From Washington state to northern New England, American companies that have historically relied on Canadian tourists are experiencing a decline in visitors, and consequently, a significant revenue stream.
TL;DR
- Canadian tourist decline impacts U.S. border businesses, causing revenue loss.
- Passenger car traffic between U.S. and Canada decreased significantly in 2025.
- Rising prices, weaker dollar, and political tensions deter Canadian travelers.
- Damage to cross-border tourism relationships may be long-lasting.
A recent report provided solely to Coins2Day by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) – Minority, a permanent congressional body established in 1946 tasked with chronicling the financial state of the U.S., outlines how a significant decline in visitors from Canada is impacting each American state adjacent to the northern frontier. These revelations emerge as President Trump has suggested incorporating Canada into the U.S., enacted multiple rounds of duties on Canadian products, and frequently halted trade discussions with Ottawa, all of which have fostered a frosty atmosphere for international travel and expenditures.
Between January and October of 2025, the volume of passenger cars traversing the U.S.-Canada frontier decreased by approximately 20% when contrasted with the identical timeframe in 2024, as indicated by the JEC assessment, which utilizes travel figures from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In certain border regions, this reduction extended to 27%, a transformation that regional tourism organizations report is manifesting as a reduction in visitors, an increase in available hotel rooms, and diminished revenue.
“Going back for generations, Canadians have visited New Hampshire and many other states along the U.S.-Canada border to see family or friends, stay in our hotels, share a meal at our restaurants, and shop at our stores,” said U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee. “However, in the wake of President Trump’s reckless tariffs and needless provocations, fewer and fewer Canadians are making trips to the United States, putting many American businesses in jeopardy and straining the close ties that bind our two nations.”
Canadians have historically been among the most important international visitors to the U.S., both in sheer numbers and in spending. Analysts and tourism officials note that rising prices, a weaker Canadian dollar, and heightened political tensions have nudged many travelers to choose domestic trips within Canada or alternative international destinations instead. For U.S. Border communities, that shift is being felt in real time.
“These are more than numbers; they represent missed revenue for local businesses, reduced hotel demand, and fewer dollars supporting jobs and investment in our community,” said Shirley Hughes, president and CEO of Visit Fargo-Moorhead in Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota.
In northern New Hampshire, the absence of Canadian license plates is especially stark. “Being only eight miles from the border, normally Canadians make up anywhere from 15-25% of visitors. Now, I can probably count the number of Canadian visitors on one hand. I’m just trying to plug along and keep my nose above the waterline,” said Elizabeth Guerin, owner of the Fiddleheads gift shop in Colebrook, New Hampshire.
The effect extends past shops and hotels to vineyards and points of interest that depend on international visitors.
“The drop in visits from Canadian tourists has had a noticeable impact on our bottom line. With Canadians making up about 10% of our business, fewer cross-border travelers mean fewer tastings, tours, and wine sales — a ripple effect that touches our entire operation, underscoring how important cross-border tourism is to our business model,” said Scott Osborn, president and co-owner of Fox Run Vineyards in Penn Yan, New York.
Certain industry professionals express concern that the harm might persist beyond any future improvement in trade ties between the United States and Canada, given that Canadian visitors are developing different routines in other locations.
“This is long-lasting damage to a relationship and emotional damage takes time to heal. While people aren’t visiting Vermont, they’ll be finding new places to visit, making new memories, building new family traditions, and we will not recapture all of that,” said Christa Bowdish, owner of the Old Stagecoach Inn in Waterbury, Vermont.
On the West Coast, festival organizers are also feeling the pinch.
“Since March of this year, we have not only seen Canadian traffic drop drastically, but we have also seen a drop in our number of attendees at our festival this year in late September. We knew that after March, we could not rely on our Canadian business because of fear at the border and lack of understanding of what is happening with tariffs and Canada drawing a strong line of promoting Canada first,” said Kevin Coleman, executive director of SeaFeast in Bellingham, Washington.
For companies situated along the northern frontier, the current concern isn't solely about the timing of Canadians' return in large numbers, but rather the extent to which that previously lost revenue can be recovered.
For this story, Coins2Day news reporters employed AI that creates content as a means to investigate. An editorial staff member confirmed the correctness of the details prior to its release.
