In a notable shift in travel tendencies, Canadians reduced their spending on trips to the United States by $3.3 billion in 2025 compared to the previous year, amid ongoing political and trade tensions. The official data revealed that the expenditure on U.S. travel decreased from $22.1 billion in 2024 to $18.8 billion in 2025. Conversely, there was a marked increase in spending on international travel outside the U.S., which rose by $3.6 billion to reach $22.8 billion.
This change in travel behavior was highlighted by significant increases in trips to other international destinations. Travel to Europe surged by nearly 14%, while visits to Asia grew by almost 17%, suggesting that Canadians increasingly favored these regions over the U.S. as their travel destinations of choice.
The decline in U.S. travel was also reflected in reduced border traffic between the two countries. Throughout 2025, the number of return trips from the U.S. to Canada by both road and air dropped by approximately 25% compared to 2024. The most significant decrease occurred in July, with border crossings falling by about one-third during that month.
As of 2026, this trend has continued, with travel volumes to the United States still remaining below the levels previously observed. Officials have noted that these figures indicate a lasting change in Canadian travel preferences, with fewer Canadians choosing the U.S. as their primary travel destination.