Canadian tourism slumped in the U.S. last year amid heightened tensions

By Megan Cerullo Reporter, MoneyWatch Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting. Read Full Bio July 28, 2026 / 5:57 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Millions of Canadians shunned traveling to the U.S. last year, choosing to take more trips within the country and overseas, Canadian government data shows. Visits by Canadians to the U.S. in 2025 fell roughly 25%, resulting in billions less in tourism spending, according to the report. Canadians spent $13.3 billion in the U.S. last year, down from nearly $15 billion in 2024. The drop came amid heightened political and trade tensions between the Trump administration and Canadian officials. In April, for example, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said President Trump's tariffs had hurt auto and steel workers in the country and stymied its economic growth. Mr. Trump's suggestion that Canada should become the 51st state also strained relations, with Carney telling Mr. Trump that Canada is not for sale. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the Trump administration's policies have benefited tourism in the U.S."President Trump has done more for American tourism than anyone, including by making our cities safe and beautiful again for all to enjoy and bringing major events like the Los Angeles Olympics and FIFA World Cup to the United States and Canada," she said in a statement to CBS News. "The administration also spared no effort giving our country's 250th anniversary the spectacle it deserved, which was witnessed by visitors from around the globe."Canadians have historically flocked to the U.S. for vacations and family trips, drawn by the proximity of their southern neighbor and its typically warmer weather. But travel survey data show that Canadians last year logged 7.1 million fewer visits to the U.S. than in 2024, spending more time vacationing in Canada and abroad. Domestic travel by Canadians rose by 5.1 million, a boon to the country's economy, while total visits to destinations outside the U.S. rose by 1.3 million. Edited by Alain Sherter In: Travel Tariffs Canada