Canadians Really Did Boycott the U.S. and It Cost America Billions

Travel to the U.S. fell 25% in 2025 due to President Trump’s policies.Canadians were not joking around with their U.S. travel boycott. Unimpressed with threats of annexation and tariff policies, the neighbors reduced their trips last year and found other destinations. The result? Canadians spent $3.3 billion less in the U.S. in 2025 compared to the previous year, and small businesses have deeply felt this loss.In 2025, Canada registered 7.1 million fewer trips to the U.S. compared to 2024. A Canadian report highlighted that there was a decrease of 25% in return border crossings. The 11-month year-over-year decline has been unprecedented, excluding the COVID-19 pandemic and 9/11 attacks, and the first four months of 2026 also show a significant decline in visitors compared to 2024. Thus, the downward trend is persistent.As warned by experts, the slump in tourism had an inverse effect on the U.S., as spending by Canadian visitors was reduced by $3.3 billion. Businesses in the U.S., especially in border states, have felt the difference as Canadian travel slowed to a trickle, and there have been marketing campaigns to bring the neighbors back, including attractive discounts. In April, May, and June, there has been a slight uptick in travel, but it is still not enough to close the gap to 2024 numbers. Continue Reading Article After Our Video Recommended Fodor’s Video But Canadians did not forego travel altogether—they picked domestic and overseas destinations. Their spending on overseas trips increased by $3.5 billion to reach $22.8 billion last year. Trips to Asia soared 16.7% year over year, while Europe also welcomed 13.6% more people from Canada last year.Related: Canadians Are Boycotting the U.S. So Where Are They Traveling Instead?The Canadian government report also hinted at why this has happened. “Following the change in the U.S. administration in early 2025 and the implementation of America First policies, Canadians’ travel plans shifted abruptly.”President Donald Trump enraged Canadians last year after he made comments about making the country the 51st state of the U.S. There were also remarks about annexing the sovereign nation. The U.S. also slapped its neighbor with trade tariffs, igniting more fury. The actions banded Canadians together against their closest-friend-enemy, and thus began a U.S. boycott. Businesses encouraged sales of homegrown brands, including liquor and groceries, and travelers canceled trips.Related: Canada Issues a New Warning Against U.S. TravelIt still might not be over, as President Trump has announced new tariffs on Canadian goods this month. The 50% duty on exports like wine, cement, dairy, paper, furniture and others is sure to sour relations further.Apart from trade wars and controversial remarks, other U.S. policies are also giving travelers from foreign nations pause. The U.S. does not acknowledge gender identity and only recognizes two sexes, male and female, after President Trump signed an executive order in 2025. Thus, Canada added a warning to its travel advisory for people with an “X” gender identifier on their passport that they “might face entry restrictions in countries,” not specifically the U.S., but broadly any that doesn’t recognize transgender travelers.Canada now also warns travelers that U.S. border agents can search their phone, tablet, laptop or other electronic devices without offering a reason. Refusing to cooperate can lead to delays or denial of entry. “Before crossing the border, put your device in airplane mode to ensure remote files don’t get downloaded accidentally.”