In 2025, Canadians significantly reduced their travel expenditures to the United States, spending $3.3 billion less than the previous year. This decline, from $22.1 billion in 2024 to $18.8 billion in 2025, highlights a notable shift in travel preferences amid ongoing political and trade tensions between the two countries.
Concurrently, Canadian spending on international travel outside of the U.S. increased by $3.6 billion, reaching a total of $22.8 billion. This change indicates that Canadians are opting for alternative destinations, with travel to Europe rising by nearly 14% and visits to Asia increasing by almost 17% in the same period.
The trend of declining travel to the U.S. was also reflected in border traffic data. Throughout 2025, return trips from the U.S. to Canada by road and air decreased by approximately 25% compared to the previous year. The most significant drop occurred in July, with crossings plummeting by about one-third.
This pattern of reduced travel to the United States has persisted into 2026, suggesting a sustained shift in Canadian travel behavior. Officials have noted that these figures point to an ongoing preference among Canadians to explore international destinations other than the U.S.
