Tourism spending rose 0.8 per cent in Q4: StatsCan

OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says tourism spending in Canada rose 0.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2012, with increases from both Canadians and international visitors.

Tourism spending by Canadians within Canada in the final three months of 2012 was 0.5 per cent higher than in the third quarter, while spending by international visitors was up 1.7 per cent quarter-to-quarter.

A higher number of overseas visitors contributed to the increase.

For 2012 as a whole, tourism spending increased 2.0 per cent, following a 3.3 per cent gain in 2011.

On an annual basis, spending by Canadians at home was up 2.2 per cent, while spending by international visitors rose 1.0 per cent.

Statistics Canada says tourism spending in Canada rose by 11.4 per cent between the second quarter of 2009 — when the economy began to recover from recessionary levels — and the fourth quarter of 2012.