A recent surge in Canadian travelers avoiding the US has led experts to predict a $4 billion economic loss this year. According to Statistics Canada, the number of Canadians taking road trips into the US dropped by 23% in February compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, Canadian air travel to the US decreased by 2.4%. The US Travel Association warned that a 10% reduction in Canadian inbound travel could result in $2.1 billion in lost spending and 140,000 jobs jeopardized.
Flight Centre, Canada’s largest travel agency, reported a 40% decrease in leisure bookings to the US in February compared to last year, with a 20% cancellation rate on prebooked trips. The association has forecasted 21.5 million Canadian visitors to the US in 2025, a 5% increase over last year. However, this projection may be unrealistic given the current boycott trend.
The boycott was sparked by President Donald Trump’s executive orders imposing 25% tariffs on products entering the US from Canada and Mexico. Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged citizens to reconsider visiting the US and travel domestically instead. The Canadian visitors account for the single largest cohort of foreign inbound tourists to the US, having spent $20.5 billion in 2024.
Industry experts expect long-term economic repercussions from the boycott, especially in US border towns that rely heavily on cross-border traffic. Many are shifting their focus towards exploring locations outside of the US. As one expert noted, “Canadians are still eager to travel but have shifted behavior and now plan to explore locations outside of the US.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2025/03/10/canada-travel-boycott-4-billion-loss