Canadians are still planning to travel this summer, but the way they travel is changing. In our latest study on Canadian travel intentions and emerging trends, we found that summer travel demand remains resilient in 2026, even as inflation, gas prices, personal finances, and airfare costs continue to shape decisions.
Summer travel intent remains stronger than it was two years ago: 56% of Canadians plan to take a leisure trip this summer, compared with 55% in 2025 and 47% in 2024. But while demand is holding, Canadians are making more deliberate choices about where they go and how much they spend. Domestic travel remains strong, and U.S. travel intent, while recovering, has not returned to the level recorded in our 2024 summer travel study. These trends also echo what we observed in our 2025 travel intentions report, when Canadian destinations were already benefiting from more cautious U.S. travel plans.
Key Highlights
- Summer travel intent remains steady: 56% of Canadians plan to take a leisure trip this summer, unchanged from summer 2025 and up 9 points from summer 2024.
- Costs are shaping travel choices: cost/inflation (48%), gas prices (37%), personal finances (36%), and airfare costs (25%) are the top factors affecting summer travel plans.
- Gas prices are changing behaviour, not eliminating travel: 69% of Canadians indicate that gas prices are having a noticeable negative impact on their summer travel plans, but many are scaling back rather than cancelling.
- Domestic travel remains strong: 77% of summer leisure travellers intend to travel within Canada, consistent with summer 2025 and above summer 2024.
- U.S. travel intent is recovering, but not fully back: 14% plan to travel to the U.S., up from 10% in summer 2025 but still below 23% in summer 2024.
- Younger travellers are driving momentum: 65% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 plan to travel this summer, and they are more likely than older Canadians to report increased interest in all destination types.
Canadians Are Still Travelling, but With a Sharper Eye on Value
The bigger shift is not whether Canadians are travelling, but how they are adjusting their plans. Among those affected by gas prices, many are taking fewer trips, choosing destinations closer to home, reducing spending on accommodations, restaurants, or activities, or keeping their plans while expecting to spend more.
For destinations and travel brands, this points to a more value-conscious traveller. In a higher-cost environment, the challenge is not only to offer the lowest price, but to show why a trip is worth the spend. Clear costs, flexible options, easier planning, unique local experiences, and quality time with family or friends can all help make a trip feel more worthwhile.
As travellers compare costs and options more carefully, AI is also entering the equation. Our study on how AI is reshaping the travel industry looks at how new tools are influencing planning, booking, convenience, and personalization.
Domestic Travel Holds Its Ground as U.S. Travel Rebounds Partially
Two summers ago, 69% of leisure travellers intended to travel within Canada. Last year, that share rose to 77%, and it remains at 77% this summer. In other words, domestic travel is no longer just a short-term substitute; it has become a central part of Canadians’ summer plans.
U.S. travel tells a different story. After falling sharply in 2025, intent to travel south is beginning to recover, with 14% of summer leisure travellers planning to visit the United States this year. Still, that remains well below the 23% recorded in 2024, as political tensions, tariffs and trade tensions, safety concerns, and the weak Canadian dollar continue to discourage some Canadians from crossing the border.
We saw a similar story earlier this year in our spring 2026 update, Travel Trends Canada: Domestic Travel Up, U.S. Demand Declines: Canadians were still eager to travel, but many were looking closer to home as costs, tariffs, and Canada-U.S. tensions shaped their choices.
For tourism marketers, the opportunity is to keep domestic travel desirable in its own right, not simply position it as a backup plan. Messaging that highlights ease of travel, road-trip options, local culture, food, festivals, outdoor experiences, and family-friendly getaways can help Canadian destinations compete with both U.S. and international options.
Methodology
This online survey was conducted among 1,532 Canadian residents aged 18 or older, from May 29 to 31, 2026. Respondents were randomly recruited through LEO’s online panel. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey. For comparison, a probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of ±2.50%, 19 times out of 20.
