Canadian travel to the U.S. remains depressed even after a slight summer pickup, with tourism groups from New York to Las Vegas rolling out discounts and Canada-focused campaigns to lure visitors back.
Trump's latest trade escalation — tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods, on top of duties reaching 50% on some products — has deepened a political rift that many Canadians say makes U.S. trips unwelcome or unacceptable.
Statistics Canada said Canadians made 25% fewer return border crossings in 2025 and spent about CA$3.3 billion less in the U.S.; overnight visits in the first half of 2026 also trailed last year, especially by air.
The brief boost tied to the 2026 World Cup was driven mostly by car trips, and consultants say the bigger test is whether Canadian snowbirds return this winter to Florida, Arizona and California.
Some destinations are holding up better than others — Florida reported a 7% drop in Canadian visitors in 2025, while California estimated a 20% decline — but travelers interviewed said tariffs hardened plans to stay away until after Trump's presidency.