VIDEO: Can the Big Apple win back Canadian visitors? Interview with NYC Tourism CEO Julie Coker

Year-over-year Canadian travel to the United States declined by double digits in 2025, and if the latest data is any indication, that trend, in general terms, shows no signs of slowing.

But can New York City, one of the most visited destinations in the world, turn things around?

In its latest economic impact report, New York City Tourism + Conventions, the marketing organization and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of New York City, said that despite global challenges, the industry delivered a total economic impact of $84.7 billion in 2025.

Overall visitation reached 65 million visitors in 2025, marking a modest 0.7 per cent increase compared to 2024.

Growth was primarily driven by domestic travellers, who accounted for 52.4 million visits, up 1.7 per cent year over year. International visitation, meanwhile, was down by 3.2 per cent, totalling 12.5 million visitors.

Julie Coker, president and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions, was in Toronto Wednesday night (April 29), with nine destination partners, to meet with trade and media pros at the STORYS Building downtown.

At a roundtable held at the Shangri-La earlier, she told trade press that while NYC has seen a 19 per cent drop in Canadian visitation, the city forecasts a five per cent increase in arrivals from Canada in 2026 over 2025.

Coker said the increase is linked to a slight change in Canadian attitudes toward travel to the U.S. compared with last year.

“I think we’re in a different space than we were last April. When you think about the first quarter of last year, January 20 and beyond, there was a lot of conversation around tariffs and a lot of uncertainty for a number of countries, certainly including Canada, that caused consumer sentiment to be the way that it is,’ she said.

The U.S. and Canada have also seen fluctuation in currency, which also impacts numbers.

And despite tariff policies and negative sentiment towards U.S. President Donald Trump – in particular, his past calls to make Canada a 51st state – New York City has made “positive strides” in mending its relationship with Canadians. 

“We’ve heard from a number of Canadian visitors that they’re ready to return, they’re ready to see more of the city and come back. For those reasons, we are hopeful,” Coker said.

New York City Tourism + Conventions’ visit comes as the New York-New Jersey region gears up to host FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, including the final.

Looking ahead, when asked what tourism success looks like in terms of Canadian visitation, Coker said it’s not just about the numbers.

“We’ve had such a prosperous relationship between the two countries, we have always been close and reliant one another,” she said. “To have the sentiment Canadians have about the U.S. increase and improve is what success looks like to me.”

Can New York City reverse the Canada-U.S. travel slump? What will it take to turn tourism around? What about Air Canada pausing flights to JFK?

Watch PAX’s in-depth interview with NYC Tourism’s Julie Coker, in Toronto, here.

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