New U.S. passport requirements likely account for significant travel drop

OTTAWA (CP) - Travel between Canada and the United States fell in both directions in February, possibly the result of new passport requirements for air travel into the United States that came into force on Jan. 23. Figures remained 2.5 per cent lower than the previous year's monthly average even though, in the face of the new requirements, overnight plane travel from the United States to Canada rebounded from January's three-year low, rising 2.7 per cent to 312,000.

Statistics Canada reports overnight car travel from the United States fell six per cent to 629,000 trips in February, the lowest level in 22 years.

Overall, U.S. residents made 1.1 million overnight trips to Canada in February, down 3.5 per cent from the previous month and the lowest figure since the height of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) crisis in May 2003.

Same-day car travel from the United States declined 5.9 per cent to 902,000 trips in February, the lowest monthly total since record keeping started in 1972.

The drop in travel was even greater for Canadian residents travelling to the United States as Canadians made 1.3 million overnight trips south of the border in February, down 7.9 per cent from the previous month.

© The Canadian Press, 2007