Holiday travelers flying out of Vancouver International Airport (YVR) are opting for domestic and Canadian destinations over trips to the U.S., according to the latest report from Statistics Canada.
In October, there was a noticeable decrease in trips across the southern border for the ninth consecutive month this year. On the contrary, over 5 million passengers were checked through Canada’s eight largest airports, marking a 4.5% increase year over year. YVR saw over 900,000 travelers, representing a significant 6.6% increase compared to the previous year.
Statistics Canada highlighted that trips to the U.S. accounted for only 24.4% of airport traffic in October, down from 28% the previous year. Canadians are increasingly choosing to explore domestic destinations, with travel to other Canadian cities rising by 8.5% during the same period.
Interestingly, Americans are also showing a preference for traveling to Canada, with air arrivals increasing by 1.3% year over year. On the land border, Washington state’s Whatcom Council of Governments reported a substantial 37% decline in British Columbia license plates crossing into the U.S. in October.
The trend of fewer trips to the U.S. began in February, coinciding with Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. president and his remarks about annexing Canada, referring to the country as the potential “51st state.”