Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, UK, France, Spain, and Portugal Now Top Picks as Canadian Tourists Avoid US Destinations, What You Need To Know

Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, the UK, France, Spain, and Portugal—these are no longer just dreamy vacation spots. They’ve become the go-to destinations for Canadian tourists who are now actively avoiding the U.S. And this isn’t just a passing phase. It’s a bold, deliberate trend shaking up the travel industry in real time.

Canadian travelers are ditching traditional US hotspots and flocking to places like Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, and beyond. From the historic streets of France and Spain to the coastal bliss of Portugal and the UK, the shift is impossible to ignore.

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But what’s driving this change? Why are US destinations suddenly off the radar for so many Canadians? And what does this mean for airlines, resorts, and tourism economies around the globe?

There’s more to this movement than meets the eye. It’s urgent, emotional, and strategic. Here’s what you need to know—and why this travel revolution is only just beginning.

Canadian Tourists Flee US Destinations—And Flock to Mexico, Europe, and the Caribbean

A powerful shift is transforming Canadian outbound travel in 2025. For decades, the United States dominated as the top international destination for Canadians. Not anymore.

This summer, Mexico has surged as a top alternative. At the same time, demand for European cities and Caribbean beaches is soaring. Canadians are booking differently, spending differently, and traveling with purpose.

The US is seeing a steep decline in Canadian visitors. The numbers are stark. Airlines, tour operators, and hotel chains are scrambling to adapt. And this isn’t just a seasonal anomaly—it’s a lasting transformation rooted in politics, economics, and emotion.

Mexico Emerges as the Go-To Escape for Canadians

Among the big winners of this shift is Mexico. Once a winter getaway spot, it has become a year-round favorite for Canadians looking for warmth, affordability, and hospitality.

The country checks every box—sun, culture, safety, and convenience. And with increased airline capacity, direct flights from cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary are selling out faster than ever.

Resorts in Cancun, Tulum, and Puerto Vallarta are reporting record-high Canadian bookings. Canadian travel agencies are redirecting marketing dollars to highlight Mexico’s attractions. Major Canadian tour operators are launching new Mexico-specific vacation bundles.

The message is clear: Canadians feel welcome in Mexico. And that feeling is driving bookings through the roof.

Europe and the Caribbean Ride the Wave

Meanwhile, Europe is making an unexpected comeback among Canadian tourists. Summer travel to cities like Lisbon, Barcelona, and Rome is booming. With the U.S. dollar strong and the euro slightly more stable in exchange rates, Canadians are seeing greater value abroad than across the border.

The Caribbean is also heating up. All-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and St. Lucia are seeing double-digit increases in Canadian demand. Airlines are responding by adding capacity and reopening seasonal routes early.

Canada’s WestJet and Air Canada have both ramped up non-stop flights to European and Caribbean hotspots. Charter airlines are seeing spikes in group bookings. Airports in Montreal and Toronto are preparing for heavier international flows through the summer.

Why Canadians Are Skipping the US

So why are Canadians turning away from their closest neighbor?

The reasons are layered—and urgent.

Political tensions have reached a boiling point. Trade wars, tariffs, and hostile U.S. rhetoric have eroded trust. Travel policies and stricter border experiences have created anxiety. Some Canadians report feeling unwelcome or even unsafe when traveling south.

Economic factors deepen the divide. A weaker Canadian dollar makes U.S. travel more expensive. Gas prices, hotel rates, and shopping costs across the border now bite harder than ever.

And perhaps most importantly, the cultural mood is shifting. Canadians are choosing destinations where they feel respected, relaxed, and culturally connected. They are making decisions with their wallets—and their hearts.

Impact on Airlines and Tourism Markets

The travel industry is responding fast.

Canadian airlines are revising route networks. Flights to U.S. cities are being cut or downgraded, while new Mexico, Europe, and Caribbean routes are being expanded. Seat sales and package deals are flooding the market—not for New York or Miami, but for Madrid, Montego Bay, and Mérida.

Hotels and resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean are increasing capacity. European tour operators are adding Canada-specific itineraries. And travel agencies are reporting a noticeable change in customer sentiment.

Even U.S. destinations are noticing the loss. Florida, Arizona, and New York—long Canadian favorites—are reporting declines in Canadian tourist revenue. Border towns are suffering. U.S.-based hospitality brands are reassessing Canadian marketing investments.

A New Era of Intentional Travel

This isn’t just a rerouting of summer vacations. It’s the rise of a new travel mindset. Canadians are booking trips with awareness—of politics, values, and identity.

There’s a sense of intentionality. Travelers want to spend their dollars where they feel dignity and joy. They’re discovering new destinations or reconnecting with old favorites beyond the United States.

From solo travelers to family vacationers, from retirees to digital nomads—every group is part of this seismic change.

It’s no longer about proximity. It’s about experience. And Mexico, Europe, and the Caribbean are delivering.

Looking Ahead: What Travel Stakeholders Should Expect

Industry experts expect this trend to continue through 2025 and likely beyond.

