A year and a half after Canadians began avoiding trips to the United States, some are now starting to travel there again. Statistics Canada’s latest data shows that in June, the number of Canadians returning from the U.S. increased by 3.2% compared to the same month last year. This marks the third consecutive month of growth, with a 9.5% rise in May and a 1.4% increase in April.
The uptick in travel was driven by a surge in car travel, with 5.2% more Canadians returning from the U.S. by car in June compared to the previous year. However, air travel from the U.S. to Canada decreased by 3.8% year-over-year.
Despite the rise in car travel, the overall level of Canadian travel to the U.S. remains significantly below pre-2024 levels when tensions between the two countries were high. Return travel from the U.S. to Canada in June was down by 28.7% compared to June 2024.
Wayne Smith, director of Toronto Metropolitan University’s Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Research, views the recent increase as a step towards a “normalization” of travel to the U.S. by Canadians, rather than a complete return to previous travel patterns. He believes that the current rate of travel reflects a new normal due to a prolonged decrease in Canadian visits to the U.S.
Kristy Kennedy, VP of marketing and operations at the North Country Chamber of Commerce, has observed a slight uptick in Canadian travel to New York State near the Quebec border. She notes an increase in French-speaking visitors and attributes this positive trend to ongoing efforts to mend cross-border relations.
Amir Eylon, president of Longwoods International, suggests that promotional campaigns offering discounts and favorable exchange rates may have contributed to the recent increase in cross-border travel. The impact of rising airfare costs and the allure of driving to U.S. destinations instead of traveling to Europe could also be influencing travel decisions.
The recently co-hosted World Cup by Canada, the U.S., and Mexico may have further boosted travel as soccer fans sought to watch games in person. Eylon believes that a combination of these factors has driven the growth in travel over the past few months.
While the tourism industry is cautiously optimistic about the recent trend, some experts, like Smith, remain skeptical about the potential impact on U.S. tourism businesses. Smith points out that the majority of recent travel has been by car, not plane, and business trips may not provide the same economic benefits as leisure travel.
Overall, challenges such as changing travel preferences and a weak Canadian dollar may continue to hinder efforts to attract Canadian tourists back to the U.S. Despite the positive growth in recent months, the road to full recovery for U.S. tourism remains uncertain.
