Canadian tourists are foregoing travel to the U.S. amid a period of strain in the bilateral relationship, with plummeting visits threatening the American tourism industry and wider American economy.
According to data released Monday by Statistics Canada, the number of Canadians making return visits to the U.S. by car fell 4.5 percent in March, when compared to same month last year.
It noted that last year’s figures were also impacted by “political tensions between Canada and the United States,” and said that comparing March 2026 to March 2024 revealed a 34.9 percent decline in round trips.
Before 2025, Canada was the largest source of international visitors to the U.S., according to the U.S. Travel Association, which last year warned that even a 10-percent reduction could translate into “$2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses.”
According to a report from the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), the decline in inbound travel eventually came to 25 percent, attributed to rising “trade tensions” caused by President Donald Trump’s tariffs as well as his repeated reference to Canada as a potential “51st state.”
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By Hugh Cameron — US News Reporter |
Canadian tourists are foregoing travel to the U.S. amid a period of strain in the bilateral relationship, with plummeting visits threatening the American tourism industry and wider American economy.
According to data released Monday by Statistics Canada, the number of Canadians making return visits to the U.S. by car fell 4.5 percent in March, when compared to same month last year.
It noted that last year’s figures were also impacted by “political tensions between Canada and the United States,” and said that comparing March 2026 to March 2024 revealed a 34.9 percent decline in round trips.
Before 2025, Canada was the largest source of international visitors to the U.S., according to the U.S. Travel Association, which last year warned that even a 10-percent reduction could translate into “$2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses.”
According to a report from the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), the decline in inbound travel eventually came to 25 percent, attributed to rising “trade tensions” caused by President Donald Trump’s tariffs as well as his repeated reference to Canada as a potential “51st state.”
Read more: [https://www.newsweek.com/canada-tourists-deal-economic-blow-by-skipping-us-11825690](https://www.newsweek.com/canada-tourists-deal-economic-blow-by-skipping-us-11825690)
I don’t blame Canadians for staying away from a country that threatens their sovereignty.
Just can’t stop winning can we