The National Tourism Indicators (NTI) provide timely information which facilitates ongoing monitoring and analysis of tourism and its related activities in Canada. The NTI cover the domestic supply of tourism commodities (such as transportation, accommodation, food & beverages, recreation & entertainment), the demand for these commodities by Canadian and foreign visitors, and the employment and GDP generated as a result of this demand. The NTI were developed to update the more comprehensive Canadian Tourism Satellite Account (CTSA) on a quarterly and annual basis.
The Indicators are available about 90 days after the reference quarter. The statistical tables include actual data and percentage changes. Unadjusted data are expressed at current prices while seasonally adjusted data are expressed at constant prices.
The NTI can be used in three general ways: (a) to assess the current state of tourism in Canada; (b) to analyze the development of tourism in Canada in terms of trends and structures; and (c) to support policy and strategic decisions. The Indicators show the relative importance of tourism markets in Canada, what percentage of activity is accounted for by each component of tourism demand, and which components are impacted the most from its growth or decline. The NTI can be used to support research on the trends, cycles and quarterly patterns in various tourism aspects or the industry as a whole. Comparisons can be drawn with other industries or the national economy. The NTI can also be used in the temporal analysis of relationships between different variables and the demand for or supply of tourism goods and services.
The data are used by various stakeholders in the field of tourism, e.g. federal and provincial government officials, researchers as well as by college and university professors and students. The data are also used by international organizations (OECD, World Tourism Organization), journalists and large businesses.
Published By: Statistics Canada
Publication Date: January 2019
