According to newly released data from Statistics Canada, Canadians spent $3.3 billion less on U.S. travel in 2025 compared to the previous year, as President Donald Trump’s hostile policies toward its northern neighbor continue to inflict economic damage.
The study also found that Canadians did not reduce overall travel; instead, they replaced U.S. vacations with other international destinations, in protest against Trump’s tariff regime and his repeated remarks about annexing Canada.
“Following the change in U.S. administration in early 2025 and the implementation of America-first policies, Canadian travel sentiment shifted abruptly,” the authors of the report published by Statistics Canada said.
Total U.S. travel spending in 2025 reached $18.8 billion, down from $22.1 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, Canadian spending on overseas travel excluding the U.S. increased by $3.6 billion in 2025, totaling $22.8 billion.
Canadian visits to Europe rose nearly 14% compared to 2024, while trips to Asia increased almost 17%. These gains stood in stark contrast to the decline in U.S. visits. Overall in 2025, round trips from the U.S. to Canada by car and plane fell by about a quarter compared to 2024.
The steepest drop in travel was recorded in July 2025, when border crossings fell by roughly one-third compared to the previous year. Statistics Canada said the sharp declines in cross-border traffic throughout nearly all of the year were “the deepest and longest ever recorded.” Since digital record-keeping began in 1972, a drop of over 30% had only been seen in September 2001, after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Looking at 2026 data so far, Statistics Canada said the decline in leisure travel to the U.S. continues. The agency reported that round trips from the U.S. to Canada this year are at levels similar to late 2025, which saw a 27% decline from October to December. The data signals “a persistent shift away from the United States in Canadian travel preferences.”
