Extra Canadian Tourists Visited U.S. Last Month—But New 50% Tariffs May Deter Travel

Key Facts

Crucial Quote

“Right now, there are some good indicators that the bleeding may have stopped,” Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International, advised Forbes, earlier than including a caveat: “We’ll see this fall if the new tariffs have a negative impact.”

What We Don’t Know

Whether Canadians resuscitate their journey boycott of the U.S. to protest the sweeping new 50% punitive tariffs slated to take impact on August 19. The further duties will apply roughly $20 billion value of Canadian imports, together with a large swath of things like wine, hockey sticks, cement, dairy, furnishings, swimming swimming pools and wigs.

Most Canadian Visitors Still Won’t Travel To U.S.

The enhance in Canadian guests to the U.S. in July was “largely due to a base-year effect,” Statistics Canada said, referring to a statistical distortion occurring as a result of 2025 visitation was terribly low. “When you hit rock bottom, a little bit up looks like a big improvement,” Eylon advised Forbes. Inbound journey into the U.S. “declined sharply” in spring of 2025 “following geopolitical tensions,” Statistics Canada famous within the newest report. After President Donald Trump started calling Canada “the 51st state,” then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Canadians to not trip south of the border, kicking off a journey boycott that has continued for 15 months. In the Longwoods survey, which was fielded earlier than the brand new tariffs have been announced, 56% of Canadians mentioned U.S. insurance policies made them much less more likely to journey to the U.S. Last month, Brand USA, the advertising arm of the U.S. tourism business, launched a new campaign to woo again Canadian vacationers. “Canada has always been essential to the United States’ travel economy,” Fred Dixon, the group’s CEO mentioned in a press release.

Big Number

$4.5 billion. That’s how a lot the drop in Canadian vacationers price the U.S. economic system final yr, in keeping with the U.S. Travel Association (USTA). Historically, Canadians have comprised the one largest cohort of inbound vacationers to the U.S., making up a few quarter of all overseas guests, in keeping with the U.S. Commerce Department. In 2024, Canadian guests spent $20.5 billion within the United States. The USTA warned in early 2025 that even a ten% discount in Canadian inbound journey might translate to $2.1 billion in misplaced spending. The precise drop was greater than double that hypothetical.

Further Reading

Canadian Visitors To U.S. Nudged Up In June—But Remains Down 29% Since 2024 (Forbes)