BY CORY MORRISON
According to data released this month from Statistics Canada, the tourism industry as well as the number of tourists who visit Canada, increased last year.
These findings include:
- The tourism industry supports over 1.8 million jobs across the country
- Tourism accounted for 750,000 jobs in Canada from January to September. This is a 1.2 per cent increase from 2017.
- Tourism activities accounted for $33.9 billion of Canada’s gross domestic product from January to September. This is a 5.9 per cent increase from 2017.
- Canada had $80.8 billion on tourism spendings from January to September. This is a 5.9 per cent increase from 2017.
- Canada’s domestic revenues were almost $63.3 billion from January to September. This is a 6.9 per cent increase from 2017.
- Canada’s international tourism revenues were $17.5 billion from January to September. This is a 2.3 per cent increase from 2017.
- 18.6 million tourists visited Canada between January. and September. This is a 1.2 per cent increase from 2017.
While Canada has had fewer visitors in the past because of factors such as the 2002 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak and the 2008 global recession, more tourists visit Canada now compared to the early 2000s.
Factors such as a busy global economy and increased air travel have contributed to more tourists visiting Canada.
According to The Conference Board of Canada, new tourist attractions in Canada, sporting events, overseas visitors from China to British Columbia, the Travel + Leisure magazine, and with Halifax now a Top 10 tourist destination around the world, are also contributing factors to the increased number of international tourists in Canada.
According to a Global News report from last year, Halifax is a Top 10 tourist destination because of positive TripAdvisor reviews by travellers. Some popular Halifax attractions include its famous Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the 18th-century Citadel National Historic Site.
INFOGRAPHIC BY CORY MORRISON
