Domestic Travel in Canada: How to Reach Canada’s Regular Travellers
Introduction
Domestic travel in Canada is having a moment. According to Vividata's SCC | Study of the Canadian Consumer Winter 2025, about half of Canadians — roughly 16 million — took an overnight vacation trip in the past year, and three-quarters of them (12.0 million) are Regular Travellers who took at least two trips in or outside Canada. With many Canadians now choosing to explore closer to home rather than head south, domestic travel is quickly becoming a defining behaviour.
For brands, marketers and agencies in travel, hospitality and beyond, that shift is a clear opportunity — but only for those who understand that not all travellers want the same thing. Vividata's SCC reveals who Canada's Regular Travellers are, where they intend to go, and how to reach them through the channels they actually trust.
Key Findings
- About 16 million Canadians took an overnight vacation trip in the past year, and 12.0 million are Regular Travellers who took at least two trips in or outside Canada.
- Many Canadians are choosing domestic travel over heading south, driven by a sense of true-north solidarity.
- Two core audiences define Canadian travel: Culture Seekers, who love museums, history and vibrant cities, and Outdoor Explorers, who crave nature, hiking and adventure — and 90% take part in both.
- Culture Seekers intend to visit East Coast destinations such as Saint John, NB, Peggy's Cove, NS, and Cape Breton, NS, while Outdoor Explorers favour Whistler, BC, Mont Tremblant, QC, and Winnipeg, MB.
- Travellers rely on very different information sources: Culture Seekers lean on guidebooks (Index 134), brochures (Index 137) and travel agencies (Index 129), while Outdoor Explorers lean on personal networks (Index 114) and traditional media (Index 127) — though roughly 1 in 3 of both use social media.
Who Are Canada's Regular Travellers?
Canada's travellers are one of the country's most active and reachable consumer groups, and right now their attention is turning inward. As more Canadians opt for domestic trips, understanding what kind of experience each traveller is seeking — and where they look for ideas — is what separates a campaign that lands from one that's simply seen.
How Many Canadians Are Travelling?
About half. Roughly 16 million Canadians took an overnight vacation trip in the past year, and three-quarters of them — 12.0 million — are Regular Travellers who took at least two trips in or outside Canada over the same period. This shows travel isn't an occasional splurge for most Canadians but a repeated, plannable behaviour, giving brands multiple moments each year to reach the same high-intent audience.
Why Are Canadians Choosing to Travel at Home?
Increasingly, out of choice. Many Canadians are looking to show their true-north solidarity, considering travel within Canada instead of heading south. This suggests domestic destinations aren't just a fallback option — they're becoming a preference, opening a window for Canadian tourism boards, operators and brands to capture demand that might once have left the country.
Culture Seekers vs. Outdoor Explorers: Two Ways to Travel
Within Regular Travellers sit two distinct audiences. While 90% take part in activities from both, the destinations they intend to visit reveal what each is really seeking.
Culture Seekers are drawn to the East Coast, with plans to visit Saint John, NB, Peggy's Cove, NS, and Cape Breton, NS. Alongside some of Canada's most striking scenery, these destinations offer rich history, arts and traditions — historical sites, museums and galleries, music and arts festivals, and standout food and drink. For this group, travel is about immersion in place and culture.
Outdoor Explorers gravitate toward destinations known for adventure and winter sport, such as Whistler, BC, and Mont Tremblant, QC, as well as versatile outdoor hubs like Winnipeg, MB, with its access to nature, wildlife and year-round activities from hiking and camping to watersports and winter sports. For this group, the destination is a gateway to the outdoors. This shows that even within a single "Regular Traveller" label, destination marketing needs to speak to two very different motivations.
Where Do Canadian Travellers Get Their Recommendations?
Their information sources split as clearly as their destinations do. Outdoor Explorers are more likely to get recommendations from people in their network (59%, Index 114) or from newspapers, magazines, radio or TV (9%, Index 127). Culture Seekers, by contrast, lean on guidebooks (17%, Index 134), free catalogues and brochures (16%, Index 137), and travel agencies (21%, Index 129). Both groups over-index on social media, with about 1 in 3 relying on it for travel decisions and 10% following social media influencers. This suggests that reaching each audience means meeting them in different places — earned and traditional media for Outdoor Explorers, curated and planning-focused channels for Culture Seekers, and social for both.
The through-line is a simple but important one: as Canadians turn their travel dollars inward, domestic destinations aren't just competing on scenery — they're competing on identity.
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Conclusion: Insights to Action
Domestic travel in Canada is on the rise, and the audience behind it is large, repeat-visiting and increasingly motivated by a desire to explore closer to home. But Regular Travellers aren't one group — Culture Seekers and Outdoor Explorers want different experiences and discover them through different channels. Knowing an audience is travelling isn't the same as knowing what will move them to book.
With Vividata's SCC, brands, marketers and agencies can move beyond blanket travel campaigns and build strategy around who travellers actually are. That starts with a few clear actions:
- Match the destination story to the traveller: lead with history, arts and food for Culture Seekers, and adventure, nature and winter sport for Outdoor Explorers.
- Choose channels by audience: guidebooks, brochures and travel agencies for Culture Seekers; personal networks and traditional media for Outdoor Explorers; social media for both.
- Lean into the domestic moment: frame Canadian destinations around the true-north sentiment already drawing travellers home.
Ready to reach Canada's Regular Travellers?
FAQ
Q: How many Canadians travel regularly?
A: About 16 million Canadians took an overnight vacation trip in the past year, according to Vividata's SCC | Study of the Canadian Consumer Winter 2025. Of those, 12.0 million are Regular Travellers who took at least two trips in or outside Canada.
Q: What's the difference between Culture Seekers and Outdoor Explorers?
A: Culture Seekers love museums, history and vibrant cities and intend to visit East Coast destinations like Saint John, Peggy's Cove and Cape Breton. Outdoor Explorers crave nature, hiking and adventure and favour destinations like Whistler, Mont Tremblant and Winnipeg. While 90% of travellers do both, their preferred destinations and information sources differ.
Q: How can brands reach Canadian travellers?
A: By matching both message and channel to the traveller type. Culture Seekers respond to guidebooks, brochures and travel agencies, while Outdoor Explorers rely on personal networks and traditional media — and both use social media heavily. Vividata's SCC lets marketers identify and target these audiences by demographics, media habits and consumer behaviour.
Sources
- Vividata SCC | Study of the Canadian Consumer Winter 2025
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