Ontario’s tourism and hospitality sector continues to benefit from a diverse mix of visitors from within the province, across Canada, the United States, and overseas. The latest 2025 data shows that while domestic travel remains the backbone of the visitor economy, international markets—particularly overseas visitors—are playing an increasingly important role in driving growth across the province.
Domestic Visitors Lead the Way
Domestic travel continues to represent the largest share of Ontario’s visitor activity. Canadians traveling within their own province and country remain the foundation of the tourism economy, supporting hotels, restaurants, attractions, and transportation businesses year-round.
In 2025, domestic travel continued to strengthen as more Canadians chose to vacation within Canada rather than travel abroad. This trend helped boost visitation in Ontario, reinforcing the province’s position as Canada’s most visited destination.
Major urban destinations also benefited from this shift. In Toronto alone, approximately 25 million domestic visitors travelled to the city in 2025, representing the largest share of total visitation and a 3% increase year over year.
United States Visitors Remain the Largest International Market
Visitors from the United States remain Ontario’s largest international market and continue to play an important role in the province’s tourism economy.
Across 2025, Ontario recorded over 10.7 million visits from U.S. travellers, making up the majority of international arrivals.
However, economic conditions, exchange rates, and geopolitical factors have contributed to some fluctuations in cross-border travel. In Toronto, for example, about 1.9 million U.S. visitors arrived in 2025, a modest decline of roughly 6% compared with the previous year.
Despite this slight decline, U.S. visitors remain critically important because of their proximity, frequent repeat travel, and strong spending across hotels, restaurants, and attractions.
Overseas Visitors: Smaller Numbers, Higher Value
While smaller in volume than domestic and U.S. visitors, overseas travellers are one of the most valuable segments of Ontario’s tourism market. These visitors typically stay longer and spend more per trip.
In 2025, Ontario welcomed approximately 2.86 million overseas visitors, representing a 10.8% increase year over year—one of the fastest-growing segments of the market.
Key growth markets included the United Kingdom, India, Germany, and China, all of which recorded notable increases in visitor numbers.
This growth reflects stronger global travel demand and increased international interest in Ontario’s cultural attractions, festivals, and business events.
Looking Ahead for Ontario’s Hospitality Sector
For Ontario’s hospitality industry—restaurants, hotels, attractions, and tourism operators—the mix of domestic, U.S., and overseas visitors remains essential. Domestic travel provides stability, U.S. visitors deliver strong cross-border demand, and overseas markets bring high-value long-haul travellers.
Continued investments in air access, convention capacity, and major tourism attractions will be key to ensuring Ontario remains competitive in the global tourism marketplace.
With the right infrastructure and marketing, Ontario is well positioned to continue attracting visitors from across Canada, the United States, and around the world—supporting jobs, local communities, and the long-term growth of the province’s hospitality economy.
Ontario’s hospitality industry operates under one of the most rigorous food safety and public health inspection regimes in North America. Restaurants, hotels, and foodservice operators are subject to regular, risk-based inspections conducted by local public health units to ensure the highest standards of safety and consumer protection.