The once-bustling border crossings between Canada and the United States have seen a slowdown in recent months, as Canadians are increasingly opting to stay home or explore alternative destinations. Growing unease about America’s political climate, the rise of invasive border searches, and the weak CAD dollar have all contributed to this growing trend. (As a Canadian travel journalist and broadcaster, I’ve found the current sentiment across media outlets tends to be the same: we don’t promote U.S. travel.)
Many point to the recent tariffs on Canadian goods as the breaking point, creating frustration and resentment among citizens who view these taxes as both unnecessarily punitive and damaging. This economic sting has turned what has historically been a friendly relationship into a politically charged decision in many Canadian households.
This tension, along with visible, heated political divisions in American news and social media, has many Canadians rethinking their travels, whether it be a routine cross-border Target shopping runs or vacation planning.
Canadian airlines—such as Air Canada, WestJet and Porter—are rerouting previously American bound aircrafts to Canadian destinations, and even shelving Canadian-U.S. routes due to a lack of demand. (Canadian Flair Airlines terminated its flights to Nashville; Air Canada and Air Transat reduced flights to the U.S.; and Sunwing Airlines ended all flights to the U.S., to name a few.)
“We are mindful of the overall sentiment of travelers as it relates to U.S. tariffs,” Edmond Eldebs, the chief commercial officer of Porter Airlines, told Travel + Leisure. “Our goal is to fly where our customers want to travel, and this is a moment when Canada is at the top of many people’s list. We are adding routes and increasing flights in regions across the country to meet this demand.”
Small American border towns that depend on Canadian shoppers have reported customer drops of near 43 percent, and popular Florida vacation rentals note a surprising number of last-minute cancellations from northern visitors. According to the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), the U.S. states that see the most Canadian travelers are Florida, California, Nevada, New York, and Texas.
Canadians make up the biggest group of international visitors to the U.S. and spent $20.5 billion in 2024, which supported some 140,000 American jobs, reports the USTA. What’s more, just a 10 percent dip in Canadian travel could impact 14,000 jobs and result in a loss of $2.1 billion.
Travel experts believe this isn’t just a temporary blip, and signals Canadians deliberately choosing destinations where they feel more valued and their business appreciated.
“Canadian travelers are increasingly interested in summer travel to destinations like Europe, Japan and beach getaways such as Mexico and the Dominican Republic,” Melanie Fish, the head of Expedia Brand Group’s public relations, told T+L. “We’ve also seen Canadian travelers rediscovering the charm of their own country, leading to a renewed interest in domestic travel. Popular destinations searched on Expedia include Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto, with top trending spots being Tofino, St. John’s, Nanaimo, and Gaspésie.”
For many Canadians, this will be a summer of indulging in our own beautiful country, from British Columbia’s majestic Rocky Mountains to the enticing beaches of Nova Scotia’s sparkling Atlantic coast.
