December 22, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Fresh data released by Statistics Canada reveals a notable shift in cross-border travel patterns for the month of October. For the first time in eight months, the number of Americans visiting Canada has seen a year-over-year increase, signaling a potential rebound for the Canadian tourism sector.
According to the StatCan report, U.S. residents made a total of 1,814,406 trips to Canada in October. This represents a 3% increase compared to the 1,760,987 trips recorded during the same month last year. This uptick is significant as it breaks a nearly year-long trend of stagnant or declining visitor numbers from the south.
In sharp contrast, Canadian residents appear to be significantly scaling back their trips to the United States. The number of Canadians returning from U.S. visits in October dropped to 2,336,872, a steep 26.3% decline from the 3,170,986 trips recorded in October of the previous year. The data suggests that Canadians are increasingly hesitant to cross the southern border for leisure or shopping.
While cross-border dynamics shifted, international travel from overseas markets showed robust growth. Total overseas arrivals to Canada reached 548,992 in October, an 11.7% jump from last year’s 491,296.
Key regional highlights include:
Asia: Led the growth with a substantial 14.9% increase in arrivals.
Europe: Recorded a steady 10.5% rise in travelers visiting Canada compared to the previous year.
Despite the decline in travel to the U.S., Canadians are still eager to see the rest of the world. The number of Canadian residents returning from overseas countries (excluding the U.S.) rose to 998,197 in October, up from 914,950 during the same period in 2024.
This latest data highlights a diverging trend: Canada is becoming a more popular destination for international and American tourists, even as its own citizens pivot their travel preferences away from the United States in favor of domestic or overseas destinations.
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