Ontarians are travelling this summer, but confidence is low that their plans will go as expected according to new data from the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO), which also shows a strong domestic travel trend across all age groups in 2025. At the same time, international and U.S. travel intentions reveal a clear generational divide, with older Canadians more likely to steer clear, according to the provincial regulator.

TICO engaged PMG Intelligence to conduct its survey of 614 Ontarians, 19 years of age or older on May 5 and 6, which can be expected to be accurate +/- 4.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

According to the survey:

Where will Ontarians travel in 2025

• Ontario and Canada are calling: 
• • In 2025, over half of respondents across all age groups say they are more likely to explore destinations close to home.
  • 53% say they are more likely to travel within Ontario and 50% are more likely to be eyeing adventures across Canada.
• U.S. travel:
• • 40% of respondents have delayed travel to the U.S. or changed destinations because of the uncertainty around the economy, tariffs, and/or geo-political circumstances.
  • Older travellers are far more likely to steer clear of cross-border trips. 61% of those aged 65 and over say they’re staying away from the U.S., compared to just 29% of those under 45. Across all age groups, the average sits at 44%.
• International travel (excluding U.S.):
• • Respondents under 35 years of age are more likely to travel internationally this year compared to other age cohorts (36% compared to 25% overall). On the flip side, those 55+ are least likely to travel internationally, with 23% avoiding international travel altogether.

What’s shaping travel plans in 2025?

• S. politics: 76% of Ontarians say U.S. policy and rhetoric are weighing on their travel choices, highlighting how closely global politics and travel plans are connected.
• Tariffs: 72% of those over the age of 65 feel tariffs significantly impact their travel choices, compared to just 46% of those under the age of 45.
• Exchange rate of Canadian dollar: 47% of Ontarians over 65 say the exchange rate significantly impacts their plans, compared to 33% of those under 45.
• Canadian patriotism: Older Ontarians are leading the charge in patriotic travel, as 64% of those over 65 say supporting Canadian destinations significantly influences their plans, compared to 37% of those under 45.

Confidence that travel will go as expected drops significantly with age

• Only 1-in-3 respondents (34%) are confident or very confident that their travel plans will go as expected during this period of heightened uncertainty.
• Nearly half of Ontarians under the age of 35 (49%) say they feel confident in their upcoming travel plans. But for older travellers, that optimism fades; only 27% of respondents 55 and older say they feel the same.

“From global tensions to rising costs, older generations appear more concerned, and affected by, the risks and uncertainties that can disrupt their travel plans,” said TICO CEO Richard Smart. “It’s a powerful reminder that peace of mind matters more than ever, especially when choosing how and where to book travel.”

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