- Canadian travel to the U.S. fell 25% last year, according to a new Canadian government report, which says early 2026 data show the decline has persisted.
- Canadians spent C$3.3 billion ($2.3 billion) less on trips to the U.S. in 2025, with lower leisure travel accounting for most of the decline, according to Statistics Canada.
- Travel spending on visits to the U.S. fell to C$18.8 billion, down from C$22.1 billion in 2024, per the report.
- Canadian trips to the United States fell to 29.1 million in 2025, down from 39 million in 2024.
- The trend of reduced travel to the U.S. continued into early 2026, indicating a persistent shift away from the U.S. by Canadian residents.
- The drop in Canadian visits was the sharpest in more than 50 years of recordkeeping, excluding the pandemic and post-9/11.
- The report provides some of the clearest measures yet of the economic cost to the U.S. tourism industry after trade tensions, tariffs and President Trump's repeated "" comments led many Canadians to vacation elsewhere.
- Following the change in the U.S. administration in early 2025, Canadian travel sentiment shifted abruptly due to the implementation of America First policies.
- Since Trump returned to office, he has imposed new tariffs on goods from Canada, including an announced last week on some $20 billion in various products.
Canadian travel to the U.S. fell sharply in 2025, with 29.1 million trips recorded, a significant drop from 39 million in 2024.5
This decline, amounting to C$3.3 billion ($2.3 billion) in lost spending, is attributed to ongoing trade tensions and a shift in travel preferences.3
Statistics Canada reported that the decline persisted for 11 consecutive months, marking the longest sustained drop outside the pandemic since 1972.
The National Travel Survey indicates that this trend continued into early 2026, as Canadians increasingly opted for domestic and overseas travel instead.6
Travel spending on visits to the U.S. fell to C$18.8 billion, down from C$22.1 billion in 2024, with lower leisure travel being a major factor.4
The 7.1 million fewer trips to the U.S. were offset by 5 million more domestic trips and 1.3 million additional overseas trips.
Following the change in U.S. administration in early 2025, Canadian travel sentiment shifted, exacerbated by new tariffs imposed on Canadian goods.
Despite the decline, the U.S. remains the leading foreign destination for Canadian travelers, accounting for two-thirds of trips in 2025, down from three-quarters in 2024.
The drop in Canadian visits was the sharpest in over 50 years, excluding the pandemic and post-9/11 periods.
“Statistics Canada reports that Canadians made 29.1 million trips to the U.S. in 2025, down from 39 million in 2024, marking the sharpest drop in over 50 years. The decline in travel spending by Canadians in the U.S. reached $2.3 billion, while spending on overseas trips increased by $2.5 billion.”
