Travel associations form coalition to promote cross-border tourism

A new coalition of North American tourism associations has formed to strengthen U.S.-Canada relations, promoting cross-border tourism amid growing trade tensions.

A newly-formed alliance of tourism organizations across North America, known as the Beyond Borders Tourism Coalition, has released a collective statement outlining its mission to promote cross-border travel and strengthen ties between the U.S. and Canada. 

The coalition’s members include associations such as the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), American Bus Association (ABA), Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO), Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), International Inbound Travel Association (IITA), National Tour Association (NTA), Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA), and the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).

“As we move into 2025, the industry faces a dynamic landscape of challenges and opportunities that call for innovative solutions and unified action,” reads a joint statement.

“Current government trade and border crossing policies are creating an environment of instability in the travel sector, which is creating many hurdles. These challenges threaten not only the financial health of countless businesses but also the livelihoods of millions of workers who rely on a thriving tourism industry. Indigenous communities, which are increasingly benefiting from a growing demand for authentic cultural experiences, also face heightened risks as economic pressures mount.”

“Nowhere is this pressure greater than between Canada and the United States. Each country counts the other as its most significant trading and travel partner – with the recent declines impacting businesses and communities on both sides of the border.”

“This is especially true throughout Indigenous communities who remain connected through kinship and culture regardless of borders. The importance of sharing culture and place remains strong through Indigenous lands and people, who have also created an important Indigenous cultural tourism economy which is now facing negative impacts.”

The statement comes as Canadian visitation numbers in the U.S. plunge.

According to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, the number of cross-border travellers going from Canada to the U.S. dropped by nearly 900,000 in March compared to the same month last year.

CBP’s data adds to recent figures shared by Statistics Canada.

The agency reports that the number of Canadians returning from the U.S. by vehicle was down almost 32 per cent in March compared to March 2024.

Canadian return trips by air from the U.S. were also down 13.5 per cent last month compared to March 2024, the agency says.

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