Buckle up, babe, because like, the most iconic travel breakup of the year just happened—and it’s Canada saying, “Bye, girl” to the good ol’ U.S. of A.
So like, back until 2024, Canadians were obsessed with American getaways. We’re talking 20.4 million trips in the last year, and they dropped a massive $20.5 billion USD just vibing in Miami, Vegas, and Disneyland or whatever. But now? In 2025? Girl, it’s a flop era for U.S. tourism.
By February 2025, air travel from Canada to the U.S. dropped by like 13%, and driving across the border? Down 23%. And by March, total crossings plummeted 30 to 35% compared to last year. Babe, that’s not a slump—that’s a full-on boycott.
And get this: travel bookings from Canada to the U.S. for spring and summer 2025 are down over 70%. That’s not a mood. That’s, like, a statement.
So like, why are Canadians ditching America harder than last season’s micro bags? Let’s break it down:
Prices are rude: The U.S. dollar is, like, totally flexing on the loonie. Hotels? Up 22% since 2023. Even gas is giving “don’t bother.”
Border drama: There’s device searches, extra visa forms, and longer wait times—like, 37 minutes longer, which is a lifetime if your iced coffee’s melting.
Political cringe: Canadian TikTok and Insta are dragging American politics, tariffs, and border policies. Like, you can’t spell “tourism” without “I’m out.”
Homebody era: Canadians are totally in their domestic tourism bag. There’s even a “Canada Strong” discount pass now. Montreal over Miami? Yes please.
Meanwhile, U.S. states are like, “Wait nooo, come back.” Let’s talk impact:
Florida: Usually gets like 3.3M Canadians a year. A 20% drop = ~$834M in lost tourist money. That’s a lot of gator souvenirs, hun.
California: 1.8M Canadian tourists = $744M in 2023. With this dip? They’re losing serious glam.
New York: Might lose $236M from fewer maple syrup besties.
Nevada: Up to $280M down the Vegas drain.
And like, even the cute border towns are feeling tragic. Palm Springs and Minneapolis are basically texting “U up?” to Canadians with marketing campaigns like, “We miss you, eh!” Spoiler: the vibes are not vibing.
Also, let’s talk tea: Canada’s tourism trade deficit with the U.S. in Q1 2025 was $5.6B, which is still major but less than $6.4B in Q1 2024. Translation? Canadians are spending less on cross-border frolics and more on local gems like Banff, Tofino, and poutine road trips. Iconic.
Bonus stat? Canadian return trips by car were down 23%, air travel dipped 13%, and excursions (like day trips to Buffalo for Target hauls) dropped a tragic 20%.
The Conference Board says if this keeps up, Canadian travel cash will be like, totally staying home—and U.S. cities that rely on Canucks are in crisis mode. Florida, Michigan, New York, Texas, and Nevada are losing big money and begging for a rebound.
So like, moral of the story? Don’t mess with Canadian tourists unless you wanna go from “sunshine state” to “ghost town realness.” Until then, catch our girls booking glam glamping in the Rockies, not renting cars in L.A.
Sorry not sorry.
XOXO,
Valley Girl News
Reporting live from the land of healthcare, maple lattes, and good vibes.
