Several Canadian tourism-related companies said they saw an increase in bookings this summer as travellers avoided the U.S. out of trade and border concerns.Peter Power/The Associated Press
The Canadian tourism industry was counting on a summer boom as travellers shunned the United States over its damaging trade policies and border concerns. So far, the signs are encouraging.
While it’s still too early for comprehensive statistics on summer travel spending, several companies have reported stronger bookings during the warmer months, helped by a patriotic push of vacationers travelling domestically – rather than south of the border – for their leisure time. Many Canadians say they would rather spend their money at home, whether on “staycations” or overnight trips, when the economy is taking a tariff-induced hit.
As a result, several Canadian companies say they’re cashing in.
Karma Campervans, which rents livable camper vans (converted from cargo vehicles) from seven locations across Canada, has seen a 42-per-cent increase in rental nights booked year-to-date as compared to 2024, said founder and chief executive Dave Wald. By the same measure, there has been a 37-per-cent increase in Canadian travellers.
“It’s feeling awfully similar to what happened post-COVID, in terms of people jumping into this desire and need to get out there and explore,” he said.
Mr. Wald said some of the domestic and international customers had changed their travel plans from other destinations – including the U.S. – to Canada instead. He expects the domestic travel boom will persist, because of renewed interest in the country.
Americans are spending more money in Canada, but Canadians aren’t returning the favour
Amabel D’Souza and her husband, James Raworth, are among the Canadian travellers who pivoted their vacation plans. When the Edmonton-based couple learned they were having their first baby this year, they planned to celebrate with a “babymoon” at the end of May.
Under other circumstances, Ms. D’Souza and Mr. Raworth would celebrate the milestone in the U.S., as regular visitors to the country – but not this time.
The couple chose to travel domestically because of concerns about the number of Canadians who have been detained at the U.S. border this year, President Donald Trump’s references to Canada as the 51st state and the weak Canadian dollar when they were planning their trip in March.
“I think a lot of it was anxiety, and then also part of it was just wanting to support Canadian,” said Ms. D’Souza.
The couple headed to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island instead. In PEI, they hiked in Summerside and visited Thunder Cove Beach, which Ms. D’Souza said was “one of the most beautiful places” she had ever seen. She also recalled, with fascination, how the duo saw the Bluenose II, a replica of the sailing boat pictured on the Canadian dime, on their way through Lunenburg, N.S.
“There’s so many incredible places to visit inside your own country, and it definitely inspired us to start thinking about travelling within Canada a little bit more,” Ms. D’Souza said.
At this remote lodge, B.C.’s backcountry adventure is cocooned by fine linen and gourmet cuisine
Jasper is welcoming visitors again by embracing its fire-scarred landscape
Similarly, Avishek Ganta and his partner, Nuria Ruiz, chose to stay in Canada during their time off. Concerned about political issues and maintaining a job with Mr. Ganta’s work visa, the two moved from San Francisco to Toronto last May, after spending around six or seven years in the U.S.
The couple had considered travelling back across the border to somewhere like Boston or New York, but opted for a smaller, coastal option – visiting Newfoundland and Labrador for about a week in June.
“We didn’t want to cross the border and deal with if something bad happens, plus we just wanted to support local tourism in Canada,” said Mr. Ganta.
These two couples are part of a broader trend. Travel to the U.S. has taken a nosedive, starting shortly after Mr. Trump took office. In June, Canadian return trips from the U.S. plunged by about 29 per cent, year-over-year, according to the most recent figures from Statistics Canada.
In turn, airlines are seeing an uptick in domestic bookings.
Kevin Jackson, the president of Porter Airlines, said in an e-mail that 80 per cent of the airline’s network capacity from June through August was dedicated to domestic flights, up from the 75 per cent it had planned for.
“We’ve added routes and increased frequencies in regions across Canada to meet growing interest,” he said. “Compared to the same period last year, we’ve observed over 20 per cent more bookings on domestic flights, and our seat capacity increased by about 10 per cent, year-over-year.”
Opinion: Will Canadian vacationers in Florida continue to trade paradise for principle?
Similarly, WestJet has recorded a 6-per-cent increase in the number of passengers flying on domestic routes during May to August, when compared to the same period last year.
Maritime Fun Group, which owns attractions, amusement parks and campgrounds in New Brunswick and P.E.I., has surpassed its growth projections this year, according to president Matthew Jelley.
But he is hesitant to tie the rise in tourism exclusively to tensions with the U.S., noting that a range of factors, such as favourable weather, can shift tourism results.
Mr. Jelley, who chairs the board of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, said while this year seems to have been strong for domestic tourism, some of the association’s members experienced challenges. He suggested some businesses aren’t drawing in the same number of American tourists, or are dealing with the cost of tariff-affected goods.
