Canadians Are Using AI to Explore the World, Except for One Province That Stays Home

A new national study suggests Canadian travelers are not scaling back their plans in 2026 but simply redirecting them. 

Due to geopolitical tensions with the United States, high costs, and a weak exchange rate, Canadians are also leaning into artificial intelligence to find their next vacation destinations. 

However, one province stands out: Saskatchewan, where residents are more inclined than any other Canadians to keep their trips domestic.

Cross-Border Travel Falls Sharply as Costs and Tensions Rise

According to the 2026 Blue Cross Travel Study, 76% of Canadians say they are less likely to visit the United States in the year ahead. It marks a sharp jump from 2025, when only 47% reported the same hesitation.

While hesitancy toward U.S. travel is broad, the motivations differ by demographic.

Boomers show the largest swing. 54% say they have cancelled all U.S. travel plans for 2026, up from just 12% last year. 

Gen Z, by contrast, is more optimistic about future cross-border travel, with 62% expecting sentiment to improve over the next five years.

Yet, the study also shows Canadians are not opting out of travel altogether. 95% of those avoiding the U.S. intend to travel elsewhere.

68% plan to travel domestically, 38% to Mexico and the Caribbean, while 35% will travel overseas. 

While Canadians look beyond the United States for their next trip, Destination Canada is extending an invitation outward through the new OpenHome program that encourages American travelers to fly to the country and experience the country through home-cooked meals shared inside real Canadian households. 

AI Becoming a Mainstream Tool in Canadian Trip Planning

The most striking change in this year's findings is the role technology now plays in Canadian trip planning. With 87% of respondents cutting back on discretionary travel spending, travelers are increasingly turning to digital tools, such as AI, to help them do so.

Nearly half (49%) of Canadian travelers say they use AI to research destinations, compare prices and assemble itineraries. 

Adoption is strongest among Gen Z (70%) and Millennials (63%), but uptake among older generations is rising too.

42% of Gen X and nearly a quarter of Baby Boomers are already using AI-powered tools for some aspect of trip planning.

Canadians Will Not Travel Without Insurance

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The study also highlights a growing emphasis on risk mitigation, as 83% of Canadians know that a single overnight emergency room visit can exceed $3,600 CAD.

86% of Canadians report having some form of travel insurance, whether purchased independently or through employer or credit card benefits.

Younger travelers in particular are prioritizing coverage. 42% of Gen Z and 47% of Millennials now consider insurance a core element of planning and traveling.

An Underrated Canadian Province Where Residents Keep Choosing Themselves

At a time when Canadians are re-evaluating where and how they travel, one Canadian province, Saskatchewan, remains one of the country's most loyal domestic tourists.

About 77% of Saskatchewan residents plan to travel within Canada in 2026, with 70% visiting another province and 32% exploring their own province.

Saskatchewan's strong preference for domestic travel does not stem from a lack of demand, but it reflects a province with a uniquely self-sustaining tourism market.

According to Tourism Saskatchewan, the region welcomed 10.24 million visitors from Canada and the United States in 2024. Remarkably, 99% (10.12 million) of them were Canadian residents.

More notably, about 7.48 million, roughly 73% of all visitors, were Saskatchewan residents themselves.

International visitation was comparatively small, only 45,488 air arrivals based on 2024 ticket sales.

Beyond its well-known hunting and angling culture, the province is home to iconic protected landscapes such as Prince Albert National Park. While it is not among the most-visited Canadian national parks, it is home to Canada's most wildlife-rich boreal ecosystems.

Prince Albert is not a dedicated bear-watching destination in the way that British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest or Manitoba's Churchill are; its extensive hiking trails and Sturgeon River plains bison herd are magnets for nature-focused travelers.

After an inaugural first year in 2025, Parks Canada is also reintroducing the Canada Strong Pass, offering free admission and 25% off camping and overnight stays from December 12, 2025, to January 15, 2026, and from June 19 to September 7, 2026. 

Regina also gained national visibility in 2024 when The Amazing Race Canada filmed its finale in the city, showcasing the province's landscapes and urban attractions to millions of viewers.

The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, announced an additional CAD 670,000 federal support for tourism and arts on December 2, 2025.

The new funding will help to boost visitation in Saskatchewan by upgrading a rural resort for year-round tourism, enhancing the Cree Nation's historic sites for Indigenous tourism, creating an outdoor art and cultural garden, and expanding a lakeside music festival.