The travel industry evolves every year. This evolution is driven by a number of factors: political, environmental, financial…but these factors don’t technically influence the business of travel, but rather the travellers who put their money into the industry.
As time passes, new generations are growing into their independent money-making and travelling age, while others are choosing only practical or comfortable travel. With these changes come the shifts in perspective from each generation. Canada is currently witnessing obvious travel trend changes by generation, and Ontario’s Travel Regulator has assessed these eloquently and accurately.
The Generations
Except for the Silent Generation, who are certainly too senior to travel extensively, and Generations Alpha/ Beta, who are currently too young to travel alone or with their own money, these are the generations most likely to spend money on travel in 2025/2026.
- Baby Boomers: 1946–1964
- Generation X: 1965–1980
- Millennials (Generation Y): 1981–1996
- Generation Z: 1997–2009
How Different Generations Choose Destinations
It seems Gen Z and Millennials take their cues from social media for travel destinations. In fact, Rustic Pathways states that 90% of Gen X say that their travel plans began on Instagram. Baby Boomers are still likely to do traditional travel research before choosing a destination and tend to be more decisive than their younger counterparts.
Canadian Travel in 2025
Whether the travel is local or international, by charter plane, commercial flight, rail, or road, changes in Canadian travel this year have been noted by more than one source. Tim Bishop, Managing Director, Blue Cross of Canada, was quoted as saying that this year, Canadians have been rethinking how, but not whether, they travel.
Plans are being adjusted to overcome not only economic barriers, but also to consider the kind of impact that those travels have on their destinations. Planning has become much more intentional, with destinations aligning with the traveller’s intentions rather than just being destinations they’d like to visit. Bishop went on to say that Canadian travellers are prioritizing flexibility and peace of mind this year, to give themselves greater travel confidence.
Overall, Canadians are now more likely to choose less crowded destinations and veer more off the beaten path than they have in previous years. Places like Nepal and Cambodia are seeing much more Canadian travel than ever before. Gen X is likely to stay a little close to home due to them (and millennials) currently being the generations with the most family responsibilities, if any. Gen X is ready to hit the road to some far-flung destination without much notice, due to most of them currently having fewer responsibilities. Baby Boomers, mostly retired, are more likely to take more local road trips than international flights.
Ontarian Travel in 2025
Ontario’s Travel Regulator has some clear information for Ontarians moving around the world.
- Over 40% of Ontarians say that they are either delaying or completely cutting out US travel due to increasing political concerns. The older generations are the most likely of any to steer clear of American travel in general, for the foreseeable future. Of respondents to this study, 61% of those aged 65 and above refuse US travel, while 29% of those under 45 years of age say the same.
- Local trips are becoming much more popular. More than half of respondents across all age groups say they are choosing vacations closer to home than in previous years. 53% have stated they are likely to stick to travel within Ontario.
- International travel, excluding the US, seems to be more for those aged 35 and below and almost entirely not for those aged 55 and above. 23% of respondents say that they’re steering clear of international travel altogether for one reason or another.
Experts say that these travel trends in Ontario are influenced by the same factors influencing many travellers across the world: global tensions are the highest they have been in decades, and rising costs are prohibitive in the extreme for many would-be travellers. US politics and rhetoric in particular are shaping plans, with 76% of the study’s respondents saying these issues, so close to home, have highlighted the way their travel plans are changed by and can actually influence politics. Older generations are more influenced by the exchange rate than others, and patriotism has helped Ontarians choose to support more local destinations than ever.
Looking Ahead
2026 is on the horizon, and while there are a few extra emerging trends predicted (more curated and “made for me” travel options, with destinations being very personal and focused on expression of self rather than just destination), the coming year looks as though it will hold onto many of the trends from 2025.
Canadians in general and Ontarians in particular know what they want from their travel experiences and have something to say with their choices. Bold statements are being made about where and how travel budgets are being spent, and, with outside influences ramping up rather than dying down, travel may be changing for good.