Since the beginning of the Canada-U.S. trade war early last year, travel south of the border is still far from recovering.
In January of 2025, the month before U.S. President Donald Trump announced there would be sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods, Statistics Canada found more than 3 million Canadians returned from the United States. That plummeted to about 2.3 million in January of this year, with a return to pre-trade war numbers still far off in the most recent statistics from April.
With the continued animosity between the nations, some U.S. mayors are making the plea to Canadians to reconsider the boycott.
“Hey Canadians, we like you guys, we miss you, we don’t think of you as the 51st state.” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in an Instagram post this week. “I just wanted to make sure that there was a broad recognition in Manitoba and way beyond, throughout Canada that we like you.”
Minnesota is not the only state that has seen its tourism industry hit because of Canadians’ decision not to travel. North Dakota has also urged back Manitobans, with the U.S. Bureau of Transportation finding the amount of travel at the Pembina-Emerson border crossing dropped 35 per cent in 2025 compared to the year prior.
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“We’ve always seen Canada as our cousins to us North Dakotans, and we’d love to see them back at the family reunion.” says Fargo Mayor Josh Boschee.
Tourism and travel organizations in North Dakota have been working directly with groups in Manitoba to encourage both Canadians and Americans to plan trips over the border. It’s something Mayor Boschee hopes can help bring the situation back to where it was prior to the trade war.
“There’s a lot of great opportunities, so when we see folks from Canada or other parts of the country decide not to visit here it certainly makes an impact.”
Travel Manitoba has been one of the organizations working with those in North Dakota to get more tourism dollars both ways over the border. During this time of turmoil, the organization has been working to let more Canadians know there are a number of travel options in Manitoba.
“Tourism is a $2 billion a year industry,” explains Travel Manitoba Strategic Engagement Vice President Louise Waldman. “It is a tariff-free export sector and it creates directly and indirectly 25,000 jobs in every corner of the province. A lot of those jobs are small and medium-sized business, multi-generational family businesses.”
Since last year, many of Manitoba’s school divisions have also decided it’s not the time to travel south of the border. No one was available for an interview from the Pembina Trails School Division, but it confirmed to Global News that any school trip requests to the U.S. would not be approved by the division at this time.
Hard to believe only down 35% are the other 65% not paying attention or they just selfish, move to america then. Do your part
Why would you travel to the US? It’s certainly not safe (I.e. guns, ICE, etc.), and it’s more expensive than Canada. Keep your money in Canada and visit Niagara Falls, Montreal, Banff, and some of the other beautiful spots that exist in our own country.
If the Americans miss us so much, maybe they should come and visit us in our home. Their money will go much farther in Canada than ours will in the US!
Many Canadians don’t feel safe traveling in the U.S. because of Trump.
Its not all about boycotting. I believe once his out of office along with his administration. Canadians will go back and travel in the U.S.
Who is this?? Ha ha
Get rid of Trump, all his cronies and the Republican senators who support the damage he’s doing to Canada and I’ll come back.
American border agents are going out of their way to harass and illegally jail Canadians at the border. I will never go to that s hole nation again
Is not safe for Canadians.
Tne level of ignorance shown in this piece is astonishing.
The American president has stated clearly on many occasions that he intends to destroy Canada as an independennt country and bring it under total American çontrol. The 51st state was Trumptalk (a lie). We would be less than Puerto Rico. Now he has turned to extreme tarrifs to break our economy. Not working. The latest effort involved sneaking clauses that were never discussed into a trade agreement Canada was on the verge of signiing, hoping they would pass unnoticed. They did not. The agreement died.
Pedsonally I now distrust and dislike the US in its entirety no matter how individuals feel or how they voted. If some are feeling economic pain, good. So are Canadians. The US can live with their pain or fix their government. My money stays inCanada helping my countrymen.
No. We are not coming back to America.
Perhaps U S city mayors should have a talk with Peter Navaro who recently suggested that ‘ Canadians should the hell out of the U S …!!!
I’ll go when Trump goes.
