Tourism HR Canada partnered with Skift Advisory (formerly Twenty31), a globally recognized market research firm with a deep expertise in tourism, to collect some perceptual information about how visitors think about service standards in Canadian tourism.
The first survey reached out to domestic travellers; the resulting report was published earlier this year, along with a short article discussing some of the key takeaways in terms of service quality expectations and what that says about the skill level in the Canadian tourism workforce.
The second survey was international in scope, collecting responses from people in Australia, France, Germany, India, and the United Kingdom. With this survey data in hand and analyzed, we recently published an overview of these findings.
Now, pulling all the data together, we compare the perceptions of service delivery in Canadian tourism of international visitors with those of Canadians travelling domestically.
Overall Service Expectations
Canadians on the whole expressed higher interest in service independence, which means that they are more likely to prefer to look after their own needs while travelling than to rely on services provided by staff. In many cases, this seems to relate to familiarity: Canadians, who have a better understanding of how things work in Canada, can afford to be less reliant on service providers for some of the basics associated with travelling.
Canadians also had higher overall expectations of service quality than international travellers did, with 81% of domestic respondents having high expectations for Canada’s service quality (46% expecting “good” service and 35% expecting “very good” service). In the international markets sampled (Australia, France, Germany, India, and the United Kingdom), only 70% of travellers rated Canada’s service quality as either “good” (36%) or “very good” (34%).
A key premise underpinning our interpretation of these survey results is that service expectations are an acceptable (though not perfect) stand-in for expectations of workforce skill levels. Through this lens, Canadians seem to rate the Canadian tourism workforce as more highly skilled than international visitors do. This may be a cultural effect of lower expectations of service quality, with Canadians anticipating a qualitatively different kind of service than those from other countries. Another possibility is that this may be related to the familiarity already touched on above, where Canadians exclude certain core services from their evaluation of service provision because they consider those services to be outside of the responsibility of staff. This data does not allow us to untangle the rationale behind these preferences, but it presents an interesting perspective on the comparison of expectations between domestic and international visitors.
Cost Appetite
Overall, international travellers were generally more willing to pay extra for specialized services compared to domestic travellers, especially for eco or sustainable tourism products and customized services. Domestic travellers, on the other hand, displayed more reserved spending behaviours, particularly with additional costs, and appeared focused on practical essentials, especially in the absence of high expectations.
Domestic travellers with high service quality expectations showed a higher interest in services being included as part of a basic package (54%, on average) compared to international travellers (48% on average). For instance, 57% of international travellers with high expectations wanted daily deep-cleaning as a basic inclusion, while this figure rose to 62% for domestic travellers. This indicates that domestic travellers, when they have high service expectations, may actually have a slightly more practical orientation, prioritizing core services like cleanliness and extended hours of operation as basic requirements.
Domestic travellers with low service quality expectations were significantly less interested in many service offerings compared to international travellers (23% vs. 46%). For example, 50% of domestic travellers with lower expectations had no interest in daily deep cleaning, compared to only 17% among international travellers. This suggests that many domestic travellers with low service quality expectations may view specific service features as less critical when their overall expectations are lower.
Factors Influencing Travel Decisions
On average, international travellers assigned more importance to all factors, with 77% of high-expectation and 65% of low-expectation travellers rating these factors as critical. Domestic travellers showed more variability, with 73% of high-expectation and only 47% of low-expectation travellers finding these factors important. This suggests that international travellers have a generally more holistic approach to travel planning, factoring in a broad range of considerations, emphasizing financial factors, unique experiences, ease of transportation, and healthcare access. This reflects a need for security, convenience, and unique offerings to maximize the value and quality of their trips, while domestic travellers, especially those with lower service expectations, may be more flexible and selective in their decision-making criteria.
International travellers, regardless of their service expectations, placed a high priority on travel costs, with 86% of those with high expectations and 71% with low expectations rating this factor as more important. Domestic travellers, on the other hand, showed greater variation, with only 60% of low-expectation travellers rating travel costs as a priority compared to 84% of high-expectation travellers. This suggests that cost is a nearly universal concern for international travellers, while domestic travellers with lower expectations may be more willing to overlook travel costs or may have other motivations. Similarly, value for money at the destination was highly important for international travellers (85% and 72% for high and low expectations, respectively), while domestic travellers exhibited a wider range. Only 60% of domestic travellers with lower expectations rated this as important.
International travellers with both high (74%) and low expectations (60%) showed significant interest in distinct local experiences, with those with high expectations emphasizing this factor even more strongly. Domestic travellers, however, were less motivated by unique local offerings, especially among those with lower expectations, where only 42% indicated it as important. This implies that international travellers may seek cultural immersion and distinct experiences more actively, while domestic travellers are less likely to prioritize novelty or unique experiences.
Ease of transportation was a relatively high priority for international travellers (76% and 63% for high and low expectations, respectively), suggesting a strong need for accessible movement within the destination. Conversely, domestic travellers showed a much lower interest in this factor, particularly those with lower expectations, with only 37% rating it as important. This discrepancy might be due to international travellers’ unfamiliarity with local transit options, emphasizing the need for convenient transportation solutions for international visitors.
International travellers, particularly those with high expectations (68%), rated access to quality medical services as more important than domestic travellers, where only 61% (high expectations) and 36% (low expectations) rated it as essential. This reflects an increased awareness or concern among international travellers for health security when travelling abroad. Domestic travellers, in contrast, may feel more secure or familiar with the healthcare options available, especially those with lower service expectations, who may not consider this factor a travel priority.
Preference for Self-Reliance While Travelling
For international travellers, there was minimal variation in self-reliance based on service expectations; both high- and low-expectation travellers showed similar self-reliance rates (60% and 61%). This consistency suggests that self-reliance may be a core trait for international travellers, regardless of the level of service quality they anticipate. Domestic travellers, however, showed a notable increase in self-reliance among those with lower expectations (82%) compared to those with higher expectations (70%). This pattern implies that domestic travellers who do not prioritize high service quality are even more inclined to handle activities on their own, potentially viewing travel as a simple, familiar experience that requires minimal external support.
Both international and domestic travellers leaned toward self-reliance when booking services and organizing visits. However, domestic travellers, especially those with low expectations, showed an exceptionally high preference for handling these tasks independently (78% for booking services and 85% for organizing visits), compared to international travellers, where 40% to 44% still preferred some assistance. This suggests that international travellers may seek support in navigating unfamiliar booking systems or accessing local attractions.
Both international and domestic travellers showed high self-reliance for menu selection and ordering at restaurants, though domestic travellers again had a stronger inclination toward independence. Among international travellers, 71% with high expectations and 67% with low expectations preferred to make these choices independently, while domestic travellers were significantly more self-reliant, with 77% (high expectations) and a remarkable 90% (low expectations) preferring self-service. This may reflect domestic travellers’ familiarity with dining norms and menu items, making them more comfortable ordering without assistance.