A growing number of Canadians are cancelling their holidays to the United States due to President Donald Trump’s policies and rhetoric. Peter Mulholland, a 69-year-old Vancouver resident, is one of them. He and his wife will not be making their annual trip to watch the Toronto Blue Jays play in Seattle this year.
Mulholland cited several factors, including Trump’s threats of imposing tariffs on Canadian goods, discussions of annexing Canada as the 51st state, and the president’s characterization of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator.” These events have led to growing frustrations among Canadians, causing many to reconsider their plans for summer vacations in the US.
Travel consultants say that politics is the main reason why Canadians are avoiding travel to the US. McKenzie McMillan, a Vancouver-based travel consultant, notes that his agency has seen a complete drop-off in new requests and interest in US travel. He attributes this decline to Trump’s policies and rhetoric.
The impact of Canada’s reduced travel to the US could be significant. The US Travel Association estimates that a 10% reduction in Canadian travel could result in 2 million fewer visits, $2.1 billion in lost spending, and 14,000 job losses.
Air Canada and WestJet are also feeling the effects, with Air Canada anticipating a slowdown in travel to the US and WestJet noticing an approximate 25% drop in demand for flights to the US compared to last year.
While some Canadians may choose to avoid travel to the US altogether, others may opt for alternative destinations. Mulholland plans to take a road trip within British Columbia instead of making his usual trip to Seattle. As tensions between Canada and the US continue to rise, it’s clear that politics is playing a significant role in shaping Canadian travel decisions.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/donald-trump-canada-tourists-holidays-b2702638.html