CTC: December 2013: crunching the numbers on travel to Canada.

Canada had more than a million reasons to be cheerful in the final month of 2013, with the international visitor total nudging up to the 1.1 million mark, according to the just-published Tourism Snapshot from the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)'s Research department.

More data hot spots:

• The China market closed the year as it began, with another strong performance: December witnessed a 24% increase in travellers to Canada.
• The India market continued its dynamic outlook from the previous month, this time posting a 9% boost in travellers heading to Canada in December 2013.
• Elsewhere in Asia, arrivals from South Korea fell 7% in December 2013, but the Japan market saw a 2% lift in visitation to Canada.
• The US market shifted down a gear in December 2013 due to a 4% decline in auto arrivals, with just under 750,000 Americans taking Canadian overnighters, a 1% dip on the previous year.
• In 2013, our American cousins took a total of 12 million trips north past the 49th parallel, a 1% year-on-year gain.
• The Mexico market ended 2013 in a sunny disposition: overnight trips to Canada rose 13% in December 2013, helping the total for 2013 climb 6%.
• Mixed fortunes in CTC's European markets in December 2013: comfort and joy for visitors to Canada from Germany (+7%) and France (+6%), but those from the UK (-2%) struggled to find room at the inn.
• A good year for travel to Canada from Down Under, as Australians took 3% more trips over the Pacific than 2012.
• Outside CTC's key international markets, arrival numbers to Canada rose in December 2013 in Europe from Switzerland (12%), Spain (7%), Italy (7%) and Netherlands (4%), but dipped in Asia from Taiwan (-6%) and Hong Kong (-2%).
• Canadians enjoyed 2.4 million outbound trips in December 2013, up 4% on 2012.
• Total Canadian outbound travel for 2013 fell just short of 33 million trips, up 2% over the previous year.
• Pessimism followed Canadians during the holiday shopping season. The Index of Consumer Confidence, released by The Conference Board of Canada,fell 6.6 points to 80.5.
• Americans felt more tickety-boo as 2013 drew to a close. The Conference BoardConsumer Confidence Index climbed 6.1 points to reach 78.1.

The Tourism Snapshot examines statistics and travel trends up to Dec. 31, 2013, in CTC's-and partners'-key global markets.