Nearly half of Canadians are cancelling or reducing their trips to the United States. This trend concerns travel agencies and local businesses that rely on cross-border tourism. Travel is shrinking compared to years before January 2017, when former President Donald Trump took office. This dramatic decline has been exacerbated by escalating cross-strait tensions. The most recent figures from the time of writing show a shocking 22% decrease in land border crossings from Canada to the U.S. in March 2024. This drop means more than 910,000 fewer visits compared to last month.
Dietra Wilson, 32, and husband Ben, co-own a secondhand store in Windsor, Ontario. They often went to Detroit, Michigan, right across the border. Ben Wilson dreads coming back to the States. Political gridlock was a major concern and threat to border security, as he feared for his safety.
Travel agencies have been deeply affected by this trend. Lesley Keyter, CEO and founder of the Travel Lady agency in Calgary, tells us business has plummeted. She noted that a lot of her clients have lost their entire deposit to cancel trips to the U.S. since mid-February. The carriers’ decision resulted in an almost 90% reduction in bookings.
McKenzie McMillan, a local mobility consultant with The Travel Group in Vancouver, agreed with both. At the same time we have witnessed the almost complete dismantling of U.S. business. Most likely around a 90% decrease since February,” she said, showing the major impact COVID has had on inbound travel to the U.S.
The drop in Canadian visitors is not a unique event. Foreign tourism to the U.S. has dropped off a cliff overall since the start of Trump’s presidency, and Canadians seem to have been hit hardest. Canada is easily the most significant source of visitors to the U.S. Last year, 20.4 million Canadian visitors created tourism exports with $20.5 billion in spending. Today’s political climate and anxieties at the border are sending those Canadians packing.
Mike Sauer, who runs a community policing center in Vancouver, Washington, weighed in on the issue. As for him and his partner, they have no intention of visiting the U.S. The greatest deterrent—according to them—is the political climate that Trump has created.
More Canadians are planning vacations to places other than the US. Diane Bellamy and her husband are now canceling their much-anticipated U.S. trip altogether. Instead, they’re looking forward to spending some time exploring Mexico’s beautiful Pacific coast on vacation. Reflecting on her decision, Diane noted, “I never thought I would hear myself say that.”
The increasing tension and anxiety atmosphere regarding cross-border travel is very real. Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian actor and entrepreneur currently on a U.S. work visa, lives this reality. She had been held by U.S. customs agents in a San Diego facility for 12 days earlier this month before her release. British Columbia Premier David Eby expressed concern over her detention, highlighting the implications for Canadians traveling to the U.S.
The political boiling pot of trade and border concerns has added to the anxiety faced by would-be travelers. Many Canadians feel disillusioned by Trump’s comments about potentially making Canada the 51st state and his perceived attacks on Canada’s economy.
Fewer tourists would not do, and so California Governor Gavin Newsom intervened. Part of a broader plan to woo Canadians back to the Hoosier state, he announced an unusual advertising campaign. For starters, he noted that there was a 12% year-on-year decrease in February visitors from Canada – in February alone.
Travel agents such as Keyter have seen a shift in attitudes with their clients. They are scared off from cruising and other travel to U.S. destinations. “Even if they’re going on a Caribbean cruise, they don’t want to go down to Fort Lauderdale to get on the cruise ship,” she explained.
Canadian travelers continue to be understandably wary about attempting to cross into the U.S. At the same time, the effects on local economies on both sides of the border are starting to be felt. The confluence of these political tensions and events with Thomas’ personal experiences is creating a whole new cross-border tourism environment.
