DAC, U.S. Consul General unpack Canada-U.S. travel trends amid conflict; media coverage “overblown”

Everyone knows that fewer Canadians are travelling to the U.S. these days as President Trump clashes with Canada over tariffs and annexation threats.

It’s a travel trend – and global showdown – that continues to dominate headlines day after day.

But this didn’t stop the U.S. Consul General in Toronto, Baxter Hunt, from inviting Canadian and American travel partners into his home on Tuesday (July 15) for an afternoon of wine (from California, no less), snacks and catch-ups.  

The gathering – originally planned as an outdoor garden party but was moved indoors because it was too hot – was held in collaboration with Discover America Canada (DAC), an organization dedicated to promoting travel and tourism to the U.S. from Canada.

READ MORE: “Steep decline”: Travel from Canada to the U.S. continued to drop in June

With reps from airlines, tourism representation and PR companies, and media, circling Hunt’s dining and living room, the event celebrated the enduring cross-border partnerships that have thrived, and continue to thrive – despite turbulent political currents.

“This is a really special group of people,” Consul General Hunt told PAX. “People who are representing destinations around the United States that are places so many Canadians visit each year…they’re people who know [U.S.] destinations and are finding ways to tell their stories to Canadians.”

A “bumpy” year for U.S. tourism

Hunt admitted it has been a “bumpy” year for U.S. tourism. As it has been well documented, international sentiment toward the U.S. has been undermined by several factors.

Prominent among these are policy announcements under the Trump administration, including proposed tariffs targeting long-time trade partners, including Canada.

The weak Canadian dollar and widespread media coverage of border security incidents and national travel advisories have further contributed to a negative image abroad.

The latest data Statistics Canada shows an ongoing decline in cross-border movement between Canada and the U.S.

The agency recently reported that air travel, this past June, dropped 22.1 per cent compared to one year earlier. Car crossings, meanwhile, were down 33.1 per cent.

Event season is on

It’s alarming to read, but Consul General Hunt is optimistic that things will turn around.  The foundations underpinning Canada and U.S. tourism are “very strong,” he said.

“[The U.S.] will continue to be the number one tourist destination for Canadians because there are so many great opportunities out there,” he said.

This includes a range of mega events that are coming up, along with national anniversaries and milestones.

The momentum began this summer with the Club World Cup, followed by the Ryder Cup in New York, Super Bowl LX in California, and the World Cup in summer 2026.

In 2028 and 2034, Los Angeles will host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games and Salt Lake City for the Winter Olympics, respectively.

For the first time, the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups will also be held in the U.S., with cities across the USA hosting the events in 2031 and 2033.

Major milestones will also take center stage next year with the Route 66 Centennial.

Also in 2026, the U.S. will celebrate America’s semiquincentennial with a yearlong series of exhibitions, events, and programs across all 50 states.

Changes to watch for

Hunt reviewed some of the investments the U.S. government has set aside for improving travel.

This includes $12.5 billion (USD) for air traffic control modernization, $6 billion to reduce wait times at customs, $673 million to expand biometric entry exit systems, and $1.6 billion to ensure safety and security of infrastructure at the World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games.

READ MORE: Canada to “align” with U.S. airport screening rules as TSA ends shoe removal requirement

In addition, travellers in U.S. airports will no longer be required to remove their shoes during security screenings.

As previously reported, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be phasing out this security requirement, which was introduced almost 20 years ago.

Ottawa will also update its airport security rules to match those in the U.S.

In Canada, shoe removal is already not mandatory for domestic or non-U.S. flights – unless a security officer deems it necessary.

But travellers flying to the U.S. through the pre-clearance sections of Canadian airports have, for years, been required to take off their shoes. This will soon change. 

“Hugely overblown” media coverage

Hunt also addressed a key barrier that he believes is affecting traveller confidence: the perception that entering the United States is a difficult process.

Canadians have a right to be concerned after a series of troubling reports involving tourists being detained in U.S. immigration facilities, coupled with warnings about the potential search of electronic devices at the border.

But Hunt says the media coverage surrounding these events is “hugely overblown.”

A “minuscule number” of people are facing issues at the U.S. border, he said.

His message is that the United States “very much welcomes tourists from Canada.”

Still number one

Susan Webb, president of Discover America Canada (and president and co-owner of VoX International), echoed that sentiment. 

Yesterday was a prime opportunity to network, share best practices and discuss “the things that have been working” in marketing the United States. 

“Obviously, we've paused a lot of direct marketing, but we're still telling the good stories and messages, making sure the travel trade is up to speed with everything that’s happening,” Webb said.

Discover America Canada tracks consumer sentiment toward U.S. travel, which helps its U.S-based members, from DMOs to attractions, get the full picture.

“We provide [U.S. members] with stats from the Conference Board of Canada and airline information to ensure they understand what's happening – because some of the news they're getting in the U.S., about Canadians, isn’t true,” Webb said.

Webb pointed out that even though there’s a reduction in Canadians travelling to the U.S. right now, “we’re still the number one international market for the U.S.”

“There are still people travelling [to the U.S.],” she said. “We need to keep that in mind.”

Younger people are going 

So which Canadians, exactly, are still crossing the border these days?

Citing marketing intel from various partners, Webb said that younger Canadians are “not as concerned” about the political rhetoric that’s dominating the news in recent months.

“They still want to go to sporting events or festivals,” she said. “They don't want to miss out on the experiences.”

Some Canadians are still willing to take their children to U.S. theme parks or go on cruises that depart from American ports, she noted.

Family reunification is also keeping cross-border travel alive – like the young traveller that “wants to visit their grandparents in Hawai’i,” Webb said.

It’s Canada’s older demographic – age 65 and up – that’s perhaps taking the geopolitical conflict “more personal.”

“They're doing a wait and see,” Webb said.

"We will get through this"

As for what lies ahead, a congressional delegation from Washington, D.C., is heading to Ottawa this Friday (July 18) to engage in discussions about cross-border tourism. Brand USA will be there to participate.  

Discover America Canada, meanwhile, has decided to postpone its annual media day this October.

“We know a lot of journalists aren't writing about U.S. destinations right now, so even if they have meetings, it may not be timely,” Webb told the crowd.

The organization will, however, host an industry event this fall to honour the late Casey Canevari, Brand USA’s former director of global trade development for Canada, who sadly passed away in May. Stay tuned for the date and details.

DAC is also planning to host an online event in the coming months, bringing together partners from the airline, tourism, and research sectors to share updates on U.S. travel trends.

Additionally, the organization’s annual holiday celebration is scheduled for November.

“We know we’re going through a rough patch, but we will get through this,” Webb said. “We’ve gone through so many crazy things in this industry, so I’m feeling very hopeful.”

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