by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 11:30 AM ET, Mon January 19, 2026
Mobile communication when travelling got a lot easier with the introduction of eSIM technology, which allows people to use their phone in other countries without exorbitant fees.
Airalo, an eSIM provider, followed the data to find which countries Canadians are buying eSIMs for, in order to show where we are travelling, and where we aren’t.
The most eSIMs were sold for Canadians travelling to the United States, which was unchanged from last year. However, Airalo sold 26 percent fewer than last year, a decrease that reflects Canadians’ softened interest in American travel.
Spots two and three went to Japan and Mexico, both of which also grew over 2024: 34 percent and 32 percent.
When it comes to year over year growth, some unexpected destinations show up. The first, at a growth of 302 percent, is Lebanon. Airalo states that after several years of reduced tourism, “improved stability and a wave of promotional storytelling from travel creators have helped put Lebanon back on the map for adventurous Canadians.”
The second spot, with 213 percent growth is South Korea, where Canadians are enjoying improved connectivity due to the new T’ways route from Vancouver. Filling out the top three is the Czech Republic, with 190 percent growth.
On the opposite end, sales for eSIMs for Bosnia and Herzegovina, not always at top of mind as a popular tourism destination, fell 30 percent. Turkiye fell by 10 percent. And although Italy was the top sixth-highest destination for sales, it fell by 3 percent from 2024 numbers.
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