TORONTO — There were plenty of Canadian golfers – all in good spirits and with a touch of sunburn – on Marjorie Magnusson’s flight from Phoenix to Toronto this week.
Magnusson – who is the Media Relations Manager for the Arizona Office of Tourism – takes that as a positive sign for Canadian tourism to the U.S.
The looming tariffs and trade war have made these tough times for promoting U.S. travel to Canadians. But the sight of the happy and sunburned golfers is proof that for now at least, Canadians are still making the trip south of the border, even if the road ahead is uncertain.
Golf of course is one of the biggest markets for inbound tourism to Arizona. Other top drivers include the state’s luxurious spas, shopping and the Grand Canyon. Many Canadian snowbirds also have second homes in Arizona.
At last night’s AOT event at El Catrin Destileria restaurant in Toronto’s Distillery District, there was no big presentation, no push to boost numbers, just an enjoyable dinner with industry friends on both sides of the border. “We’ve been coming to Canada for many years. Canada is a very important market for us,” said Magnusson. “We’re here because we love our Canadian friends and we cherish the friendships and we want those friendships to continue.”
Some 963,600 Canadians visited Arizona pre-pandemic, in 2019. In 2023, that number was on its way to recovery, at 822,500.
The average Canadian visitor is 47 years old with household income of $114,228 and an average stay of nine nights.
Joining Magnusson at last night’s event was Mo Olivas, Communications Manager for Visit Tucson. “What’s new is that we’re old. Tucson is celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2025,” she said.
Olivas likens Tucson to hip and happening cities like Austin, TX and Portland, OR. “Tucson is like the quirky sibling of Phoenix. It’s artsy and independent. There are no major throughways through Tucson and that’s allowed the city to maintain a small town, community feel,” she said, adding: “We’re skewing a bit younger in terms of visitor demographics, although we still get plenty of snowbirds.”
Most visitors fly into Phoenix and then make the drive to Tucson, about an hour and a half away, she said. Using Tucson as a base for hotel stays can be a smart move: “As a secondary city we’re a bit more cost-effective.”
The Arizona Office of Tourism is represented in Canada by Reach Global. To learn more about travel to Arizona, go to VisitArizona.com.
