In this month’s speech, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, clearly disturbed by the import tariff caused by President Trump and his threats to make Canada the “state 51”, suggested that Canadians may act individually to respond to the fees.
“It is now time to choose Canada,” said Mr. Trudeau, adding, “This may mean changing your summer vacation plans to stay here in Canada and explore many national and local parks, historical sites and tourist destinations provided by our great country.”
In the weeks that followed, at least some Canadian citizens seem to be directed seriously.
“I have decided that I will not travel to the United States unless it is extremely necessary to go,” said Harold White, 72, who lives in Quebec.
Mr. White, a lawyer, said that he canceled an annual summer trip to Maine, a trip every year for 60 years. He said that over the decades, he formed friendships with the local population there, who is not expected to be seen over the next four years. Instead, he and his wife are planning to travel to Spain and in subsequent years, they make roads on Canada.
“I certainly think I will not go to Maine, Cape Code, or even to New York City for a vacation in the short term,” said Mr. White, noting that he continued to travel to the United States during President Trump’s first term. “But this time, in fact, I feel that the Canadians have slapped his face by Trump.”
According to the American Travel Society, a non -profit group representing the American travel industry, the Canadians made 20.4 million visits to the United States last year and were responsible for $ 20.5 billion in spending. The group said that a 10 percent decrease in Canadian visitors would reach $ 2.1 billion.
“We have seen people began to get rid of the United States and avoid them,” said Alexis von Hinsbroz, CEO of West Jet, the second largest airline in Canada. “We also see an increase in reservations in Mexico, in the Caribbean, to other non -American destinations.”
Mark Gallardo, Vice President of Air Canada, the country’s largest airline, said it will adjust its schedule from March on the way to “Derisk” for the situation.
“We expect proactive that there will be a slowdown,” he said in a statement.
Florida, California, Nevada, New York and Tksas are the most American states visited by Canadians. These states can suffer from a decrease in revenue in the retail and hospitality sectors from a Canadian travel boycott, according to travel in the United States.
However, in a statement, Jeff Freeman, the group’s CEO, said that the United States had received the largest number of international visitors ever in 2018, in the middle of the first Trump administration, and that what travelers say and what they do is often different.
“If we have a decrease in traveling from any specific destination, we will share this information as it must be shared and work with the administration to solve this problem.” “We want them to come to the United States. If this does not happen, we have a job to do it.”
In a statement, spokesperson Aviation Center Travel GroupAn international travel agency said that the company has witnessed “softening in border travel reservations” from Canada to the United States-a transformation that has gained momentum since November. The statement said that the Canadian dollar is weak compared to the US dollar. (On Thursday, President Trump insisted that customs duties will enter into force next week.)
“The Canadians’ desire to travel” remained strong, as he identified many other destinations on the United States so that travelers could “achieve the utmost benefit from their trips.”
“We are looking for the future,” said Ms. Dorakovic.
In the United States, government tourism boards are preparing for potential effects.
Sarah Ote Coleman, Director of Tourism and Marketing at the Ministry of Commerce at North Dakota, said that the state, which is the borders of Canada, has stopped marketing paid in Canada so that officials can “better understand the feelings about traveling to North Dakota.”
Tim Chapman is the CEO of the company International Peace ParkA garden that extends across the border between the Canadian province of Manitoba and North Dakota.
He said he was receiving email messages from Canadian visitors who said they are no longer planned to visit the tourist attractions, which usually withdraws about 150,000 visitors annually.
In one exchange, Mr. Chapman said, Kindha told him that she could not visit because of the speech from Washington. He said he made it clear that the park was a non -profit organization that needed to support visitors and that he felt it understood.
“The peace park has always been called for peace and cooperation between our two countries,” said Mr. Chapman.
“Although we do not have a lot of control over what is said, we can still be a place where people can meet, because the vast majority of Americans and Canadians really appreciate this friendship and long cooperation.”
Mr. Von Hennsperwich, CEO of Westjet, said he expected to decline across the border at some point. He pointed out that this was common in the travel industry-a short-term reaction to the current events that eventually belong to general stability. However, he said, the response was unique.
He said: “I have not seen anything like this.”
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