In response to US President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods and his suggestions that Canada become the 51st state, many Canadians have cancelled trips to the US. Inbound Canadian travel to the US is down 23% year-to-date (January to October 2025), equating to an estimated $4bn (£3bn) loss compared to the previous year, according to the US Travel Association. Roughly four million fewer Canadians have visited the US so far this year.
Instead, Canadians are travelling more overall, with a surge in domestic travel and increased visits to Mexico, Portugal, the Bahamas and Belize, according to Statistics Canada. Canadian spending in destinations like Buenos Aires, Osaka, Copenhagen and Curacao more than doubled this summer compared to 2024.
US destinations that rely on Canadian tourism are feeling the impact. Between January and July 2025, 30% fewer Canadians crossed into Vermont compared to the same period in 2024. Las Vegas saw an 18% year-to-date decline, and other regions like Ft Lauderdale and Upstate New York experienced similar downturns.
Air Canada is adding new non-stop routes to Europe and the Caribbean, including Berlin, Ponta Delgada, Nantes and Brussels, as well as 13 new routes to the Caribbean, Central America and South America from December 2025. This makes it easier for Canadians to bypass the US.
Travel writer Emilie Brillon, who now focuses solely on Canadian travel, said the shift looks like a long-term change. 'I think the real opportunity is encouraging Canadians to explore lesser-known regions of our own country,' she said. 'From what I'm seeing, this doesn't feel like a short-term thing; it's starting to look like a longer-term shift in how Canadians choose to travel.'
