Intro

Canada’s tourism outlook for 2026–2035 points to continued growth in tourism revenues. According to Destination Canada’s Summer 2025 report, domestic tourism spending increased by 6.9%, with Canadian travellers accounting for the largest share of tourism spending in the country.

For Airbnb hosts, this raises an important question: Is your property as appealing to domestic travellers as it is to international visitors? And is the information in your listing actually useful to Canadians travelling from another province or city?

What should Airbnb hosts change — in their property, listing, or guest information — to better serve Canadian travellers?

An increase in domestic travel does not automatically mean more bookings for every Airbnb. If the guest mix is changing, the way a property is presented should evolve with it. That may mean reconsidering the amenities you highlight, the information you provide, and even the way you introduce guests to your destination.

What Do We Mean by Domestic Travel?

Domestic travellers are people travelling within Canada, whether from another city, province, or territory. They may arrive by plane, car, train, or another form of transportation.

What makes them different from many international visitors is that they are already familiar with Canada to some degree — its systems, culture, and everyday norms — even if they live in a very different part of the country.

That does not necessarily mean they know your destination well. In fact, someone travelling across Canada may know less about your city than an international visitor who has spent months planning their trip.

Domestic travellers are not one single audience, either. They may be travelling for business or leisure, alone or with family, for a weekend or for a longer stay. Many of their needs overlap with those of international visitors, while others may become more important depending on the purpose and style of their trip.

How to Rewrite Your Listing for Domestic Guests

Start by thinking about which practical features deserve more visibility in your listing.

For guests travelling by car, parking information can be especially important. Don’t make them search through the entire listing to find out whether parking is available, where it is located, or whether there is an additional fee.

For business travellers, highlight practical features such as reliable Wi-Fi, a suitable workspace, and a quiet environment.

Flexibility around check-in may also matter. A business traveller may benefit from an earlier check-in when possible, while someone driving a long distance may appreciate flexibility if traffic or road conditions affect their arrival time.

The point is not to add every possible amenity to your listing. It is to understand which features matter most to the guests who are actually choosing your property — and make those features easy to find.

Build a Local Guide for People Who Already Know Canada

Travel guides are often designed with international tourists in mind. But someone travelling from one Canadian city to another may be looking for a different kind of local experience.

Major tourist attractions still matter, but they may not be enough.

Consider adding practical information such as:

• The easiest driving routes around the area
• Public parking near major attractions
• Grocery stores and useful services close to the property
• Recommendations for guests taking short getaways
• Local restaurants, cafés, markets, or neighbourhoods
• Lesser-known attractions that visitors may not discover on their own
• Simple itineraries for one evening, one day, or a weekend

The goal is to give domestic travellers an opportunity to rediscover Canada — to experience something beyond the places and attractions they may already know.

A good local guide should not simply tell guests what is famous. It should help them experience your destination like someone who knows the area.

Adapt by Season, Not Just by Audience

Your guest mix can change throughout the year. One season may bring more domestic travellers, while another attracts more international visitors. Their needs can also change significantly depending on the season.

Instead of treating your listing as something you write once and leave untouched, review it regularly.

Look at your booking patterns. Where are your guests coming from? What questions do they repeatedly ask before arrival? Which amenities appear most often in reviews? Are certain types of guests more common during particular seasons?

Then adjust accordingly.

Your listing description, highlighted amenities, photos, guest guide, and local recommendations can all evolve throughout the year — just as your pricing does.

In winter, for example, information about parking, road access, heating, or ski storage may deserve greater visibility. During warmer months, guests may care more about outdoor spaces, nearby trails, lakes, patios, or seasonal attractions.

Domestic travel does not mean your guests already know everything about Canada. It simply means they may be looking for a different perspective on a country they already know.

And in a travel market where relevance and personalization increasingly matter, understanding those differences can help hosts create a more useful and thoughtful guest experience.

More domestic travel does not automatically translate into more bookings or higher Airbnb revenue.

It creates an opportunity.

Whether that opportunity turns into bookings depends on how well you understand the guests entering the market — and how effectively you adapt your property, listing, and guest experience to meet their needs.

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