Summer 2025 is shaping up to be a good one for Canadian travellers, with homegrown nature, European escapes, and meaningful experiences leading the way.
Booking.com has uncovered new data on Canadians’ summer travel plans. Here’s a snapshot of what’s shaping the season:
Travel optimism is high, with 72% of Canadian leisure travellers reporting feeling excited about exploring the world this summer, and the same amount (72%) expect to spend more on travel than they did in 2024*.
Canadians are keen to take advantage of renowned green spaces and biodiversity. Forty-two per cent of Canadian travellers express a desire to explore natural landscapes such as lakes, mountains and national parks. Diverse natural habitats, like the hot springs of Alberta, B.C. and Northwest Territories, and the soaring fjords and otherworldly tablelands of Gros Morne National Park, are revered by global travellers, and Canadians want to enjoy our natural gifts too!
Western tourism operators are set to have a great summer as accommodation searches on Booking.com from Canadian travellers are up 61% year-over-year for Kelowna and for Canmore, and 45% year-over-year for Banff.
Families will be on the move, as 90% of Canadian parents plan to travel at least once domestically this year, and 81% plan to travel at least once internationally. Europe leads the international interest among parents at 48% hoping to visit, with Asia following at 21% interest.
And they’re seeking more than the usual sun and rest. Eighty-seven per cent of Canadian parents say they’re looking for trips that expose their children to a variety of cultures and experiences. Whether that means exploring Canada’s historic landmarks and public art installations or enjoying new types of cultural cuisines, families are looking to book trips that inspire curiosity and connection.
Group travel on the rise
Group travel is gaining momentum this summer, as many Canadian travellers are planning trips with friends. Leading this trend is Gen Z with 29% opting for group getaways. These younger travellers are seeking experiences that combine social connection with nature as 24% plan to prioritize activities like stargazing and outdoor adventures.
Communication will be key for groups planning to travel together however, as Canadians who travelled in a group in 2024 reported that 26% had friction around having different budgets and/or different interests during the trip, and 22% around different paces of travel (e.g. slow walking, visiting one destination vs many).
Love is in the air this summer as couples are increasingly valuing memorable experiences over material gifts. A significant majority across Canadian generations— 72% of millennials, 74% of Gen Z, and 69% of boomers – prefer the gift of travel to physical presents. This shift aligns with the 44% of Canadian travellers planning to take a trip with their partner this year.***
Now that we know a bit about who Canadians will be travelling with and what they are seeking in a summer vacation, here is where they would like to go!
Trending Canadian destinations for summer 2025**
- Kelowna
- Canmore
- Banff
- Halifax
- Calgary
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Quebec City
- Montreal
- Niagara Falls
Trending global destinations for summer 2025
- Paris, France
- Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
- Tokyo, Japan
- Dubai, UAE
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Alicante, Spain
- Nice, France
- Malaga, Spain
- Rimini, Italy
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
