New survey reveals why 60% of Canadians are avoiding U.S. Travel and how they view President Donald Trump

In a dramatic development that highlights the convergence of politics and global travel, a recent study has concluded that 60 per cent of Canadian adults won't be heading to the United States in 2025 because of increased political tensions and contentious rhetoric from American President Donald Trump.

The research, carried out by Longwoods International, identifies increasing wariness among Canadians to cross the border, as mentioned in a report by Forbes.

Majority Reconsidering Travel to the U.S. Amid Political Strains

The poll, conducted between April 11 and 15 among 1,000 Canadian adults, found that over one-third of those surveyed had cancelled past trip plans to the United States.


The reasons they gave were political instability, hostile trade policies, and President Trump's recent remark that Canada might be "the 51st state" of the U.S.

Only 42 per cent of Canadians, according to the research, believe that the U.S. is friendly to visitors from their nation, and only 38 per cent think America appreciates foreign tourists, as per a report by Forbes.

Consequently, 40 per cent of the respondents indicated they now plan to travel within Canada, while 27 per cent are looking for other international destinations like Mexico and European countries.

Slumping Inbound Travel from Canada May Strike U.S. Economy

Canada remained the number one source of inbound tourism to the United States in 2024, with 20.4 million tourists generating about USD 20.5 billion for the American economy.

Nevertheless, Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics unit, now forecasts a 20.2 per cent slump in Canadian visitation to the U.S. in 2025—a potentially crippling hit to cross-border tourism-dependent industries.

Recent statistics further corroborate the downtrend: Statistics Canada indicated a 32 per cent decline in Canadian road trips to the U.S. during March 2025 compared to the same period the year before, in addition to a 13.5 per cent decrease in air travel.

This aligns with larger worldwide trends, with the U.S. also seeing declining visitors from Western Europe (17%), South America (10%) and Asia (a second consecutive monthly decline), reports the U.S. Department of Commerce, as mentioned in a report by Forbes.

Travel Industry Voices Alarm

Industry leaders are now voicing concern over the economic implications of the so-called U.S. Travel Boycott.

Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), highlighted the dangers of negative international headlines related to border security and immigration enforcement.

“We’ve allowed this negative publicity to run rampant,” Freeman remarked, adding that fears—valid or not—about detentions, deportations, and device searches are discouraging potential tourists.

USTA calculates that a 1 per cent decrease in international visitor spending means a USD 1.8 billion reduction in yearly export receipts. With trends ongoing, America may forfeit more than USD 21 billion in related travel exports in the year 2025 alone.

FAQs

Why are fewer Canadians planning to travel to the U.S. in 2025?

A recent poll found that 60% of Canadians are avoiding U.S. travel due to political tensions, concerns over trade policies, and President Trump’s controversial rhetoric, including his remark about Canada becoming the “51st state.”

Who conducted the study, and when was it done?

The study was carried out by Longwoods International between April 11 and 15, surveying 1,000 Canadian adults.