Is Canada Falling off the Map with American Travellers?
For one reason or another Canada seems to be losing its appeal as a popular tourist destination in the eyes of our neighbours to the south. On the other hand, Canadian travel to the United Statesespecially to hot spots like Arizona and Floridais on the increase, largely thanks to a strong loonie. Visits to Canada overall are down by 30 percent, according to an August Statscan survey, while same-day car trips have dropped by almost a half in the last six yearsthe lowest it’s been since record keeping started in 1972. With the $62.7 billion tourism industry employing over half a million people, it’s little wonder that the dwindling numbers are generating some concern. Experts conclude that there are many factors contributing to the drop-off in U.S. visitors to Canada, not the least of which is the appreciating Canadian dollar. Other deterrents include increased security sometimes causing long border line-ups, confusion around what kind of ID is necessary to cross the border and the high
