Tourism businesses nationwide will look back on the summer of 2025 with satisfaction, as the total spending by tourists hit a historic peak. The tourism sector in Canada recorded a record-breaking revenue of $59 billion between May and August, marking a six percent increase from the same period last year. However, there was a slight decline in revenue from American visitors by 1.7 percent.
The surge in revenue was primarily driven by Canadians opting to spend their travel funds within the country, with domestic tourism seeing a seven percent boost. Meanwhile, revenue from international travelers remained robust, especially from overseas markets, which experienced a 10 percent uptick, as per the latest data revealed by Destination Canada.
The national tourism body began noticing a growing interest among travelers to explore various regions of Canada starting in the spring. Joe Amati, a senior executive director at Destination Canada, noted the positive trend, expressing cautious optimism that the momentum from the summer would continue due to increased traveler interest in visiting Canada.
Hotels were bustling throughout the summer months, particularly in August, when national hotel occupancy peaked at 80.7 percent, the highest level since 2014. Andrew Shepherd, the general manager of the Malcolm Hotel in Canmore, Alberta, highlighted the influx of international and American guests who were captivated by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.
Brent Koinberg, the owner of Crowsnest Adventures offering guided ATV tours in southwest Alberta, shared that business thrived during the summer, with a significant increase in tours and customers compared to the previous year. Notably, 40 percent of bookings came from international travelers, reflecting a strong interest in exploring the region.
Overall, the summer of 2025 proved to be a boon for Canadian tourism, with 89 percent of regions reporting year-over-year growth, showcasing a widespread distribution of economic benefits. In particular, Atlantic Canada stood out with some of the highest growth rates in the country.