Canadian residents returning to Canada from abroad saw a 15.0% drop in trips compared to December 2024, according to seasonally adjusted data. Meanwhile, overseas residents visiting Canada increased by 14.1%, and U.S. arrivals rose 1.5% on a monthly basis.

The number of Canadian-resident return trips from the United States fell 25.0% year over year, with automobile travel down 30.2% to 1.5 million trips. Air travel from the U.S. also dropped 11.0%, while return trips by air from overseas countries rose 13.3%.

Despite the decline in U.S. travel, international arrivals showed some strength. Overseas residents accounted for 509,500 arrivals in December, up 14.1% year over year. The majority of these arrivals were by air, with 90.7% coming via aircraft.

Contributing to the rise in international arrivals were increases from Europe (+8.7%), Asia (+15.9%), and the Americas (excluding the U.S.) (+19.7%). The top three countries of origin were the United Kingdom (59,600), France (52,700), and Mexico (47,200), making up 31.3% of all overseas arrivals.

British Columbia experienced the largest year-over-year decline in U.S. arrivals, partly due to a higher number of visitors in December 2024 linked to major concerts in Vancouver.

Automobile arrivals from the U.S. fell 7.5% year over year, with just over half (50.7%) of these being same-day trips. Air arrivals from the U.S. also declined 4.6% in December.

Seasonally adjusted data showed a slight increase in Canadian-resident return trips from abroad, up 0.3% in December. This was driven by a 1.1% rise in air travel from the U.S.

On a monthly basis, overseas arrivals rose 1.2%, led by increases from the Americas (excluding the U.S.) and Asia, which offset declines from Europe and Africa. Notable increases came from India (+15.8%) and Brazil (+24.2%), while the U.K. and Germany saw declines.

The data highlights the complex interplay of seasonal and calendar effects on tourism, as noted in the report. The statistics are seasonally adjusted to account for variations in holidays and weather.