Immigration has become a common phenomenon of modern society in numerous countries around the world, including Canada. Despite this, tourism research has mainly focused on specific behaviours of travellers from a particular country (nationality) without considering the possibility that a nation may comprise unique sub-cultures of varying ethnic groups as a result of immigration. This study explores the influence of new Canadians’ home culture on their travel lifestyle and behaviours. A survey of European (n=128) and Asian (n=99) recent immigrants in Ontario was conducted to explore this relationship. More specifically, the project investigates the connection between the respondents’ region of origin and their travel lifestyle preferences in terms of their attitudes and opinions toward travelling as well as their travel interests. The information about the respondents’ demographic characteristics, past travel experiences and information search behaviour was also collected. The data were then analyzed using factor analysis, t-test, one-way ANOVA, chi-square test and cluster analysis. The results show that there are differences between the two groups in respect to their travel lifestyle, past travel experiences, and media used for planning a vacation. Cluster analysis based on immigrants’ reported travel lifestyle identified four distinct segments: High Familiarity Seekers, Low Interest Travellers, Independent Spontaneous Travellers, and Highly Engaged Travel Planners. The study concludes that region of origin has a strong influence on travel lifestyle and behaviour of new Canadians. Hence, the growing migrant population in Canada should not go unheeded as potential market segments, and marketers should acknowledge that consumers in countries with diverse multicultural backgrounds need differentiated services and products.

Immigration has become a common phenomenon of modern society in numerous countries around the world, including Canada. Despite this, tourism research has mainly focused on specific behaviours of travellers from a particular country (nationality) without considering the possibility that a nation may comprise unique sub-cultures of varying ethnic groups as a result of immigration. This study explores the influence of new Canadians’ home culture on their travel lifestyle and behaviours. A survey of European (n=128) and Asian (n=99) recent immigrants in Ontario was conducted to explore this relationship. More specifically, the project investigates the connection between the respondents’ region of origin and their travel lifestyle preferences in terms of their attitudes and opinions toward travelling as well as their travel interests. The information about the respondents’ demographic characteristics, past travel experiences and information search behaviour was also collected. The data were then analyzed using factor analysis, t-test, one-way ANOVA, chi-square test and cluster analysis. The results show that there are differences between the two groups in respect to their travel lifestyle, past travel experiences, and media used for planning a vacation. Cluster analysis based on immigrants’ reported travel lifestyle identified four distinct segments: High Familiarity Seekers, Low Interest Travellers, Independent Spontaneous Travellers, and Highly Engaged Travel Planners. The study concludes that region of origin has a strong influence on travel lifestyle and behaviour of new Canadians. Hence, the growing migrant population in Canada should not go unheeded as potential market segments, and marketers should acknowledge that consumers in countries with diverse multicultural backgrounds need differentiated services and products.