High-end travellers in the U.S. say Canada is their top choice for an international vacation, followed by Costa Rica. They’re also increasingly interested in cruise and wellness holidays.
A new report from Resonance Consultancy, a respected tourism/travel research company, looked at the top 10% and top 1% of travel spenders in the U.S. They found that safety and easy access/proximity to the States were key factors in travel decisions.
“Safety is the top factor affluent travelers consider when choosing a destination. Canada scores strongly on political stability, personal security, health care and infrastructure, particularly important for multi-generational family trips and social-group travel,” authors of the study said. They also noted the easy access that Americans have to Canada via major airports in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Calgary.
The Scandinave Spa in Whistler, B.C. JIM BYERS PHOTO
“Canada offers a suite of experiences that map cleanly onto core affluent demands, and the variety allows travelers to build multi-stop itineraries, for example: Vancouver + Whistler + Vancouver Island, or Toronto + Niagara +Muskoka. Increasingly, travelers cross provincial borders, accessing even more experiences within a single trip,” Resonance officials said.
CANADA TRIPS FROM USA ARE “INTERNATIONAL BUT EASY”
“Canada sits at a sweet spot between domestic U.S. travel and long-haul international: different enough to feel like a proper trip abroad, but culturally familiar enough to keep perceived risk and friction low,” the report notes. “For Canadian destinations, the implication is straightforward: there is an opportunity to deepen share of affluent U.S. demand, particularly from coastal origin markets where the Top 10% and 1% are most concentrated.”
Costa Rica also scored strongly.
High-end US travelers are increasingly looking at cruise vacations. Pictured here is MSC World America,
“A wave of high-end development by trusted global brands, particularly in Guanacaste and the Papagayo Peninsula, is rapidly densifying Costa Rica’s luxury supply and placing it firmly on the radar of the Top 1%,” the study states.
The report also notes that both cruising and wellness travel are big with top American travel spenders. Their survey found that 37% of the Top 1% of travel spenders favored cruise vacations in 2019, but that the figure jumped to 53% for 2025. Similarly, the desirability of wellness trips rose from 23% in 2019 to 34% last year.
JAPAN TOURISM TAKES OFF
The Japan National Tourism Organization says 2025 was another landmark year for visits to the country.
New stats show that 2025 set multiple records, with total Canadian arrivals surpassing 688,000, an impressive 18% increase over 2024 numbers. Globally, Japan welcomed approximately 42.7 million inbound travellers, a 16% rise over the previous year.
Kyoto, Japan. JIM BYERS PHOTO
That marks a second consecutive all-time high for total international visits.
Air Canada recently announced that direct flights from Vancouver to Sapporo will begin in December of this year.
I’ve only been to Japan twice, and just to Tokyo and Kyoto. But I thought both were sensational.
PORTER EXPANDS U.S. SERVICE
Porter Airlines is celebrating the launch of its first-ever transborder flight out of Vancouver. The airline now flies its Embraer jets from Vancouver YVR to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport until April 19 of this year, making it ideal for Canadian snowbirds who love the Arizona desert.
It’s actually the first Porter flight to the U.S. from Western Canada.
Hiking at The Boulders Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Porter also has begun flights from Ottawa International Airport to Miami, and will soon add flights from Ottawa to Phoenix. The flights are the only nonstops from Ottawa to both cities.
Miami service began on Jan. 24, with three weekly flights. The popular destination adds to Ottawa’s growing list of Florida markets, including Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa.
Phoenix flights also operate three times weekly, beginning Feb. 7.
Many Canadians are avoiding trips to the U.S. right now for political reasons, but Porter may be betting that will change. Of course, many Canadian residents are still flying to the States for vacations or to visit friends and family, and both Miami and Phoenix are popular winter destinations.
