Key Takeaways
• Canadian border crossings to the U.S. dropped 17% in March 2025, with just over 4.1 million entries.
• Political tensions, new tariffs, and strict border checks are main reasons for the sharp decline in Canadian visits.
• Duty-free store sales plunged 40–50%, costing U.S. businesses $3.4 billion due to fewer Canadian travelers.
Almost 900,000 fewer Canadians traveled to the United States 🇺🇸 in March 2025 compared to the same month a year ago. This large drop—about 17% year over year—is one of the biggest seen outside the worst periods of the COVID-19 crisis. Official counts from U.S. Customs and Border Protection show just over 4.1 million Canadian crossings took place at the northern border this March, down from about 5 million the previous year. As reported by VisaVerge.com, this sudden drop is causing serious concern for businesses, tourism, and people who live and work along the border.
Why Are Fewer Canadians Visiting the United States 🇺🇸?
There are several reasons that have combined to cause such a steep decline in travel from Canada 🇨🇦 to the United States 🇺🇸. Let’s break down the main drivers in simple terms:
1. Political Tensions and New Policies
The main reason for the drop is the recent changes in the political relationship between Canada 🇨🇦 and the United States 🇺🇸. After President Trump’s return to office, his administration introduced new tariffs. Tariffs are extra taxes that one country puts on goods from another country. These tariffs have made cross-border shopping more expensive and added uncertainty for shoppers and businesses.
In addition, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been enforcing stricter border checks. Travelers are now facing longer wait times, more questions, and, in some cases, more refusals. President Trump’s “America First” motto has also worried some Canadians. Many feel less welcome, and some even feel unsafe, when considering visits to the United States 🇺🇸. Some people believe that spending money in the United States 🇺🇸 right now feels like supporting policies they disagree with.
Quotes from travelers and survey data back this up. Many have shared their concerns over safety, while others have said outright that they refuse to travel because of how they feel about current U.S. leadership and border actions. The result is that travel for vacations, shopping, and even family visits has dropped sharply.
2. Economic Reasons: The Dollar and the Cost of Travel
The value of the U.S. dollar is another big reason. Right now, the U.S. dollar is strong compared to the Canadian dollar. This means that everything—from hotel rooms and meals to shopping—is more expensive for Canadians when they visit the United States 🇺🇸.
On top of that, those new tariffs and general economic pressures have made people less certain about getting good deals on cross-border shopping. Duty-free stores, which are popular stops for travelers, have suffered as a result. Sales at these shops—on both sides of the border—have plunged by as much as half. Some store owners are worried that if the trends continue, they might have to close their doors for good, since their businesses almost totally depend on travelers heading from one country to the other.
3. Clear Drops in Airline and Travel Demand
The drop is very visible when you look at plane travel between Canada 🇨🇦 and the United States 🇺🇸. Airlines have reported big declines in their numbers:
- WestJet saw a 17% drop in U.S.-bound passengers
- Flair Airlines reported an even bigger decline of 55%
- Air Canada took a smaller—but still important—5% hit
Looking ahead, summer bookings are down as much as 70%. This shows that people are not planning trips in the months to come, and the weakness in cross-border travel is likely to last well past March.
4. Not Just Canadians: International Visitors Also Down
This problem is not limited to Canadians. Travelers from Europe are also staying away. Arrivals from Europe dropped about 17% in March 2025. People from countries like Germany 🇩🇪 and Denmark (with Danish visitors down by one-third) have become less likely to plan holidays in the United States 🇺🇸. The tough new visa and entry rules, plus fear and uncertainty over changes in trade and immigration policies, are all part of why fewer people are coming.
Data show that overseas (non-Canadian, non-Mexican) visitor arrivals fell almost 12%. Tourism businesses, which had expected a big bounce-back year, are now seeing a sudden reversal. Earlier forecasts saw a +9% gain for all of 2025; these have switched to a -9% drop instead. With only two such big reversals (outside COVID) in decades, this proves just how rare and sharp this change really is.
What Does This Mean for the Economy?
The effects go far beyond simply having fewer travelers on the roads and in airports.
Border cities that depend on visiting Canadians are among the hardest hit. U.S. businesses stand to lose $3.4 billion this year compared to last year, only from Canadians making fewer trips. Duty-free shops have seen their sales drop by 40–50%. Since most of their customers are outgoing travelers, new limits on travel have left these businesses with very few buyers.
A survey of companies in New York’s North Country, close to both Ontario and Quebec, found that 66% already notice fewer Canadians booking visits this spring. For these small towns and cities, the cross-border connection is a key part of their daily business.
Shops, hotels, restaurants, and even car repair shops all rely on travelers from across the border. When fewer Canadians show up, local economies feel it almost right away.
Why Is This Drop So Unique?