Why would anyone want to go there? The border gestapo looking for anyone to throw into their concentration camps. No thanks. I’ve already planned a 3 week holiday next year and staying in Canada. You need to get that demented orange turd voted out of power.
Take up the issue with their leader. Canadians just don’t want to be bothered with the hassles of the CBP attitudes and potential to be locked up for not being American. That going along with their leader demanding Canada join the US. Screw that.
The thing that Americans keep forgetting is that they voted for this. It isn’t like the Republicans were being coy about it. “Project 2025” clearly outlined this plan. It isn’t like the first Trump term didn’t adequately demonstrate that Republicans are dangerous leaders.
But the majority of Americans voted enthusiastically for this, and have made it clear that they will do it again. It will long time for the rest of the world to trust them again.
we’d love to come back just as soon as the USA stops trying to destroy Canada, duh
We have no issues with you, it’s your leader. And twice I crossed and twice I was treated like a criminal by the arrogant ignorant border cop wannabees. No more.
Get rid of the chil r4plSt and we will
You elected him so he is your problem, unelect the Republicans
Canadians, please stay home. Sorry, U.S. mayors, but you have a moronic, hateful, orange dictator, you voted him in….Canada, please, why give your money to the U.S. economy when he wants zero good for this country? Please, stay home.
Why would I want to go there. Boarder guards haul you over for hours and pour thru your phone hoping to send you to Alcatraz. Not safe to travel to America.
That is hilarious. It’s not like there is a ban on going to the US from Canada, it’s just the majority of us choosing not to go. 🍁
Come visit the blue states and avoid the redneck states!
It’s unsafe there for foreigners.
From a MAGA supporters own mouth “ good Canadians, good for f ing nothing “ . Get rid of your hostile nut job leader who routinely sows hatred and animosity towards others including Americans, before we will even consider going to America
Are these mayors unconscious ? Reconsider who you put in the oval office America, oh it’s too late for that isn’t it . It is also too late to reconsider for Canadians to reconsider going to a country where the hostile leader there regularly bashes Canadians , which by the way , MAGA followers exhibit the same behaviour. America it’s not only Canada tourism that being destroyed by the Waco taco tariff king, it’s pretty much the whole world he has offended . Remember that when you vote next if you value tourism dollars to support your towns, cities, and communities.
Lak6 of america? $100 extra for Canadians to visit us national parks ? Am staying home
The boycott will likely continue until trump and his administration is removed, preferably to prison. Why would I want to visit a country that is abusing us. The gestapo are arresting anybody they feel like, legally , or not, with no repercussions.
Boo fu*king hoooooo
“We’ve always seen Canada as our cousins to us North Dakotans”
North Dakota voted for Donald Trump
and they want more Canadians to visit?
Prime example of hypocrisy!
Yeah yeah yeah… what a propaganda!
With such a shi**y exchange rate it’s too expensive for us to go there.
But hey, now worries… it’s autumn, elbows up snowbirds are starting packing their bags and are about to head south for winter.
Most Canadiens under Mark Carney Liberal Government can’t afford vacations let alone going to another country.
Sorry, I won’t risk getting abducted by ICE and winding up in an American Gulag with little hope of getting out anytime soon.
I don’t trust American law enforcement and wouldn’t want to be driving in the US with Canadian licence plates…you’d just be asking for harassment…I have no desire to ever go to the US again…
80 million Americans supported Trump getting into office, including a majority of North Dakota. This is the “find out” stage, and I’d encourage Canadians to travel elsewhere.
This story merely confirms the fact that the travel boycott, product boycott is causing them PAIN! A mayor pleads us to reconsider, when their federal politicians continue to heap anti-Canadian scorn upon us. The mayors should tell people like Navarro, Lutnick, oh and don’t forget the maniac at the top of this American garbage dump needs to not only be removed, but jailed for their constant corruption! Make America Great can go to hell!
It makes it a lot easier to stay away given the canadian $100 bill is worth $60 once into the u.s. The other factor is u.s. customs has turned canadians that have a petty charge from decades ago into an income stream. Top it all off with a bully leader who won’t stop until he breaks everything while enriching himself…would you be in a hurry to travel there?
