OTTAWA - Tourism spending was up one per cent in the third quarter, the 13th straight quarterly increase in tourism demand since the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak during the second quarter of 2003.
The strong showing came entirely from a 2.2 per cent increase in tourism outlays by Canadians; spending by non-residents visiting Canada fell 2.8 per cent.
Tourism demand has advanced 18 per cent since the SARS outbreak more than three years ago scared away visitors.
Domestic spending on tourism was up 2.2 per cent in the third quarter as there were strong gains in domestic spending on accommodation (up 3.7 per cent) as well as items related to automobile travel such as rentals (5.9) and fuel (3.6).
Canadians also spent more travelling abroad in the third quarter, boosting the country's international travel deficit to a record $1.9 billion from $1.6 billion in the second quarter.
The number of non-resident travellers to Canada fell 3.5 per cent; tourism spending by international visitors has shrunk 10 per cent over the last seven quarters.
