2016 Summer Travel Snapshot from TIAC and Visa Canada shows that US and Chinese visitors are top spenders

GATINEAU, QC, Nov. 30, 2016 /CNW/ - International Visa cardholders spent $3.9USD billion in Canada from May to September 2016, according to the 2016 Summer Travel Snapshot released today by Visa Canada and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) at the annual Tourism Congress. The report highlights the 9.2% increase over what visitors spent in 2015 and further solidified US and China as the top source markets for the Canadian tourism industry.

The 2016 Summer Travel Snapshot uses data collected by international Visa card holders to reveal other interesting findings including:

• A breakdown of U.S. visitor spending by state, reveals California, New York and Washington leading for the second year in a row
• The top 10 Canadian cities visited by travellers from the top five inbound countries - USA, China, France, the UK, and Germany.
• Insights into the categories of spending from international visitors including the revelation that international visitors spend almost 10 times more on restaurants than quick serve restaurants (i.e. fast food).

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REPORT

"As Canada welcomes international visitors in record numbers, Visa will continue to work hard to deliver innovations that enable safe, seamless payment experiences," said Rob Livingston, President and Country Manager, Visa Canada. "Electronic payments have added billions of dollars to the tourism sector, and we are very pleased to partner with TIAC on the Travel Snapshot again this year."

"The Travel Snapshot has become a valuable tool for the tourism industry to better understand the travel behaviour and spending habits of visitors to Canada from key markets around the world," said Charlotte Bell, President and CEO, TIAC. "2017 is shaping up to be a huge year for Canadian tourism and TIAC is hopeful that this report helps businesses make the most of the opportunity."

Tourism is a $90.3 billion industry that employs Canadians in every region of the country. Summer 2016 has been a banner year for tourism, with visitation increasing to 8.5 million, levels not seen since 2002. TIAC believes these successes must be viewed as a reason to capitalize on the higher level of international visitors and their spending patterns to keep these trends on the rise.

About Tourism Congress

The Tourism Congress is TIAC's annual industry conference, and the only national and cross-sectoral tourism industry gathering in Canada. It is a must-attend event for any tourism professional with a genuine interest in the future of Canada's international travel business. The conference assembles tourism industry leaders from across the country at the doorstep of our elected officials and decision-makers, whose departments and agencies impact upon the industry.

SOURCE TOURISM INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

Rob Taylor, Vice President, Public and Industry Affairs, Tourism Industry Association of Canada, [email protected], t: 613-238-6251