Apr 5, 2026
Bruce Newman, a Canadian retiree, said he planned to surprise his wife with a trip to New York for her 75th birthday, just as he did when she turned 65. But then he had a change of heart and chose London instead. The reason? Frustration over U.S. tariffs, political rhetoric toward Canada, and ICE’s recent enforcement actions, particularly in Minnesota.
“I actually think we are at war with the U.S. and people don’t realize it,” Newman told CNN (1).
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Newman is just one example of the growing anti-U.S. sentiment among Canadians that could cost the American economy billions.
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In a November 2025 Angus Reid survey (2) ahead of the winter travel season, 70% of Canadians said they would be uncomfortable traveling to the U.S.
And it’s not just talk. Canadian arrivals dropped 21% in 2025, according to the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) (3), and data from Statistics Canada (4) indicates this downward trend is continuing into 2026.
Billions at stake
Tourism is a huge money machine, contributing about $2 trillion annually to the U.S. economy (5), and it’s falling, mainly because Canadians are opting to go elsewhere.
Canadians are among the largest sources of international visitors to the U.S. and historically account for about a quarter of all foreign arrivals (6).
Importantly, they also tend to spend money. In 2024, the U.S. Travel Association claimed Canadian tourists generated $20.5 billion in spending and supported 140,000 American jobs (7).
That’s now under threat. In 2025, Canadian arrivals dropped by 21%, which, based on the U.S. Travel Association’s estimates, translates into roughly $4.5 billion in lost spending and puts about 28,000 jobs at risk (8).
Certain places are being hit particularly hard. For example, New York City typically draws around 1 million Canadian visitors each year, accounting for roughly $600 million in spending, while Canadians are said to contribute an estimated $300 million annually to Palm Springs.
Border economies, from Vermont duty-free shops to outlet malls in upstate New York, are also among the worst affected.
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Why Canadians are boycotting the U.S. — and why it’s hard to win them back
Canadians haven’t stopped travelling — they’re simply redirecting their spending.
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These destinations generally cost more to reach, indicating just how determined Canadians are to boycott the U.S. Typical tourism slumps are driven by exchange rates or economic cycles. This one is rooted in sentiment, which is harder to reverse.
“Tourism boycotts do come up over one issue or another, but in my 37 years in the travel industry, I have never seen anything like what the Canadians have pulled off,” Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International, told Forbes (9). “This is one that’s being felt and it’s not going away quickly (9).”
The issue likely can’t be fixed with discounts or marketing campaigns. Getting Canadians to change their mind could depend on broader political and diplomatic shifts.
Until then, the message from Canadian travelers is clear: they still want to travel, they’re just choosing not to spend their money in the United States.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
CNN (1); Angus Reid (2); U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) (3); Statistics Canada (4); Statista (5); BBC (6); U.S. Travel Association (7, 8); Forbes (9)
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Financial journalist with 15+ years’ experience covering markets, economics and personal finance for a range of international publications including Investopedia, The Times, Investors Chronicle (Financial Times) and NerdWallet.
