Tourism in free fall: Canadian visits to the US drop to another low

What does new data reveal?

In June 2025, the number of Canadians traveling to the United States plummeted again. It was the sixth straight month that Canadian travel dropped, and the latest data showed that the summer weather made no difference in the numbers. 

A steep decline in travel

According to data from Statistics Canada, June 2025 saw a steep decline in travel to the US. Figures showed that 1.66 million Canadians returned from the US last month, which translated to a significant double-digit dropoff from 2024's figures. 

Air and automobile returns

Air travel returns from the United States slipped by 22.1% based on the latest data from Statistics Canada. Vehicle returns fared even worse. They saw a 33.1% dropoff in June. Land travel accounts for 75% of all transit to the United States. 

A significant shift in the data

A separate report on preliminary data from June 2025, published by Statistics Canada on June 25th, noted that the drops seen that month indicated that there was a significant shift in broader Canadian travel trends based on the data. 

Abrupt and steep declines

“The abrupt and steep declines in Canadian residents returning from the United States at the start of 2025 suggest a notable change in travel patterns," the Statistics Canada report explained before adding it was unclear if the trend shift was permanent.  

The top destination for Canadians

According to Global Affairs Canada, the United States is the number one international destination for Canadian tourists traveling abroad. Travel to the US accounted for 26 million of the 38 million trips that Canadians took outside the country in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

Why is travel interest waning now?

What accounts for declining Canadian interest in travel to the United States isn’t difficult to understand. The blame likely lies at the feet of US President Donald Trump, and not only because of his individual actions, but also those of his administration. 

President Trump is to blame

President Trump has attacked Canada’s economy with tariffs and expressed his desire to see his northern neighbor become the 51st US state. Beyond these actions, policies regarding US immigration are probably also playing a role. 

Worries about US policies

The Trump administration has enacted harsher border policies and a new immigration crackdown that has shocked the world. At present, the US Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has 55 Canadians in detention facilities, according to CBC News. 

The 'Buy Canadian' movement

The changing nature of travel to the US, coupled with threats from President Trump, has played a role in angering Canadians, which in turn has promoted a strong “Buy Canadian” sentiment in the country that extends to travel. 

Canada stands to benefit

On June 26th, TD economist Anusha Arif published a report that indicated that Canada would see a roughly $3 billion dollar boost (or 4% growth) to its travel sector as a result of Canadians choosing domestic travel options over US destinations. 

US travel to Canada is down

However, despite the growing trend of avoiding US travel in Canada, it appears that US citizens are also traveling to Canada in fewer numbers. Statistics Canada reported that June 2025 saw a roughly 10% drop in US car visits, down for the fifth straight month. 

Some Americans are coming north

American air travel to Canada, on the other hand, equaled roughly the same number as June 2024, so most of the travel hesitation is coming from Canadian tourists rather than Americans, which is something that will pose a major issue for the United States. 

A worrying warning

In February 2025, the US Travel Association warned that even a 10% dropoff in visitors from Canada could result in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and billions in revenue. This is because Canadians are the biggest source of US tourists. 

US losses will be high

In 2024, 20.4 million Canadians visited the United States, which resulted in $20.5 billion in spending that helped support 140,000 US jobs. A 10% drop in that number in 2025 would see roughly 2 million fewer visitors, a loss of $2.1 billion in spending, and 14,000 job losses.