TORONTO — It’s been a tense few months, to say the least, with countries around the world going tit-for-tat in an ongoing tariff war.
Since announcing on his first day in office his plans to put 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting Feb. 1, U.S. President Trump has either threatened to impose tariffs, increased tariffs or signed executive orders to impose tariffs on several other economic powerhouses, including China, India, Japan, South Korea and more. With global economies imposing their own reciprocal tariffs, the situation has put enormous stress on several industries, including travel.
For weeks, we’ve heard about the so-called boycott of U.S. travel, with Canadians cancelling their cross-border travel plans and opting for alternative destinations. In March, Statistics Canada reported a near 32% drop in Canadians returning home by car from the U.S., compared to March 2024, while return trips by air fell 13.5% year-over-year. Spurring the decline are recent reports of phone searches and foreigners being detained at the U.S. border, a low Canadian dollar and a nationwide call to choose Canadian and support domestic travel.
But reading headlines is one thing, getting first-hand accounts from those on the front lines is another. So, we reached out to travel agents across the country to see if Canadians really are boycotting the U.S., and if so, where are they booking instead?
Lou-Anne Fradsham, Owner, Uniglobe Bon Voyage Travel, Toronto, ON
“For my corporate clients, it’s business as usual with no change. But since Trump has become President, my leisure travellers have been avoiding the U.S., even before the tariff war. Due to Trump and the unknown, with the rules changing for Canadians travelling to the U.S., people don’t want the hassle of getting stuck down there. Also, some of my clients who have Florida homes have put them up for sale. They are now looking elsewhere to purchase homes, like Portugal.
“Some clients have decided they haven’t seen all of Canada so I’ve been planning down east trips for them and cruises that don’t touch the U.S. And, of course, Europe is on the rise. Even though our dollar is down right now, the Euro is about the same.”
Elise Gauthier, Travel Counsellor, Pointe-Claire Travel Center, Pointe-Claire, QC
“Among my specialties is family travel and Disney. I have seen a decline in U.S. bookings, not so much with clients cancelling their trips if they were already booked and paid but more that I haven’t gotten new requests for trips to the United States. Most of my snowbird clients have replaced their long stays in Florida with Costa del Sol. And many clients have decided to try Mexico or the Dominican Republic instead of the U.S. People just don’t want to go to the U.S. to protest against Trump.
“I’m not not promoting the USA but my agency is. I know that on our website we’re promoting other countries. For the summer, Europe and Canada are seeing huge increases.”
Valerie Murphy, Direct Travel, Waterloo, ON
“I’ve definitely seen a drop in U.S. bookings. In fact, the only U.S. bookings I’ve done are for my small corporate accounts. I haven’t done any U.S. leisure bookings since January. Most of my clients are either sticking with Canada or the Caribbean and some Europe. We haven’t really been promoting the U.S. as clients are saying they won’t go there.”
Marilyn Stainer, Cruise and Travel Consultant, Envoyage, Burnaby, BC
“I have been fortunate in that my clients on cruises to Alaska have not cancelled, and I had a cruise booked to Ketchikan, which I will be doing in May. I have some new bookings for Panama that end in Fort Lauderdale but will not be staying after the cruise.
“I am not promoting any travel to the U.S. other than Alaska as it is always popular from Vancouver. I have not had any other enquiries for the U.S. and would not suggest it, as you never know what U.S. customs will do at the border. I am happy to book Europe but am watching what happens there as well. Australia and New Zealand, along with Antarctica, are places I’m encouraging and hope to travel to myself in January 2026.”
Marianne Vogel, Owner, Just for You Travel & Consulting, Dundas, ON
“I usually have three groups per winter going to the U.S., but they all opted to not go anywhere because they were worried about travelling amid the unrest caused by the USA. My corporate clients have cancelled their travel plans to the U.S., and many who were planning on a winter vacation in Florida or Arizona have opted not to go this year. I have clients in their 70s who buy travel insurance from me – they live near the Niagara Falls border and usually go every few weeks to shop. But they were hassled so much at the border – their car was searched and were asked about drugs – so they have opted to not go across anymore.
“I’m definitely not promoting the U.S. My parents lived through the war in Holland and the similarities are too scary. If they insist on going to the U.S., I warn them about possible retaliation by border security and tell them to have every possible document required to keep them safe. But right now, I’m promoting Canada and Europe as alternative destinations.”
