JASPER, Alberta — Canadians have their arms wide open, and the travel industry is ready to hug it out.
Almost a year after President Donald Trump suggested our northern neighbors become the 51st state, tariffs took place, and a broader anti-American tourism took place, Canadians are ready to move on.
“We really are good friends and good neighbors, and we’re family and our feelings got pretty hurt,” Destination Canada Chief Marketing Officer Gloria Loree told USA TODAY. “Sure, you have ‘elbows up,’ but it didn’t feel right. … I think Canadians are very confident in their prime minister right now. There’s like a steady hand on the wheel there. And we have observed that that sentiment, willingness to host, is going back up again.”
Between the ashes of a devastating fire and the pristine water of Jasper National Park, Destination Canada welcomed journalists and media professionals from across the globe last month to meet with representatives from cities and provinces all over Canada. The event, which takes place every other year, is aimed at giving a taste of Canadian offerings. This year, maybe more than in the past, Canadians want the world − and the U.S. especially − to know they are welcome.
At the height of tensions, tourism both ways dipped.
Total inbound travel spending in the U.S. is forecasted to fall 3.2% to $173 billion for the year, according to the U.S. Travel Association. The organization cited, “significantly fewer visits from Canada are the primary driver of this decrease,” while visits from other countries are expected to be flat.
International visitors spent $126.9 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services during the first six months of 2025, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration.
Canadians remain one of the United States’ most loyal inbound markets. Around 20 million Canadians visited the U.S. in 2024, generating $20.5 billion in spending, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Shopping trips, snowbird escapes, and cultural tourism remain strong motivators, despite concerns about gun violence, health care costs, and currency fluctuations.
“When it comes to intent of visitation, it’s seldom one particular reason,” Loree said. “It’s this interesting response and this fidelity that citizens have to their own economy and their own vibrancy. And that’s what you see as a fidelity in Canada, to their own economy. So, it’s actually, it’s not about you guys. Right? It’s, how do I make sure that my community thrives?”
American travelers contributed $15.4 billion CAD (about $11 billion USD) in 2024, making them the single most important international market for Canada’s tourism economy, which generated $28.9 billion that same year.
Industry leaders say perception is a major barrier. While the border has reopened and political tensions cooled, travelers are still asking if they’ll feel welcome.
“We were in New York in August, and I was meeting with different U.S.-based PR agencies. And each one of them identified a top barrier or concern of whether or not Americans were going to feel welcome in Canada. And it was phrased, or I would characterize it, as Americans right now are trying to understand where they will be welcome,” Loree said. “And that’s not an unusual (sentiment) because when I was backpacking through Europe, I would hear Texan accents and see Canadian flags on their backpacks.”
Toni Kearney, owner and operator of Moratorium Tours & Retreats in Conche, Newfoundland, echoed that feeling, noting that she felt the political headwinds in her province.
“During our prime booking window (January through March), talk of tariffs and trade tensions dampened American interest. The few conversations we did have revealed an uncomfortable theme. Potential American guests described feeling ‘embarrassed’ or ‘unsure if they’d be welcome in Canada,’” Kearney said. “Even with our reassurance that we deeply value our American guests … hesitation lingered. From what I’ve seen, many Canadians view our price point as a luxury, whereas Americans, benefitting from the exchange rate, recognize the package as mid-range and aligned with the authentic value we offer.”
Loree added that Canada is also seeing a rise in what officials call “highly engaged guests” − those who spend more and stay longer. “Highly engaged guests are up 15% year over year,” she said, pointing to growth in culinary tourism, outdoor adventure, and Indigenous-led experiences.
For her part, Kearney has seen the tensions ease.
“We saw American travelers return later in the year, extending our autumn season. But we want Americans to know this: Regardless of your faith, political views, or race, you are welcome here,” she added. “We love hosting you in (the city of) Conche and showing our hometown to the world. All are welcome here. And quite frankly, our economy needs you.”
For both sides, it’s more than economics. It’s about reestablishing a longstanding connection with our neighbors.
“It’s the analogy of … our parents might be fighting, but us kids were cool,” Loree added. “And those are our friends, those are our neighbors and the other way around.”
(This story was updated to fix a typo and update headlines.)
