industry. The survey of more than 1,000 Canadian travellers provides a glimpse at what they are thinking and how diverse segments within the market are planning their vacations.

It’s vital now to tap into the Canadian market, where vacation spending is projected to reach $47.6 billion in 2026, representing a 22 percent increase year-over-year. That’s a lot of money to leave on the table. And with so many Canadians skipping the U.S., destinations worldwide have a big opportunity to be the new destination of choice.

The full report offers plenty of insight, but these five takeaways point to some of the major changes from the data. Understanding them is key to shaping any destination’s strategy in capturing a part of the massive Canadian market.

1. More Flights, Fewer Drives:

Among Canadian travellers, short-haul flights now dominate (73%), while cross-border road trips have declined. This increasing decline in U.S. travel may rebound in the near future, but Canadians aren’t staying put.

Long-haul travel climbed from 40% in 2022 to 52% in 2026, demonstrating a steady passion for travel, even if the closest destination has lost its appeal. This underscores resilience among Canadian travellers, and destinations far and wide have an opportunity to connect with them as they modify their traditional habits.

2. Caribbean Rises:

Consideration for U.S. travel dropped from 40% in 2023 to just 21% in 2026. This significant reduction has opened opportunities for other destinations around the world. Most notably, the Caribbean now tops the list of desired vacation destinations, followed closely by Western Europe. 

With degraded U.S.-Canadian relations, other destinations beyond the United States can benefit. Positioning your warm-weather destination as a safe, value-driven alternative will be a strategic way to capture travellers during this short-term disruption.

3. Forget Relaxing:

The pandemic was rough, making rest and relaxation a top motivator (among 65% of respondents) in the 2020 study. Today, it’s a mid-range motivator at just 47%. The desire to “disconnect from day-to-day responsibilities” followed a similar trajectory, down from 43% in 2023 to 37% in 2026. 

This shift suggests Canadian travellers are increasingly seeking more active experiences rather than passive recovery. Sure, they still love the beach, but Canadians want more than just lounging, and destinations who can provide activities that meet their needs will be ahead of the curve.

4. Tourism Office Who?

Canadians aren’t looking directly to tourism offices anymore. In terms of planning trips, tourism office materials are down from 6% to 3%, joining a steady decline of traditional TV advertising and print advertising. While some markets might still seek these sources of inspiration, Canadians aren’t keen. 

The introduction of AI this year revealed that 9% of travellers use AI search engines. It’s a small, but potentially influential shift in where Canadians get their information and inspiration. DMOs need to evolve their digital strategies to ensure they are AI-ready, moving beyond traditional keywords to focus on the conversational, authoritative content that AI search engines prioritize.

5. Quality and Cleanliness:

Two drivers of bookings that changed from the last study in 2023 were the quest for quality accommodations (91% up from 86%) and sanitation (79% up from 72%). While the pandemic no longer blocks Canadians from travelling, they still want to stay in beautiful clean spaces.

Destinations can lean into this and boost messaging about their facilities and efforts to promote cleanliness, especially if they have any initiatives or new data to share. Keeping this messaging updated and at the forefront is vital to ensuring Canadian travellers stay invested in your destination.

Looking for more ways to entice the Canadian market? Download the newest edition of “Capturing the Canadian Consumer: Insights into the Path to Purchase for Canadian Travellers” for all the data and reach out to Karyl Leigh Barnes at karyl.barnes@aboutdci.com to learn more about DCI’s Canadian outreach.