International Arrivals to Canada Climb to 6.8 Million in July, Fuelled by World Cup Travel

Canada welcomed a record wave of travellers in July, with preliminary figures showing 6.8 million international arrivals by air and automobile, a 6.3% increase from the same month a year earlier. The surge reflects strength on nearly every front: more American visitors, more overseas travellers, and a notable boost tied to the FIFA World Cup matches hosted in Vancouver and Toronto.

Americans Return in Force

American residents made 2.7 million trips to Canada in July, up 6.5% year over year. That included 1.9 million automobile trips, up 7.2%, and 749,000 air arrivals, up 4.8%. It marked the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year growth in US-resident travel to Canada, with the busiest single day, 140,400 arrivals, falling on July 3, right over the American Independence Day long weekend.

Canadian-resident return trips from the United States told a similar story of recovery, rising 10.2% to 2.3 million, the fourth straight month of year-over-year growth. Much of that increase reflects a rebound from a sharp decline the previous year, but the direction of travel, more Canadians confidently crossing the border and coming home again, is a healthy sign for cross-border mobility overall.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge Opens for Business

July also marked a milestone for Canada’s border infrastructure. On July 27, the long-awaited Gordie Howe International Bridge opened, connecting Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, across the Detroit River. It joins the Ambassador Bridge and the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel as a third major crossing in one of the busiest land border corridors in the country.

In its first five days alone, the new bridge carried 18,900 Canadian-resident return trips and 18,100 US-resident trips by automobile, along with 4,100 commercial trucks. That is a strong debut for a piece of infrastructure expected to ease congestion and support trade and travel between two of North America’s busiest economic regions for years to come.

Overseas Travellers Arrive for the World Cup

Overseas arrivals rose 5.7% in July to 863,649 trips, driven largely by a 6.8% jump in air travel. A meaningful share of that increase traces back to sport. Vancouver and Toronto hosted three FIFA World Cup matches in July, drawing fans from five overseas countries whose combined air arrivals jumped 18.7%, an increase of 6,700 trips, compared with the year before.

The travel patterns tracked the matches closely. Air arrivals from Colombia peaked the day before their team’s match in Vancouver, while Swiss travellers peaked the day before their own Vancouver fixture. Fans from Portugal and Croatia arrived in the highest numbers just before their teams played in Toronto. It is a clear illustration of how a single global event can ripple through travel data in very specific, trackable ways.

Why This Matters Beyond Tourism

Rising international arrivals are not just a tourism story. They reflect growing confidence in Canada as a destination, whether for a weekend visit, a family reunion, or a first look at a country someone is considering moving to permanently. Every one of those millions of trips represents a personal decision to choose Canada, and consistent, broad-based growth across American, overseas, and returning Canadian travel all points in the same direction.

New infrastructure like the Gordie Howe International Bridge also matters for the long term. Smoother, more resilient border crossings support not just tourism but trade, family travel, and the everyday movement of people building lives on both sides of the border.

Looking Ahead

With a new bridge open, a World Cup drawing global attention, and travel numbers climbing across nearly every category, July 2026 marks one of Canada’s strongest months for international arrivals in recent memory. For a country actively welcoming immigrants and visitors alike, the momentum is hard to miss.