This drop stands out for a big reason: it happened without any of the travel bans or health rules that shut down the borders during the pandemic. In fact, more Canadians visited the United States 🇺🇸 even in some months that had COVID-19 restrictions in place than made the trip this March. That fact says a lot. It shows that political tensions and changing attitudes—not illness or fear of travel—are the main forces keeping people away.
Policy experts explain that while things like money and exchange rates always matter a bit, it is really the political issues and new rules at the border that have created the biggest shock to travel patterns. These effects might get even worse over the coming summer and fall if something doesn’t change.
Key Numbers at a Glance
- 17% drop in Canadians entering the United States 🇺🇸 in March 2025 compared to March 2024
- A total of just over 4.1 million crossings, down from about 5 million last year
- Canadian travel bookings for summer down up to 70% versus normal levels
- Duty-free store sales dropped 40–50%
- $3.4 billion in lost business for U.S. companies near the border, just from fewer Canadian visits
- 66% of New York North Country businesses report fewer bookings by Canadians
- Non-North American (overseas) visitors down nearly 12%
- European visitors down by 17%; Danish tourists down by a third
Impact on Different Groups
For Canadians:
– Less cross-border shopping and fewer chance to visit family and friends in person.
– Expensive travel costs due to weak Canadian dollar.
– Feeling less welcome and perhaps less safe in the United States 🇺🇸.
For American Businesses, Towns, and Workers:
– Lower sales and less income, especially for small businesses near the northern border.
– Reduced need for hotel, restaurant, and shop workers, possibly leading to shorter hours or job cuts.
For Airlines and Travel Companies:
– Fewer bookings mean they have to offer lower prices, cut services, or even drop some routes.
– Some fear the changes could become permanent if trust and ease of travel are not restored.
What’s Being Said About the Situation?
Many groups are worried. Business owners call this one of the biggest threats they’ve seen since COVID-19 stopped all non-essential travel. Some are asking for government help or a change in policies to bring back Canadian visitors.
Travel and tourism experts say the problem is likely to get worse over the next few months unless there is a clear effort to ease tensions and make travelers feel safe and welcome again. They agree that people want border policies they can trust and political leaders who will fix problems rather than create new divides.
Airline and tourism analysts warn that if President Trump’s administration keeps up the current approach, these travel patterns may last all the way through his current term—and the industry may take years to recover.
A Closer Look at U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Role
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the agency responsible for checking travelers as they enter the United States 🇺🇸. Their work has become tougher lately, with more rules and closer checks for all kinds of visitors, not just Canadians. You can read more about their rules and advice for travelers on the official U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.
Border officials say their job is to protect the country’s safety, but critics argue that too many checks and tough rules may do more harm than good over time. Many travelers who used to visit often now worry that they might face long questions, bag inspections, or even turn-backs at the border—making the trip less inviting.
Looking Ahead: Will Things Get Better Soon?
So far, little has changed to restore confidence among Canadians or international visitors. Some hope that talks between government leaders might lower tariffs and relax newer border restrictions. Others point out that travel patterns often take time to bounce back, even after changes are made.
Tourism and retail groups want to see friendlier rules and clearer messages from President Trump and U.S. border authorities—signs that visitors are welcome and that cross-border ties will be protected.
Some experts suggest that improving the value of the Canadian dollar or rolling back tariffs could help, but the biggest boost would come from lowering political tensions. Until that happens, both countries will likely keep seeing fewer visits, lost business, and a sense of growing distance where there was once easy friendship.
Final Thoughts
The sharp fall in Canadian visits to the United States 🇺🇸 in March 2025 is not just about numbers. It’s a real sign of how political changes, economic shocks, and tougher border rules can reshape long-standing habits and close friendships between neighbors. Canadians, American businesses, and the wider travel world are all waiting for signs that better days and smoother travel are coming back.
For more details on border crossing rules and official travel updates, it is always a good idea to check with U.S. Customs and Border Protection before planning your trip. And for the latest analysis on North American travel and policy changes, VisaVerge.com continues to provide honest reporting and ongoing coverage.
Learn Today
U.S. Customs and Border Protection → A government agency responsible for securing U.S. borders and enforcing customs, immigration, and travel laws.
Tariffs → Taxes imposed on imported goods, making cross-border shopping and business more expensive for travelers and companies.
Duty-free stores → Shops located at border crossings or airports that sell goods exempt from certain local taxes and duties to international travelers.
Exchange rate → The value of one country’s currency compared to another, affecting travel costs for foreign visitors.
Political tensions → Strained relations between countries, which can influence travel rules, border control, and public sentiment.
This Article in a Nutshell
Canadian visits to the U.S. dropped 17% in March 2025—one of the biggest declines outside COVID-19. Political tensions, tariffs, and a strong U.S. dollar push costs higher. Businesses along the border are struggling, as travel, tourism, and economic ties all suffer amid growing unease. Recovery remains uncertain.
— By VisaVerge.com
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