A Letter to the US Travel Industry From a Canadian Travel Advisor

by McKenzie McMillan
Last updated: 6:00 AM ET, Wed June 11, 2025

Image: United States and Canada have enjoyed a long, prosperous alliance. (Photo Credit: Rawf8 / AdobeStock)

Dear American tourism boards; hoteliers; tour operators; and beyond,
?
I think we need to have a chat.
?
I’ll preface this by saying the following: Nothing below is intended as insulting, confrontational, or as a slight against your beautiful country and the people who call it home, nor do I claim to speak for all 40-plus million Canadians, though I can speak based on sentiments shared by clients and travellers I have spoken to.?

Consider this constructive criticism, advice, and a roadmap for moving forward toward our shared goal of a thriving cross-border travel relationship.
?
You want Canadians to visit, and trust me, we want to visit, too. There’s a reason 22 million Canadians head south annually: world-class cities, breathtaking national parks, fabulous cultural events, amazing beaches, and shared culture, from sea to shining sea.?

For now, however, there are issues keeping Canadians from experiencing this.
?
I know that the numbers are scary, and I know that unlike some in your country, you are all acutely aware of what a significant drop in cross-border travel means to your businesses. Trust me, as a travel advisor in one of Canada's largest markets, directly on the border, with U.S. travel accounting for a significant chunk of annual business, I definitely know!
?
But...

We won’t get anywhere with Canadian travellers until you start actively addressing the real core reasons that Canadians are staying away.?

Over the past few months, I have seen outreach after outreach, offering deep discounts for Canadian travellers as a way to “curb the expense due to the weak Canadian dollar.” While discounts are always appreciated, this is a solution without a problem. Canadians have spent decades grappling with higher costs and a strong U.S. dollar, yet it has not deterred them from visiting. Currently, Canadians are travelling in droves to the UK and Europe, both destinations where our loonie buys even less.

It’s not a financial decision that’s keeping Canadians away.
?
I’ve read open letters stating how much you love and respect Canadians as if Canadians are avoiding the U.S. due to “hurt feelings” or some crisis of self-esteem.?

While I think most Canadians can appreciate the sentiment, it has also served to belittle the anger and feeling of betrayal experienced by many.?

For Canada, the notion that our “feelings are hurt” can come across as out of touch or patronizing, when the reality for many is they feel the current situation poses an existential threat to the country, our financial well-being, and our overall way of life.?

This outreach to even the least cynical Canuck, can come across as hollow and as a simple plea for our maple money, which Canadians spend at a rate of three to one compared to U.S. domestic travellers.
?
So, what’s the solution??

How do you get Canadians to return and spend their money south of the 49th?parallel?
?
Action – actual, tangible action
?
Canadians don’t want an awkward love letter or apology; they want to see action. Your open letters, while well-intentioned, are going to the wrong place?– they shouldn’t be going to Vancouver, Halifax, Calgary, Toronto, or even Montreal.?

They should be going straight to Washington, DC.?

The folks there have created this issue through aggressive tariff threats, belittling comments on our society, threats to our national sovereignty, and insults to our democratically elected government?– to say nothing of the fear many Canadians now have about the simple action of crossing the border, due to invasive questioning, inspection, and constant stories of questionable detainments or exclusions.?

For the world's greatest democracy, there has been surprisingly little pushback against the very policies and actions that are directly harming Canadians.
?
Canadians have helped the U.S. in times of need, landing hundreds of aircraft and housing thousands of stranded Americans on your darkest day. We’ve fought alongside you in times of war, helped extinguish devastating wildfires, and helped to rebuild after massive hurricanes.?

Basically, Canadians have been there for you, and what Canadians want to see now is that you can be there for them.?
?
As mentioned, there are numerous reasons why Canadians love to visit the U.S. and return time and again.

But, until Canadians are able to see tangible evidence that they are being welcomed with respect and dignity, this issue will not be resolved anytime soon. We will have to come to terms with the fact that Canada-U.S. travel is simply not a secure business anymore.