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Vancouver – Controversial policies and rhetoric from President Donald Trump are causing millions of Canadian tourists to hesitate about their annual trips to the United States, significantly impacting traditional travel patterns.
Peter Mulholland, a 69-year-old from Vancouver, represents many Canadians choosing not to make their usual pilgrimage across the border to watch Major League Baseball games this year. Mulholland and his wife will skip their annual outing to Seattle to see the Toronto Blue Jays face off against the Mariners, citing growing frustrations with the current U.S. administration.
The couple's decision was influenced by several specific issues, including Trump's threats to impose tariffs on Canadian goods, discussions about making Canada the 51st U.S. state, and his derogatory comments about Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"We're starting to feel suspicious," Mulholland remarked. "His tariff threats will hurt both countries, that will be evident in the end, but it will hurt us more."
As more Canadians align with this sentiment, travel agencies are noticing a significant drop in interest. McKenzie McMillan, a travel consultant from Travel Group in Vancouver, reports that some of her clients have canceled trips they had planned months in advance. February is typically a busy time for travel agents as Canadians plan their spring vacations to the States. However, McMillan said, "We've seen an overall decline in new demands or interests in traveling to the U.S."
Even with the Canadian dollar trading at approximately 30 cents lower than the American dollar, McMillan insists that the primary reason for the decline in travel is political. "The majority reason we're seeing people avoid the U.S. right now is related to tariffs and discussions around the idea of it becoming the 51st state," she explained.
The U.S. Travel Association notes that Canadians are the largest source of foreign tourists visiting the U.S. In 2024, an estimated 20.4 million visits from Canada are expected, generating about $20.5 billion and supporting 140,000 jobs in the U.S. However, a potential 10% drop in visits could translate to 2 million fewer tourists, resulting in a loss of $2.1 billion in spending and 14,000 job losses.
Airlines are beginning to feel the impact as well. Air Canada, the country's largest airline, has not yet seen a significant decline in travel to the U.S. but is actively monitoring the situation. "We anticipate a possible slowdown," explained Mark Galardo, Air Canada's Vice President of Revenue and Network Planning.
WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, has reported a 25% decrease in demand for flights to the U.S. in the early weeks of this year compared to last. "We believe this change is at least partly tied to currency exchange differences; however, we are closely reviewing and working with the Canadian government regarding potential tariff impacts," the airline stated.
The ripple effects of these sentiments also extend to the cruise industry, as Canadians may reconsider trips departing from U.S. ports like Los Angeles, Houston, or Miami. McMillan noted an observable shift toward Canadians booking vacations to Mexico, Europe, Iceland, and Asia instead of the U.S.
