Maine Joins Montana, California, Washington, Florida, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Nevada as US Faces Sharp Canadian Travel Decline Amid Tariffs, Visa Barriers, and Global Tourism Retreat

Maine has now joined Montana, California, Washington, Florida, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Nevada in facing a sharp drop in Canadian travel as rising tariffs, visa delays, and shifting global tourism patterns push international visitors away from the United States in 2025. Once bustling with Quebec license plates and French-speaking tourists, towns like Old Orchard Beach are now grappling with quieter boardwalks, thinner weekend crowds, and local businesses struggling to adapt. The downturn, driven by a mix of political tensions, safety concerns, and foreign advisories, signals a broader retreat from U.S. destinations once considered staples of summer vacation for Canadians and Europeans alike.

This coastal gem in Maine, long a favorite among visitors from Quebec and Ontario, is now feeling the weight of a sharp downturn in cross-border travel. The shift comes amid growing tension between Washington and Ottawa, rising visa hurdles, and a broader cooling of global tourism interest in the United States.

Across the country, the trend is repeating.

Colorado, famed for its ski resorts, is now seeing winter reservations from abroad shrink. Places like Aspen and Vail are dealing with fewer bookings from Europe, as travelers face long visa delays and rising airfare costs. These resorts, which count on high-spending visitors for their seasonal profits, are now refocusing on domestic markets to plug the gap.

Health insurance costs, stricter visa rules, and a polarized political environment are all turning potential Canadian vacationers elsewhere. To counter the slide, VISIT FLORIDA has turned its attention to Latin America, hoping to fill the gap with travelers from Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina.

In Nevada, Las Vegas is no longer seeing the same flood of overseas foot traffic. Visitation dropped 7% in the first quarter of 2025, and February alone saw a 12% drop. Convention bookings have plunged 20%, and international casino revenues are dipping as Canadian and European travelers stay away.

In Washington, D.C., tour groups are canceling, school trips are thinning, and international museum traffic is down. European tour companies point to political instability and travel warnings as the key reasons. In response, D.C. tourism leaders are trying to rebrand the city with a focus on cultural heritage, safety, and inclusion.

Hotels, airlines, restaurants, and attractions across the country are feeling the pinch:

A combination of three key factors is driving this downturn:

As the U.S. loses ground, other countries are gaining it. Canada recently inked a tourism pact with Greece to promote bilateral visits. The European Union is expanding visa-free access for Asian and South American travelers, and new intra-European incentives are keeping travelers close to home.

The message is loud and clear: global tourists, including loyal Canadians, are shifting away from the U.S. and toward countries they feel are safer, friendlier, and easier to navigate.

In the face of this global pullback, states like Maine, Washington, Montana, California, Florida, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Nevada are rethinking their strategies. Domestic tourism campaigns are growing, regional travel is being promoted, and marketing teams are rewriting their messaging for a more skeptical audience.

From the rocky shores of Maine to the casinos of Nevada, the story is the same: fewer Canadians, fewer Europeans, fewer international guests. And without them, the heart of the U.S. travel economy is beating a little softer.