I wonder what will turn it around? Will people just get bored with principle or will a change in Administration do it?

I imagine a large part depends on the exchange rate as well as converted cost of travel (U.S. seems way overpriced in USD let alone in CAD). The current situation does open up a world that was previously unknown to some, or even many, and there may be no going back.

I agree. $200+ a night Hampton Inn in Nowhere USA for example?

I'm not as sure that the exchange rate makes all that much difference. CAD is weaker against other currencies and we aren't seeing similar drops to the UK or EU. There are some advantages the U.S. will never lose primarily because we can drive there and even with the high exchange a winter vacation in the U.S. remains an attractive option for families.

Agree it's not about the exchange rate as the this day last Nov. according to BOC, the CAD$ was at 0.7153 to USD$ whereas today it's at 0.7123. Historically Canadians travelled to U.S. whether the dollar was weak or strong until now.

I wondered how long this policy of travel avoidance by Canadians to U.S. would last but last it has and likely will continue to some degree until new admin. comes into office in Washington.

I think the cost for accommodation in USD and then the conversion scares a lot of people away. Prices for hotels in the U.S. (not just in popular destinations like Florida but even in states like Idaho) are just insane. Even in terms of stores and restaurants, many prices for equivalent items aren't that far off in numerical terms between the U.S. and Canada, and then adding conversion of 1.4 makes the U.S. much pricier. Obviously purchases like gasoline will invariably be cheaper in the States due to the tax situation but much else is absolutely not a better value.

You are correct that travel by Canadians to the U.S. will likely be down throughout Trump's term, particularly given that he knows the effect that his 51st State rhetoric has had on Canadians and yet he has refused to walk those comments back.

Yes, things may change when a new administration comes in--if it's Newsom, say, but what if the next president is Vance? I doubt his position on Canada would change much from Trump's.

That accommodation, dining & sightseeing costs in U.S. have climbed sharply I don't doubt and combined with the exchange rate may factor in to some travelers decision against visiting the U.S.

That said, I'm skeptical that absent any of the 51st state rhetoric, tariff turmoil, and new border regulations experienced since Feb. those economic factors alone would be enough to dramatically alter the flow of Canadians via air or car to U.S. as I don't believe the relative travel costs and exchange rate have changed that much in last year to become a deciding factor. One factor, sure, but not a big enough factor.

We'll never know what tourism numbers would look like without all the noise south of the border but I'd venture there wouldn't be enough of a change to notice, if any.

I would say you are wrong. One source, third party so maybe less bias, reports what the Canadian statics show. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce9d7pj543eo I live where many Canadians own second homes. Anecdotally, I would say 50% are for sale and only about 25% of the Canadians have come down for the winter. It's still early but many have said they just aren't coming.

I don't think tcook052 is wrong. I interpret his post as saying the exchange rate, price of accomodation, etc. are not what is keeping Canadians from visiting the U.S.

It's become somewhat of a badge of honour among some Canadians to boast about not visiting America. They are terribly tiresome about it and become quite sanctimonious when discovering many of us are still going south.

Yes there is. Pride amoung some of boycotting US travel.
Many with second winter homes are reconsidering due the one hour plus long process and potential entry denial without cause.

That's exactly the point I was making, and fairly clearly or so I thought.

Many U.S. news reports I've seen with local tourism officials desperate to get Canadian visitors to return cite the economic factor as one reason they're staying away but I don't believe that for an instant as it's not money but politics that's spurred millions to boycott U.S. travel, myself included though I'd like to think in a quiet, polite Canadian way rather than a louder, sanctimonious fashion.

Having gone into the U.S both by air and land several times since Trump was elected I've concluded the horror stories about border waits and denials are vastly overblown by the Canadian news media.

Those of us who continue to visit America are frequently on the receiving end of sanctimonious criticism from those embracing a newly found Canadian patriotism.

Try dealing with smug Canadians back home after moving to the USA. The number one question I consistently get when flying back and forth is when are you moving back?

No question an element of anti-American pushback to Trump exists, and is impacting cross-border traffic volumes to some degree. But I think that's only a small part of a much bigger picture which has far more to do with demographic shifts than anything else. A HUGE volume of US travel is represented by baby boomers, whether making weekend cross-border shopping trips or spending their winters in the south. As boomers age out and sell off their winter homes / trailers / timeshares, travel volumes can't help but be impacted.

That might be accurate if the decline were over a longer period not in a single year. This one's on Trump.