TORONTO — The return of cold weather means many Canadian travellers are looking beyond Canada for winter vacations – that’s no surprise – but what is interesting are their motivations for travel to the U.S., for those open to going stateside.

Leger’s latest Canadian Travel Intentions & Emerging Trends survey shows interest from Canadian travellers for getaways to Mexico is up to 9% from 4%, while the share of travellers looking at other international destinations climbed to 23% from 15%.

Among Canadians planning a leisure trip this winter, 61% expect to travel within Canada, down from 77% in the warm summer months.

The report surveyed 1,538 Canadians from Sept. 4 to 6.

CROSS-BORDER TRAVEL

Who’s heading cross-border? Canada-to-U.S. travel remains complicated, to say the least. With the trade war still in full swing, 61% of Canadians surveyed said they are less open to travelling south of the border than they were at any point over the past year, including 48% who say they are much less open.

A shift in Canada-U.S. trade relations may not be enough to reverse that sentiment. Some 43% say a new agreement would make no difference to their likelihood of visiting the U.S., while 28% say it could make them more inclined to go.

Among those who say they are less likely to visit the U.S., 63% said they are more likely to travel somewhere in Canada, down from 77% this summer. And 15% said they are more likely to skip travel altogether, up from 11%.

For travel sellers invested in Canada-to-U.S. travel, here’s a look at the primary motivators for those going cross border: 31% cited convenience and ease of travel; 30% said they don’t want politics influencing their travel decisions; and 28% point to visiting friends and family or seeing specific destinations and attractions.

VALUE’S ROLE

Household finance concerns and ongoing inflation mean price sensitivity is playing a larger role in trip decisions. 

According to Leger’s data, 31% of Canadians say they now seek out deals, discounts and packages more often than they did a few years ago. 

Another 21% say they are choosing destinations closer to home, travelling outside peak periods or opting for more affordable accommodation more frequently.

Millennial and Gen Z travellers (18 to 34) are one of the most travel-ready groups. Fifty-seven per cent say they plan to take a leisure trip this fall, compared with 50% across the population overall.

What about AI? About one in five Canadians say they’ve used AI to help plan, book or manage a leisure trip, more than twice the 10% recorded in spring 2025. One third of respondents said they’re likely to use AI for their next leisure trip. Common uses: destination ideas or recommendations (51%), build itineraries (47%) and ways to save money (35%). As Travelweek reported yesterday, travel agencies, tour operators and other travel sectors in Canada saw an 8.8% uptick in revenues in 2025, despite rising use of AI for travel planning.