Fewer Americans Heading North
By 250 News
Thursday, April 20, 2006 09:50 AM
Stats Canada says we set a new record for trips to overseas countries in February.
During the same month, same-day car travel from the United States fell to its lowest monthly level on record, falling below the 1.2 million mark .
That's not all.
The estimated 1.1 million overnight trips taken by American residents to Canada was the lowest monthly level in almost nine years. Overall, only 2.4 million American residents took trips to Canada in February, down 2.3% from the month before and the lowest month on record since May 1979.
The strength of the dollar played a significant role in the change.
The Canadian dollar was worth 87.0 US cents on average in February, up 0.7% compared to January. The loonie also gained against the euro, British pound sterling and Japanese yen.
The strength of the dollar also behind the slide in Canadian trips to the U.S. Same day trips were down 7.1% from January, and stays of one night or more, slid 5.7%
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Trips from the USA to Canada are down due to an increase in the value of the Loonie. Got it!
Canadian trips to the USA are also down by between 5.7 and 7.1%, due to the strenght of the dollar (Canadian I assume). How can that be?
Perhaps there are other factors at play here? Border crossing hassles, or apparent hassles? Cost of fuel to travel?
I sure would think my travel plkans through a bit wif I was retired on a fixed income and had put my last disposable money into a motor home which now costs me 20% more to lug with me than it did a year ago whether in the USA or Canada.
If I had a 3,000 mile radius per year before, I might cut that back by 20% to 2,400 miles.