Appeals from American tourism organizations seemed to be everywhere Josh Loewen looked over the last year. Billboards and banners proclaimed a state or city's love for Canada. Online and social media ads offered special deals for travelers from north of the border.
As a Vancouver resident and marketing executive himself, Loewen said he understands the conciliatory overtures. The number of Canadians traveling to the United States plunged after President Donald Trump returned to office with remarks about making Canada the 51st state. An acrimonious trade war between the two countries now is threatening to reinforce the informal boycott just as it appeared to be easing slightly.
"It’s such a big ask right now,” Loewen, 45, said of the U.S. tourism industry's attempts to woo Canadians like him back before a new president occupies the White House. Trump imposed import taxes of up to 50% on a range of Canadian products. Canada’s government responded in kind.
Trump ordered the U.S. government to change the name of border-spanning Lake Ontario to “Lake America.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed insults from members of Trump's Cabinet as childish and undignified. The bilateral rift has not stopped state and local tourism officials and popular destinations like Graceland from trying to persuade Canadian visitors to return. New York state launched a “NY Loves Canada” promotion this summer, offering discounts at hotels, restaurants and attractions.
Some downtown Las Vegas hotels are treating the Canadian dollar as equivalent to the U.S. dollar to give Canadian visitors more value for their money. Las Vegas tourism officials went to Canada last month to meet with travel advisers, tour operators and airline representatives. The outreach is happening at the national level, too.
Brand USA, the U.S. tourism industry’s marketing organization, is bringing its Travel Week trade-event series to Canada for the first time in October, expanding and rebranding an earlier program known as Canada Connect. Travel to the U.S. from Canada remains well below 2024 levels Canada traditionally sent more overnight international visitors to the United States than any other country. Amid last year's consumer-led backlash, both same-day trips and longer stays nosedived.
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