In the first two months of the year, before “COVID” and “pandemic” entered the everyday lexicon, Canadians made 44.6 million trips within Canada and abroad. That was up 8.6 per cent from the same months the year before. The numbers show Canadians took 2.2 million trips overseas; that is, somewhere other than the United States. Estimated spending on overseas trips over the first two months rose 20 per cent. Not surprisingly, warmer destinations were the most popular with Mexico most visited followed by Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

During the same period, Canadians made 3.7 million trips across the border into the United States. That was up 6.9 per cent from the same two months in 2019. They spent an estimated $3.8 billion while there.

Within Canada, residents made 38.6 million trips in the first two months. That was up about nine per cent from 2019. Total spending on those trips was up about 13 per cent to $5.9 billion. Visiting family and friends was the main reason for more than four out of every 10 domestic trips.

Normally this would be a quarterly report but the COVID-19 pandemic was so impactful, collection of the National Travel Survey was suspended for the month of March.