The transborder trade spat could be a boon worth billions for Canada’s domestic tourism operators.
A Conference Board of Canada report estimates an economic benefit up to $8.8 billion as Canadians vacation at home rather than heading to the US.
The CBC April travel intention survey found less than one-third are considering a trip to the US over the next few years, which is down by nearly one half compared to just a few months earlier in November.
Additionally, Statistics Canada data found the number of Canadians traveling to the US by car in April was down 35%.
This is the fourth consecutive month it has declined.
“This shift is so unique. It’s driven by political and economic conflict,” said Kiefer Van Mulligen, the report’s author, senior economist at the Conference Board of Canada.
The “buy Canadian” sentiment against US moves on trade and annexing the country have extended to where Canadians plan to spend their vacations.
The report suggests the weaker Canadian dollar is also having some effect on Canadians choosing to stay at home.
“We might actually see some people spending more than usual on a domestic trip, travelling farther, staying longer, things like that,” Mulligen added.
