With the ongoing tension between Canada and the United States, the number of cross-border travelers from Canada to the United States fell to its worst decline since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2025.

According to the latest data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the number of Canadian travelers entering through land ports was 3.18 million that month, a sharp decrease of over 900,000 compared to 4.09 million in the same period in 2024, representing a drop of more than 26%. If air and pedestrian travelers are included, the total decline still reached 17%.

The tourism industry described it as a "disaster," and observers generally believe that this sharp decline is not only due to seasonal fluctuations in tourism but also the direct consequence of political friction and the deterioration of bilateral relations.

Loss of Tourists Under the Shadow of a Trade War

The immediate trigger for this cross-border travel crisis was U.S. President Donald Trump's新一轮 trade war against Canada.

Since the beginning of the year, the Trump administration has imposed large-scale tariffs on Canada, with his rhetoric frequently referring to the desire to make Canada the "51st state" of the United States, and disparaging Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a "governor." This high-profile and humiliating language has provoked strong resentment among Canadians, some of whom see not traveling to the U.S. as "voting with their feet."

Moreover, the increasingly tightened U.S. immigration policies have exacerbated public unease. In recent years, numerous Canadian travelers have been subjected to questioning, detention, and even denied entry upon arrival in the U.S.

Canadian authorities reminded citizens in an updated travel advisory on April 4 to cooperate with electronic device inspections when entering the U.S. and to be aware of the risk of being detained.

Air and Land Travel Both Declining, Border Cities Suffering

This chill in bilateral relations has had a comprehensive impact on tourism and border economies:

Land travel: The number of pedestrians crossing the border fell from 163,000 in March 2024 to 121,000, a 26% drop; the overall decline in land passenger traffic was similar.

Air travel: Even with U.S. pre-clearance systems at Canadian airports, the number of people flying to the U.S. in March decreased slightly from 1.369 million to 1.316 million (a 4% drop).

Truck transport: The only sector showing growth was commercial vehicles, with the number of transiting trucks increasing by 6% compared to the previous year.

Border cities and communities reliant on tourists were hit hardest, with business confidence plummeting. Barbara Barrett, executive director of the Canada-U.S. Border Free Shops Association, bluntly stated: "This is a crisis, and we are 100% dependent on cross-border travel."

She revealed that sales at border duty-free shops have generally dropped by 40-50%, with some remote small businesses seeing declines exceeding 60%. If the trend continues, up to one-third of the stores may close within the next few months.

Local U.S. Governments Attempting to Mitigate Losses, California Warmly Welcoming Canadians

In response to the severe situation, some local U.S. governments began actively reaching out to win back Canadian tourists.

California Governor Gavin Newsom personally hosted an advertising campaign, releasing a video targeting the Canadian market to promote California's image as "sunshine, beaches, and friendly neighbors." In the video, he subtly criticized Trump, saying: "You know who is causing trouble in Washington, but don't let that affect your vacation plans. California welcomes you."

Caroline Beteta, president of the California Tourism Board, said that in 2024, 1.8 million Canadian tourists visited California, but the current trend indicates a significant decline this year.

She described Trump's remarks as having a "devastating cultural and economic impact" on tourism. "I am an American with Canadian heritage, and I am heartbroken by the pressure your country is currently experiencing."

Ron Dehart, mayor of Palm Springs, was more straightforward. He stated that Canadians are the "lifeblood" of the city's tourism economy — the number of visitors in 2024 was ten times the local population.

He warned that if tourist numbers continue to decline in the next quarter, it will severely impact the city. He has posted banners reading "Palm Springs Loves Canada" at airports and on streets to send goodwill to Canadian tourists.

Unprecedented Spring Break Downturn, Flight Bookings Plummeting

March was supposed to be the peak of spring break travel season, with many Canadians choosing to head south to the U.S. for warmth. However, data shows that Canadians' travel desires have significantly weakened this year:

Statistics Canada reported that the number of Canadians driving back from the U.S. in March fell by more than 30% compared to last year.

An American travel industry organization revealed that flight bookings between Canada and the U.S. during the spring and summer plunged by about 70% year-over-year.

At Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, WestJet's passenger numbers from Canada dropped by 17%, while Flair Airlines saw a 55% decline.

The impact extends beyond airlines and tourism companies to the closely related job market. The U.S. Travel Association reports that Canadian tourists spend $20.5 billion annually in the U.S., supporting approximately 140,000 jobs. Now, this part of the economy faces immense uncertainty.

Just Emerging from the Pandemic, Now Facing "Artificial Freezing"

Cross-border tourism that should have gradually recovered with the easing of the pandemic is now plunging into another winter. This time, the crisis is not caused by a virus but by politics.

From duty-free shops to airlines, from Palm Springs to Las Vegas, everyone is anxious about the lost Canadian tourists. The warmth of civilian exchanges between the two countries is rapidly cooling due to high-level political rhetoric and policy frictions.

If the current tense situation is not alleviated soon, the "people flow" artery between Canada and the U.S. could remain obstructed. At that point, the loss will not only be tourism revenue but also the mutual trust and friendship accumulated over the years between the two peoples.

News links:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/land-border-crossings-into-the-united-states-down-by-hundreds-of-thousands-data-shows/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cross-border-trips-us-900-thousand-1.7511090

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7494112366692205108/

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