(Image Credit: IMAGN) California Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Newsom, listen to students from New College of Florida on Wednesday during Newsom's stop at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library in Sarasota on April 5, 2023.
Sacramento, California – California is seeing a steep decline in Canadian tourism, even as Governor Gavin Newsom makes a direct appeal to travelers from the north to return. The drop comes amid rising political tensions between the United States and Canada under President Donald Trump’s second term, leaving the Golden State grappling with the potential loss of one of its most important international markets.
New data from Visit California, the state’s tourism board, shows that Canadian air arrivals dropped 15.5 percent in March compared to the same month last year, falling to 81,225 passengers. February saw a 12 percent decline, marking the worst year-over-year dip since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The downturn in Canadian tourism is particularly alarming for a state that welcomed 1.8 million Canadian visitors in 2024, generating $3.72 billion in revenue. Despite the downturn, Canada remains California’s top international visitor market—but one now showing signs of fragility.
Governor Newsom, widely rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential run, has attempted to distance California from the Trump administration’s increasingly hostile stance toward Canada. “The Golden State and Canada have always had so much in common,” Newsom said in a recent tourism campaign video. “Sure, you-know-who is trying to stir things up back in D.C., but don’t let that ruin your beach plans.”
The campaign—run in partnership with Visit California—comes as tensions between the two countries escalate. Trump’s administration has imposed a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods and made inflammatory remarks about annexing Canada, calling it America’s “51st state.” In response, Canadian officials have encouraged consumers to “buy Canadian,” while sports fans have booed the U.S. national anthem and stores have pulled American products.
Travelers from Canada are increasingly wary. Canadian immigration lawyers have warned citizens to travel with burner phones amid reports of border searches, and temporary visa holders have reportedly been detained at U.S. entry points. The rising tensions and stronger U.S. dollar are making cross-border travel both politically and economically unappealing for many.
Even tourism officials in cities like San Francisco, which had expected a strong year due to an improved convention schedule, are seeing stagnation. Arrivals at San Francisco International Airport from Canada in February were flat compared to last year, with uncertainty over how many were tourists.
The downturn isn’t limited to Canada. Travel from Mexico dropped 24.2 percent in March, with deplanements from Latin America down 3.7 percent overall.
Visit California now forecasts a $6 billion shortfall in tourism revenue for 2025, driven largely by the decline in international visitors—who make up just 6 percent of total travelers but account for 17 percent of spending.
“Canada, come experience our California love,” Newsom said. So far, it seems Canadians are saying, “Not yet.”
