Domestic travel continued to boom as Canadians ventured further abroad
Key Takeaways
- Domestic travel has continued to boom—Canadian bookings within the country grew by more than 10 percent in the first half of 2025, including growth in 12 of 13 provinces and territories.
- Small towns and provinces have seen big gains—Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan all experienced over 20 percent year-over-year growth in domestic bookings.
- Non-US international travel has also been on the rise. Bookings to destinations like Japan, Brazil, France, the Philippines, Thailand, and Mexico are surging.
Key Takeaways
- Domestic travel has continued to boom—Canadian bookings within the country grew by more than 10 percent in the first half of 2025, including growth in 12 of 13 provinces and territories.
- Small towns and provinces have seen big gains—Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan all experienced over 20 percent year-over-year growth in domestic bookings.
- Non-US international travel has also been on the rise. Bookings to destinations like Japan, Brazil, France, the Philippines, Thailand, and Mexico are surging.
Canada’s domestic travel boom showed no signs of slowing down. New Airbnb data showed that domestic bookings jumped by more than 10 percent1 in the first half of the year compared to 2024—confirming the momentum in domestic travel has real staying power. Travellers are choosing to explore closer to home, spending their travel dollars locally and supporting Canadian hosts, small businesses, and communities in doing so.
This surge in domestic travel is happening nationwide. Nearly every province and territory—12 out of 132—saw growth this year, with smaller towns and rural communities attracting more visitors, driving the economic benefits of tourism beyond major hubs.
Provinces leading the surge in domestic travel
In the first half of 2025, bookings by Canadians in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan climbed by more than 20 percent year-over-year,3 underscoring significant growth in both urban and rural communities.
The vast majority of bookings in Canada were already domestic, so to see a surge this big is especially significant. Canadians are continuing to explore their own country, and that’s delivering real economic benefits for hosts, small businesses, and communities nationwide. Domestic travel is becoming a lasting part of our identity, and Canadian hosts are helping make that possible in communities of all sizes.
Hannah Parish, Country Manager, Canada
Canadian destinations driving the domestic travel boom
From coastal towns to mountain escapes, Canadian travellers are spreading out and discovering new corners of the country, with destinations out west seeing a surge in domestic bookings. Some of the top trending destinations include:
- West Kelowna, BC
- Regina, SK
- Gatineau, QC
- Langley, BC
- Whistler, BC
- Canmore, AB
- Blue Mountain, ON
- Ucluelet, BC
Canadians are expanding their horizons abroad
Canadians are showing more appetite for non-US international trips. There’s been a nearly double-digit increase in international bookings to destinations outside the US4 compared to the first half of 2024, with a double-digit increase in bookings to Japan, Brazil, the Philippines, France, Thailand, and Mexico.
Top trending international destinations for Canadians in 2025
Canadian guests are booking trips to a diverse range of international destinations5 including:
- Sumida, Japan
- Naniwa Ward, Japan
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Nakano, Japan
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Yuma, Dominican Republic
- Paris, France
- Los Cabos, Mexico
- Bahia de Banderas, Mexico
Canadians are booking with Airbnb more than ever before. What’s changed is where they are travelling to—a seismic shift in travel behaviour that’s showing no signs of slowing down, and we’re thankful that hosts are able to play a role in helping Canadians explore Canada and the world.
– Hannah Parish, Country Manager, Canada