Tourism among fastest growing sectors in Canada in 2024: report

Tourism continues to be a major force in Canada’s economy, adding $50.8 billion to the national GDP in 2024—a 3.6 per cent increase over the previous year and more than double the overall GDP growth rate of 1.7 per cent.

New figures from Destination Canada and Statistics Canada show that tourism now represents 1.8 per cent of the country's total GDP, solidifying its position as one of the fastest-expanding sectors in the Canadian economy.

In 2024, tourism activities generated $129.7 billion in revenues (up 3.5 per cent from 2023) distributed over a range of services provided in communities across Canada, shows a new infographic.

The sector also surpassed pre-pandemic revenues for the first time in 2024 in inflation-adjusted terms.

Tourism export revenue in 2024 also rose 7.1 per cent over 2023. This was based on purchases by international visitors in Canada, including fares paid to Canadian carriers.

Tourism also means a lot to jobs and businesses last year. In Canada, the tourism sector includes 265,841 businesses, supported by a workforce of more than 2 million people, the report shows. Overall, one in ten workers in Canada are in tourism industries.

Meanwhile, overnight inbound arrivals (19.9 million) in 2024 were up 8.6 per cent from 2023, while overnight domestic trips (105.6 million) were up 8.8 per cent.

Tourism was among the “fastest growing” sectors in 2024, the report says.

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