Ontario's Tourism Industry On Track For Another Great Year
Preliminary results show a positive outlook for Ontario's tourism industry in 2012:
- International border crossings were up by 5 per cent in April 2012 and up by 7 per cent in January to April 2012 (Statistics Canada). This is the sixth consecutive month of growth in international border crossings.
- US border crossings were up 5 per cent in April 2012 and were up 7 per cent in January to April 2012.
- US same-day crossings were up 8 per cent and overnight crossings were up 3 per cent in April 2012.
- Overseas border crossings grew 3 per cent in April 2012 and were up 10 per cent in January to April 2012.
Preliminary results indicate that 2011 was a banner year for Ontario's tourism industry:
- Visits increased by 1.3 per cent to 104.4 million. Visits from the US and other Canadian provinces declined, while visits from overseas countries and Ontario increased.
- Visitor spending increased by 3.6 per cent to $18.3 billion, with spending from the US and other Canadian provinces decreasing and spending from Ontarians and overseas countries increasing.
- Tourism receipts increased by 4.3 per cent to $23.6 billion.
- Total employment generated by tourism receipts in Ontario increased by 1 per cent to 334,069 jobs, while employment in the tourism-related industries also increased by 1.1 per cent to 211,277.
- Provincial taxes generated by tourism receipts increased by 2.5 per cent to $4 billion.
- GDP generated by tourism receipts throughout the Ontario economy increased by 3.9 per cent to $21.1 billion.