Far fewer Canadians are traveling to the U.S. thanks to the perceived hostility of the Trump administration towards Canada, and some of those who do venture south are paying a social price for their travel plans, a new survey finds.
Statistics Canada recently reported that Canadians took 28 percent fewer trips to the U.S. in 2025, and seven in 10 Canadians said they would be uncomfortable traveling to the U.S. this winter. And according to a study by Abacus Data, friends and neighbors are looking none too kindly to those who do visit the U.S.
One in three Canadians said they would think less of a family member or friend who vacationed in the U.S. “Travel choices are becoming moralized for a significant minority,” the study noted, with the judgement most pronounced among younger Canadians.
“What we are seeing in travel behavior is now clearly reflected in public opinion,” according to David Coletto, Founder, Chair, and CEO of Abacus Data. “A meaningful share of Canadians are not just staying home by coincidence. About one in four considered traveling to the United States in the past year and chose not to because of how they feel about Donald Trump or how the United States is treating Canada. What makes this more than a travel story is that it is starting to behave like a consumer boycott with social consequences.
“For younger adults especially, travel is no longer politically neutral,” he added. “It is becoming a signal. The implications go beyond tourism. If political sentiment can redirect something as habitual and economically important as cross border travel, it can also shape where people shop, what brands they trust, which companies they support, and how they interpret corporate and government decisions tied to the United States.”
The slide in inbound Canadian tourism to the U.S. is directly correlated to the start of the second Trump administration, which has been marked by claims of U.S. sovereignty over Canada and suggestions by the president that Canada become the 51st U.S. state.
