Canadians pause US tourism trips amid trade war

Canadian tourism to the United States has sharply declined amid President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war. Travel agencies have reported a dramatic drop in bookings as well as tour cancellations.

According to a report by Politico, Vancouver-based Travel Group said future bookings are down by 90 percent, while Ottawa’s Travac Tours has canceled all US trips through July. Maple Leaf Tours in Ontario reported a 70 to 80 percent drop in business.

“It was always such a happy time whether we were going to Myrtle Beach or Florida or Boston or the Cape,” said Maple Leaf Tours founder Kristine Geary, per Politico. “And now it’s anxiety and apprehension and nerves. It’s ‘will I be safe?’ And it’s hesitation. Some people are saying, ‘I’m not going to support that guy.’”

Tourism Economics, an analytical firm, projected the US will lose $3.4 billion in revenue as Canadian travel drops by 20 percent this year compared to last. Meanwhile, 66 percent of businesses in northern New York have seen a decline in Canadian bookings this year.

Fueling the backlash are Trump’s newly imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods not already covered under the existing trade deal between the two nations. Canadians have also expressed concern over increasingly strict border enforcement, with the Canadian government adding a warning to its US travel advisory alerting citizens to the likelihood of searches and heightened scrutiny.

As the trade war continues, US cities are working to reassure Canadian tourists they are still welcome despite the political tension.

“I think generally people from Canada and Europe know that New York City is a welcoming place for people from all around the world,” said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance. “But it is going to take an investment to remind people that locally, we want you here, and you’ll have a wonderful experience regardless of what our national rhetoric may be.”