Tourism Spending in Canada Dropped By Almost 50% in 2020, StatsCan Reports
April 5, 2021 Jim Byers
Everyone knew COVID-19 hit tourism harder than any sector. Now we know just how bad it’s been.
The latest report from Statistics Canada says tourism spending in Canada fell by 48.1% in 2020.
Stats Can also reports that tourism jobs in Canada dropped 28.7% last year. Food and beverage jobs were down 32.3%, while accommodation jobs fell 35.2%.
Spending by international visitors declined 82.5% in 2020, with most of the spending occurring before the borders were closed in mid-March.
Domestic tourism spending declined 38.6% in 2020, but, with borders closed for much of the year, domestic tourism’s share of total tourism spending rose from 78.4% in 2019 to 92.7% last year.
“Tourism was among the hardest hit sectors of the economy in 2020 as a result of physical distancing measures to contain the spread of COVID-19,” the report says. “Tourism spending in the first quarter was stunted by the declaration of a global pandemic in mid-March and the accompanying physical distancing measures to prevent its spread.
“The second quarter was almost entirely subject to these restrictions. Many restrictions were eased in the third quarter in conjunction with fewer COVID-19 cases, which provided more tourism spending opportunities. The fourth quarter saw increased restrictions in many provinces during the second wave of the pandemic, limiting the availability of services generally purchased by tourists.”
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