Despite a world marked by uncertainty, economic pressures, and shifting political landscapes, Canadians continue to approach travel with optimism and purpose. Our latest tourism market research reveals that nearly eight in ten Canadians plan to travel as much or more in the coming year compared to 2024. Beneath this optimism lies more than wanderlust; it reflects evolving Canadian travel trends and the Social Values shaping where, how, and why Canadians choose to explore.
2025 Canadian Travel & Tourism Outlook Report
Exploring More, With Confidence
Three in ten Canadians plan to travel more in the next 12 to 18 months. What sets these travellers apart is not only their appetite for discovery but the mindset driving it. According to our recent tourism and travel insights, they embody Social Values like Financial Security and Personal Optimism, feeling confident about their future and energized by what lies ahead. This sense of stability, combined with a strong Pursuit of Novelty and Pursuit of Intensity, fuels their desire to explore new places and embrace authentic experiences.
These travellers are not passive observers. They embody Vitality and Authenticity and engage deeply with the world around them. Their Social Learning orientation makes them eager to understand cultures from within, to connect with locals, and to learn through genuine interactions. Their values make them ideal audiences for destinations that offer immersive and meaningful visitor experiences.
Values and the Politics of Place
Not all travel decisions are driven by affordability or convenience. For many Canadians, travel has become an act of expression and, at times, advocacy. One in five Canadian travellers has canceled a trip to the United States in recent months, with only 13 percent of upcoming leisure trips expected to be south of the border: The political climate and safety are cited as key reasons for avoiding the travel to the United States, with popular destinations like New York, Florida, and California seeing the sharpest declines.
This trend, captured in recent tourism sentiment and perception research and supported by real data from StatsCan, reflects the growing influence of social and political values on travel behaviour. Canadians choosing to explore alternatives, often within their own borders, are making deliberate, values-based decisions. They are guided by Global Consciousness, Brand Genuineness, and a belief in Active Government and Community Involvement.
These are travellers who “walk the talk.” When they feel that a destination’s politics or social direction conflict with their values, they act accordingly and often influence others to do the same. For them, travel is not just recreation: it is alignment. This shift in mindset represents a meaningful opportunity for Canadian tourism operators and destination marketers to better understand and connect with value-driven travellers.
How to resonate
Strategies for destinations and operators to resonate by speaking to traveller values:
Position Canada globally
Celebrate Canada’s role as a connected, compassionate, and forward-looking destination that is part of a larger world, not apart from it.
Encourage local discovery
Showcase domestic travel not as a compromise, but as an opportunity to support community and rediscover home.
The opportunity for Tourism Brands
For tourism organizations and destination marketers, these insights highlight a clear truth: travel behaviour is an expression of values. Economic trends explain how much people travel, but values reveal why and where.
The optimism among Canadians, even amid uncertainty, is a reminder that travel continues to symbolize hope, connection, and growth. Traveller research and tourism data can help unlock deeper engagement and increased visitation by empowering organizations to align strategy and messaging with the motivations that sit beneath the surface.
The current moment represents a significant opportunity for tourism strategy and planning research, helping brands understand not only where travellers are going, but why they are choosing certain destinations. In doing so, tourism stakeholders can foster more sustainable growth, build stronger connections with travellers, and support the continued development of the Canadian tourism industry.
In this time of shifting loyalties and renewed optimism, destinations that understand and reflect the values of their visitors will be the ones that truly stand out.
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Financial Security
Personal Optimism
Pursuit Of Novelty
Pursuit Of Intensity