Canadians cancel US travel plans amid anger over tariffs: Report

HAMILTON, Canada

Canadians are canceling travel plans to the US amid rising frustration about tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, according to a report Wednesday.

The Canadian Press (CP) said travelers have expressed frustration over the economic effect of the new tariffs, leading to a shift in plans and reconsideration of trips.

Citing one of the leading travel agencies, Flight Centre Travel Group Canada, bookings to US destinations dropped 40% in February from the same month in 2024.

It also noted that at least one in five travelers canceled plans to the US in the past three months.

With the tariffs leading to widespread patriotism in Canada, CP stated that some Canadians have shifted their focus to alternative destinations in Europe and the Caribbean, seeking more affordable options.

Martin Firestone, president of Toronto-based insurance firm, Travel Secure Inc, said from Florida that "this anti-Trump sentiment is really playing a huge role here, where people are saying, 'I'm not going to the US, I'm just not going to travel there based on what he's doing to us in Canada.'"

Change in Canadian travelers' booking habits to the US comes amid US-Canada trade tensions. Washington postponed for one month 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports that began Tuesday.

The US president has pledged to extend tariffs to a range of other industries, including copper, semiconductors, automobiles, pharmaceuticals and lumber.