Canadian Cross-Border Travel Still Below Last Year's Levels, StatsCan Reports

Canadian auto return trips from the US decreased by over 33% in June compared to last year, while air travel return trips were down 22%. These numbers indicate a continued decline in cross-border travel between Canada and the US, despite the easing of pandemic restrictions.

Canadian auto return trips from the US decreased by over 33% in June compared to the same period last year, according to Statistics Canada data released on July 10, 2025 [1]. This significant drop marks a continued decline in cross-border travel between Canada and the US, despite the easing of pandemic restrictions.

The data shows that Canadians returned from just 8 million trips in the first half of the year, well below the 11 million entries during the same period in 2024. The decline was particularly notable in June, where Canadian-resident return trips by automobile from the US plunged 33.1% from a year ago. This trend is part of a broader movement among Canadians who are deliberately avoiding US vacations and products to protest President Donald Trump’s threats to their country’s economy and sovereignty.

The number of US car trips to Canada also fell for the fifth consecutive month, dropping 10.4% in June. This decline coincides with the ongoing trade war and a weaker US dollar, which fell more than 5% against the loonie in the first half of the year.

While air travel return trips from the US decreased by 22%, there was a 7.3% increase in return trips by air from other countries in June. Tourist arrivals from the US decreased by 0.7%, while those from other countries remained at similar levels to last year.

Anusha Arif, economist at Toronto-Dominion Bank, attributed these trends to ongoing US tensions influencing global tourists to consider Canada as an alternative destination. She also noted a significant shift toward domestic travel among Canadians, as indicated by airport screening data.

Canada’s total tourism spending is expected to grow between 2% and 4% this year, despite an anticipated 5%-10% decline in US spending. The anticipated increase in Canadian and other international visitors is expected to compensate for fewer American tourists.

References:
[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-10/us-sees-33-drop-in-car-trips-by-canadians-as-summer-travel-starts