Tour Operators in Canada - Market Research Report (2014-2029)
New York, United States
Last Updated: January 2024
NAICS 56152CARevenue
$7.6bn
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
$XX.Xm
Employees
9,855
Businesses
1,233
Wages
$XXX.Xm
Tour Operators in Canada industry analysis
Canadian tour operators have been extremely volatile in recent years. With the domestic economy's expansions prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, international trips taken by Canadians increased. Greater international exposure for the Canadian tourism industry, coupled with overall global economic growth, motivated more foreigners to visit and book tours in Canada, leading to increased inbound international travel. The COVID-19 pandemic shocked the global tourism sector, with countries closing borders, government authorities keeping only essential businesses open and strict travel restrictions being put in place. Many travelers canceled their trips, while people that were planning trips ended up delaying them indefinitely, decimating demand for tour operators as revenue fell nearly 90.0% between 2019 and 2021. Revenue is forecast to decline at a CAGR of 7.1% to $7.6 billion over the five years to 2024. This includes an increase of 9.6% in 2024 as the tourism industry continues to normalize and COVID-19 restrictions are fully removed. Tour operators are also expected to return to profitability in 2024.
Trends and Insights
- COVID-19 decimated revenue for Canadian tour operators. Further, historically high inflation overseas reduces foreign travelers' demand to travel, limiting industry recovery.
- Custom tours have become more popular in recent years. Technological advancements have made them easier to design.
- British Columbia’s varied landscape makes it a popular place for Canadian tour operators. There are many different types of excursions available.
- Price competition is intense for tour operators. It’s essential for companies to provide unique experiences at a competitive price to generate revenue.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 7.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $7.6bn in 2024.
Trends and Insights
COVID-19 decimated the tourism sector
- The COVID-19 pandemic was tough on all sectors of the economy, but tourism and hospitality were some of the worst impacted. Tour operators collectively lost more than 90.0% of revenue between 2019 and 2021.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Unpredictable events present a constant threat
- The COVID-19 pandemic sent tourism grinding to a halt worldwide, causing significant harm to Canadian tour operators. Travelers are much less willing to go somewhere if they think it's dangerous and has a contagious disease.
Biggest companies in the Tour Operators in Canada
| Company | Market Share (%)
2024 | Revenue ($m)
2024 | Profit ($m)
2024 | Profit Margin (%)
2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Transat AT Inc. | 716.5 | -21.1 | -2.9 | |
Flight Centre Travel Group Limited | 165.8 | N/A | N/A | |
Top of the World Travel | 8.7 | N/A | N/A |
To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including International prepackaged tours, Domestic prepackaged tours and International customized tours. International prepackaged tours is the largest segment of the Tour Operators in Canada.
Trends and Insights
Pre-packaged tours form a bulk of revenue
- Canadian tour operators make more than three-fifths of their revenue from pre-packaged tours. These include accommodations, meals, sightseeing tours, transportation and visa services for international tours, among other amenities. These tours are provided by a guide that ensures they run smoothly and guests are satisfied.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- Convention & Visitor Bureaus in Canada
Complementors
- Scheduled Air Transportation in Canada
- Travel Agencies in Canada
- Hotels & Motels in Canada
International industries
- Global Travel Agency Services
- Tour Operators in the US
- Travel Agency and Tour Arrangement Services in Australia
- Travel Agency and Tour Arrangement Services in New Zealand
- Tour Operators in the UK
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Companies in the Tour Operators industry in Canada primarily arrange, market and conduct tours, including wholesale tours, of cities, museums, natural attractions and other places of interest. The industry excludes companies that primarily provide travel information on an area’s attractions (IBISWorld report 56159CA), as well as travel agencies (IBISWorld report 56151CA).
What's included in this industry?
Arranging, marketing and conducting toursArranging and marketing wholesale toursCompanies
Transat AT Inc.Flight Centre Travel Group LimitedTop of the World TravelPurchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
TOUR WHOLESALERTOUR PACKAGEVISITOR BUREAUIndustry Code
NAICS 561520 - Tour Operators in Canada
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
COVID-19 decimated revenue for Canadian tour operators. Further, historically high inflation overseas reduces foreign travelers' demand to travel, limiting industry recovery.
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Custom tours have become more popular in recent years. Technological advancements have made them easier to design.
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
British Columbia’s varied landscape makes it a popular place for Canadian tour operators. There are many different types of excursions available.
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each province in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each province in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Price competition is intense for tour operators. It’s essential for companies to provide unique experiences at a competitive price to generate revenue.
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Transat is the largest tour operator in Canada. The company is the only major player and operates nationwide.
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
- Overview of Transat AT Inc.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Flight Centre Travel Group Limited's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Top of the World Travel's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Transat AT Inc., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Flight Centre Travel Group Limited, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Top of the World Travel, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Regulation is low for tour operators. Companies must follow labour laws and the rules set forth by the locale of any excursions.
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Purchases are by far the largest cost for tour operators. Companies often buy lodging and travel accommodations to pair with their tour packages.
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
- Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Leverage Ratios (2017-2022)
- Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
- Assets (2017-2022)
- Liabilities (2017-2022)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Canada include:
- Statistics Canada
- Industry Canada
- Canadian Business Patterns
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Tour Operators industry in Canada in 2024?
The market size of the Tour Operators industry in Canada is $7.6bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Tour Operators in Canada industry in 2024?
There are 1,233 businesses in the Tour Operators industry in Canada, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Tour Operators industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Tour Operators industry in Canada has been declining at a CAGR of 7.1 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Tour Operators industry in Canada over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Tour Operators industry in Canada is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Tour Operators market in Canada?
The biggest companies operating in the Tour Operators market in Canada are Transat AT Inc., Flight Centre Travel Group Limited and Top of the World Travel
What does the Tour Operators in Canada include?
Arranging, marketing and conducting tours and Arranging and marketing wholesale tours are part of the Tour Operators industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Tour Operators in Canada?
The company holding the most market share in Canada is Transat AT Inc..
How competitive is the Tour Operators industry in Canada?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Tour Operators industry in Canada.
