Most major travel markets in the Americas – including Canada – have recovered from the pandemic, apart from the US which is due to get back to 2019 levels next year, according to new research conducted by World Travel Market.

The WTM Global Travel Report, in association with Tourism Economics, was published in conjunction with WTM London, which took place in the UK capital.

The report revealed that for the current year, the Americas as a whole is falling short of 2019 in both volumes and value. The region is expected to welcome 117 million inbound leisure visitors, 4% down on 2019’s number. In dollar terms the shortfall is negligible, only 2% shy of pre-pandemic earnings.

However, the negative numbers are almost entirely attributable to the region’s overwhelmingly largest market, the US, which saw a 17% drop in the value of its inbound leisure market.

But when looking at the region country-by-country, it emerges that the other major markets have had a very strong year, including number two Mexico, which was 128% ahead of 2019, and Canada up by 107%.

Canada also racked up 71% growth in spending, ranking this country fifth in the region in that critical category.

Despite its inbound ills, the US domestic market performed strongly and is in positive territory, with 2023’s domestic spend tipped to come in at 130% of 2019. All of the major domestic markets are ahead. Mexico is 144% ahead and Brazil, the third largest domestic market, is 118%.

Canada’s domestic market (fourth largest in the Americas) performed at 119% of pre-pandemic levels, thus is considered “fully recovered.”

Overall, domestic tourism in the Americas for 2023 will be 31% ahead of 2019 by value.

But the immediate future is looking positive, with the report confirming that the US will catch up with pre-pandemic levels in the next year. The findings show that 2024 will end with the US inbound in positive territory, 8% ahead of 2019. Domestically, the US will continue to grow, with the value of domestic tourism tipped to come in at around $1000 billion dollars.

Further out, the report looks forward to 2033 and says that the US inbound leisure market will remain the second largest in the world and be worth 82% more than 2024. This is among the strongest growth of the 10 largest inbound markets, with only China (158%), Thailand (178%) and India (133%) registering a bigger increase. The US will also outperform its regional rivals, with Mexico looking at an 80% increase in inbound spend over the next decade; Canada is in line for a 71% jump.