The Unraveling of U.S.-Canada Travel
Photo Credit: A visitor exploring the Canadian Rockies. Unsplash / Fransiskus Filbert Mangundap
Skift Take
For the U.S., winning back Canadians will require more than marketing campaigns — it will demand a rethink of entry processes, safety perceptions, and the overall visitor experience.
Canadian travel to the U.S. has fallen in 2025. And fallen hard. Canada has historically been the single largest source of international travel to the U.S., with more than 20 million visitors in 2024 — or 28% of all inbound visits. However, the U.S. is on track to lose as much as 30% of Canadian travelers this year. Visits have been down for 10 straight months.
Emotional, financial, and practical barriers are driving the declines. Canadians are increasingly weighing the hassles of a U.S. trip, navigating border delays, airport friction, and a growing perception of entry hassle. Safety concerns tied to political tension add another layer of hesitation. And with the Canadian dollar continuing to lag behind the U.S. dollar, this added layer of risk has reduced the value of this cross-country travel.
For many Canadians, that has meant turning to destinations that feel safer, calmer, or offer better value. As a result, Canadians have expanded their domes
