Canadians Spending More, Advisors Remain Relevant: Study

New data from the 2026 Capturing the Canadian Consumer study shows that Canadians are travelling more frequently, spending more per trip and paying special attention to where and how they travel.

The most notable change is a sharp decline in interest in U.S. destinations.

Consideration for U.S. travel has dropped from 40% in 2023 to just 21% in 2026, drop reflects more than short-term fluctuations. The drop is being driven by a combination of trade tensions, tariffs on Canadian goods and broader geopolitical rhetoric, all of which are influencing how welcome Canadian travellers feel.

• Vehicle border crossings by Canadians are down 30% year-over-year for the tenth consecutive month
• Air travel to the U.S. has fallen 24%
• Major carriers have reduced capacity on transborder routes

As U.S. demand softens however, other regions are benefiting.

The Caribbean now leads future trip consideration at 37%, followed by Western Europe at 31%, up from 27% in 2023. Mexico has also strengthened its position, now tying with the U.S. at 21% consideration, supported by a 15.7% year-over-year increase in Canada–Mexico air capacity.

Europe, in particular, is seeing broad-based gains across multiple sub-regions, including Southern, Central and Northern Europe. Affluent travellers, defined as households earning $200,000 or more, are driving much of this demand, over-indexing on Western Europe (36%) and Mediterranean destinations (26%).

Canadian travellers are not only going farther—they are staying longer and spending more.

• Long-haul participation has risen from 40% in 2023 to 52% in 2026
• Average trip duration has increased from 12.9 to 14.4 nights
• Average spend per trip has reached $4,576, climbing to $6,771 among affluent travellers

Older travellers represent a particularly valuable segment. While those aged 65+ travel less frequently, they stay significantly longer, averaging 18.5 nights on long-haul trips compared to 13.2 nights for younger travellers.

Regionally, British Columbia leads the country in per-trip spending at $6,179, highlighting strong outbound demand from Western Canada.

In 2023, the dominant theme was “revenge travel”a surge driven by pent-up demand. By 2026, that urgency has been replaced Canadians increasingly choosing to balance cost sensitivity with a desire for meaningful travel.

External factors are playing a larger role in decision-making, including geopolitics, perceived safety and overall value. Rising fuel costs, linked in part to ongoing Middle East conflict, are expected to further heighten price sensitivity in the near term.

Motivations are also evolving.

While creating memories (63%) and seeking new experiences (60%) remain the top drivers, traditional motivations such as rest and relaxation are declining—falling from a peak of 65% in 2020 to 47% in 2026. Similarly, the desire to disconnect from daily life has dropped to 37%.

In contrast, more active and immersive motivations are gaining traction:

• Cultural immersion now resonates with 41% of travellers
• Stepping outside one’s comfort zone has risen to 23%

When it comes to bookings, just over half of Canadian travellers (51%) say they will book their next trip on their own, slightly down from 54% in 2023. Online travel agencies (23%) and travel agents/advisors (21%) together serve nearly half the market.

Travel agents retain meaningful relevance for older travellers (32% of 65+ vs. 17% for under 65s), particularly for complex multi-destination itineraries and cruise planning. The company says destinations seeking to reach the 65+ segment efficiently should invest in agent education and FAM programs in addition to direct consumer outreach.

Development Counsellors International (DCI) conducts the survey every year, of 1,502 Canadian citizens to find out who Canadian outbound travellers are, how they plan their trips, what they purchase, where they go and much more.