Fix your mess America, don’t cry to us a out your bad decisions.
@american
I completely agree it crazy expensive in canada, and the amount of dirty Mexicans makes me shutter..
And i thought we had a mexican problem here…
Maybe one day they will take the lead help with the final solution..
Canada is so expensive also. Every is outrageously expensive. Feel sorry for people living there with so high prices and high taxation.
I hope more Americans boycott Canada. I refuse to go and the weather is also terrible 4-5 months of the year.
I used to spend as a tourist 4 to 6 weeks in the US a year, I don’t see myself going back. I saw Trump’s first election as an accident, but the second time I can’t understand!
More Canadians should travel to our beautiful country!
As long as your nice white Christians we welcome you with open arms!
Please just leave your filthy Latinos and niggs at home tho
You guys voted that Orange Monkey in , so get him out & “maybe” we can talk! No promises that anyone will return after this kurfunckle!!!
@I love USA. Respectfully, travel to the US is down, despite the recent slight increase, by about 25%. Not sure which poll you would be referring to.
Firstly, the tariffs stay, so do Canadians. Secondly the 51st state insults were the ultimate put down of Canada. So keep your tariffs and your insults and instead of begging us to come back, lobby Trump and the Republicans to change their attitude and trade policy!
I have American friends, American places I like to visit but I cannot take the chance that I would be denied entry for my anti-Trump comments on social media or I’d be arrested and disappear into a concentration camp run by private businesses. Sorry, but no way.
Polls show Canadians are NOT boycotting the US! Experts say cross border travel has increased! Authorities are concerned of retaliation against false propaganda journalists.
Lol never going to visit that third world hell hole ever again.
Not a chance in hell! Ever.
No, America wanted their cake, now they can eat it
@ look at global sheep. You must be a global sheep as well, as here you are, trolling their news articles. If you don’t like what they are reporting F. Off Dumb ass redneck.
Sovereign threats aside, CBP murdered citizens in the street and half that country blamed the victims. Also, tourists are picked up off the street, sent to detention centers until CBP verifies their story. No effin’ thanks.
Bunch of TDS rejects. Keep the hate going global. Your propaganda rag. If people aren’t going south it’s because our OWN government is keeping us broke. Why doesn’t global report all the businesses moving south?
Infamous words by Austin Powers.
“How about NO”
No thank you. This has become a moral issue, not even about politics anymore. I live in a border town and used to go across at least once a week, but I choose not to support Project 2025. My boycott includes far more than just travel.
Hard no anerifats
If only Canada had its own resources.
To be honest I doubt I will travel to the US again. As a nation they sit silent while Trump repeatedly tries to destroy the Canadian economy out of spite … and then ask for help as though complicit silence can be ignored.
Go f×ck yourself you american pr+cks
Sorry. Just cannot support South of the 49 until the politics gets settled. Get MAGA out of power then we can talk about going back to more normal
I would love to do more US travel once the man office starts respecting everyone else around the world or steps out of office.
This is the perfect example of dont defecate where you eat.
Have the life you voted for…
Hell no! You remove the searches, I ncluding electronic, and restrictions at the border first to have us even consider it. Also any tariffs on item we would bring across the border.
Family reunion in the north for the next decade my brothers and sisters to the south. Not a huge fan on spending my money in nations that put children in concentration camps (if that statement confuses you read the definition of concentration camps). At any point you can put your pedofile in charge in prison and the rest of his rapey little cronies. Might even consider coming for a visit if you get classy like that.
No.
Americans, you have the mid terms coming up. Its entirely within your power to change things.
You dont have long to act, Canadians as are much of the rest if the world are already shifting their focus for travel and trade elsewhere to where they feel valued.
North Dakota is a red state; they need to focus on changing out King Trump and his MAGA attackers Canada before things will change!
I used to travel to Fargo about 10 times per year. Not anymore. Trump has insulted us and he don’t get it. Maybe North Dakota ought to turn away from Trump and teach him a lesson and the GOP!
Americans, talk to your King.