Oh Canada

Over the past year, Trump has been undermining the US tourism business.

“Inbound travel from all countries to the United States was down 5.4 percent from January through November of 2025, according to the US Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office. But it’s Canadians who have been staying away in the largest numbers. In November 2025 alone, the number of Canadians taking trips to the United States was down nearly 24 percent over the previous year.”

But that’s just a temporary setback, right?

“But in what has become a recurring problem for US tourism, a few days after Heywood traveled to advocate for US tourism, President Trump quickly extinguished any embers of goodwill.

“Trump has demanded that Canada “share authority” and ownership of a new bridge connecting the two countries. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Ontario to Michigan, will not open until the Canadian government “treats the United States with the fairness and respect that we deserve,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Canada footed the entire $4.7 billion bill for the bridge. 

 

“With all that we’ve given them, we should, perhaps, own at least one half of this asset,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Currently, the bridge is jointly owned by Canada and Michigan. Trump has threatened to block the opening of the bridge, which is near completion. 

 

“The bridge is the latest in a string of insults to Canada since Trump came into office last year. Trump began his second term by dismissing Canada as the 51st state and suggesting it be annexed to the United States. As he was dismissing the country, he threatened new tariffs. As a result of the rhetoric, the American tourism industry lost billions in revenue last year. Canada is the largest inbound tourism market to the United States.”

Canadian airlines are dropping flights to the US due to lack of demand. Those are dollars that won’t get spent in US restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. Trump is bad for American business.

https https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/13/lifestyle/us-tourism-agency-woo-canadians/

 

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