London: Many Canadians are choosing to boycott travel to the United States due to political tensions, instead opting to explore destinations within Canada. Prior to the re-election of US President Donald Trump, Kent Truscott and his family, from London, Ontario, frequently visited the US. However, since late 2024, Truscott declared a complete boycott of the US, which led to the cancellation of a planned trip to Texas.

According to BBC, Truscott and his wife redirected their travel plans to explore the Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Their decision was motivated by US tariffs and President Trump’s remarks about annexing Canada. Despite a slight increase in road trips to the US in April, data indicates that Canadians made 800,000 fewer trips that month compared to 2024, resulting in a financial loss of approximately C$3.3 billion for the US travel industry last year.

American cities and states are attempting to woo Canadian tourists back with targeted advertisements and discounts. New York City’s tourism board, for instance, offered a 30% discount on Broadway tickets and hotel rooms to Canadian visitors in July. However, many Canadians, like Truscott, express a sense of a broken relationship with the US, making it difficult to envision returning anytime soon.

Lynda Rousseau and her husband Joe, former Texas residents now residing in Ottawa, also joined the boycott after Trump’s re-election. Their disdain over the political climate prompted them to cancel a cruise through the Panama Canal and instead travel through Rome and Barcelona. The couple, who are dual citizens, have also abandoned plans to become “snowbirds,” choosing instead to cross the border only for essential errands.

Nick Smith, a retiree from Vancouver, shares similar sentiments. After briefly resuming trips to the US during Joe Biden’s presidency, Smith has again halted his travel plans south of the border. Instead, he has explored destinations like Mexico City and Morocco, avoiding even connecting flights through American cities.

Christie Mitchell from Powell River, British Columbia, has taken the opportunity to fulfill a personal goal by hiking the Camino Franc©s route in Spain, turning away from once-frequent trips to the US. While she remains open to visiting the US again, she hopes for improved relations between the countries and a change in leadership.