Airlines will likely continue adjusting international schedules to match shifting demand. Tourism authorities in Mexico, Europe, and the Caribbean will increase Canadian-specific outreach. And Canadian tour operators may phase out U.S.-centric offerings in favor of destinations that reflect current sentiment.

Meanwhile, US destinations hoping to win Canadians back will need to rebuild trust. This may involve revisiting visa procedures, customs policies, and how they market to Canadian audiences.

Because right now, Canadians are voting with their feet—and they’re walking away from the United States.

Bottom Line: Travel is Changing—And So Are Canadians

This summer marks a milestone in Canadian tourism history.

The U.S. is no longer the default choice. Instead, Canadians are embracing destinations that offer better value, deeper connection, and a stronger sense of welcome.

Mexico is thriving. Europe is buzzing. The Caribbean is glowing.

And the Canadian traveler? More empowered, more aware, and more intentional than ever before.

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Open this photo in gallery: A new Leger poll released on Thursday shows Canadian travel to the U.S., including cities such as New York, is down considerably.Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters

For years, the plan was New York. A long weekend, an old friend, her milestone birthday. But in this tumultuous spring of 2025, New York was not an option.

We swapped out Broadway for an Ontario road trip to Prince Edward County; the only Big Apple these Canadians were going to get anywhere near was Colborne’s roadside attraction along the 401.

A version of this is being repeated across the country in this annus horribilis for Canadian-U.S. relations, with more tales of travel switch-outs emerging as the summer season begins. Our elbows might be getting a bit sore by now, but our patriotism game is strong.

Canadians did not have a say in the U.S. election that has played havoc with the economy and brought threats to our sovereignty. Nor do we have a voice in the undemocratic horror show we are witnessing: immigration roundups, sweeping travel bans.

But we can vote with our travel itineraries. And we are.

Canadians go elbows up on U.S. travel, opting for these destinations instead

A new Leger poll released on Thursday shows Canadian travel to the U.S. “collapsing” with 71 per cent less likely to travel to the U.S. in 2025 compared to last year. And 75 per cent of Canadians who were planning a trip to the U.S. say the tariff announcements have influenced their travel plans. Meanwhile, the Conference Board of Canada found 27 per cent of Canadian respondents are considering a trip to the U.S. in the next few years, down from more than 50 per cent in the same survey last year.

Travel to the U.S. was down in April, with a drop of more than 35 per cent in Canadian residents returning over land borders from the year before. By air, the drop was nearly 20 per cent.

This could mean as much as $8.8-billion in extra business for Canadian domestic tourism, according to the Conference Board of Canada.

But this travel war has casualties, such as businesses that rely on travel to the U.S. As someone who hears often from publicists (occupational hazard), I started to feel for people whose jobs it is to sell U.S. destinations to Canadians. Imagine having to do that right now.

They’re trying to lure us back. For example, the Canadian firm representing Visit Detroit pitched a Mother’s Day “stylish weekend” trip. Tone deaf or desperate? Or maybe – on brand – naively hopeful? Because the chances of Canada’s national newspaper – which has taken on the grassroots Elbows Up campaign in a big way – suggesting you take mom over the border to celebrate her special day were approximately nil.

Travellers change plans to avoid intense U.S. border checks as Canadian airlines rethink routes

Publicists tell me, though, that while they are not getting much (or any) uptake on these pitches, their objectives include keeping their destinations on Canadian travellers’ radars.

This crisis has been a recurring theme this week in Saskatoon, at the Travel Media Association of Canada Conference, event chair Tania Kedikian tells me.

Ms. Kedikian is senior account director at Development Counsellors International (“The Leader in Marketing Places”) and she oversees DCI’s marketing strategy for all U.S. clients that are interested in the Canadian market. (Say a prayer for her.)

“Some journalists have told us candidly: they’re hesitant to promote U.S. travel right now,” she told me.

But, with her rose-coloured sunnies firmly on, she says she believes this is not a flat-out rejection of the U.S. For instance, she sees event-driven travel emerging strongly; trips to the U.S. tied to a specific event – the Boston Marathon, a Beyonce concert. “In those cases, opportunity is trumping all,” she wrote to me, employing an, er, interesting choice of words.

Opinion: If Canadians have to ride the tariff rollercoaster, we can at least boycott U.S. travel

Sorry, but this Canadian is not buying it. I can’t be the only one who has cancelled event-driven travel (the FIFA Club World Cup this summer – sob). And when FIFA’s main event, the World Cup, comes to North America next year, how will all of this affect games played in the U.S.?

There are more severe victims of the Donald Trump administration than Canadian publicists and PR firms, obviously. But you’ve got to feel for them.

An even greater concern is for Canadian destinations that may experience a drop in U.S. tourism. A video released this week featuring local leaders in Northern Ontario’s Lake Superior region suggests a slight air of desperation. “I’d like to send out a big smalltown welcome to our American friends,” says Kevin Mullins, mayor of the township of Schreiber. “I’d like you to know we’re open for business.”

Prince Edward County was lovely, if a little pricey. My friend and I got our celebratory weekend and we didn’t have to deal with a hostile exchange rate or shakedown at the border.

But here was the best part: I allowed myself, no prescribed myself, a break from anything involving He Who Is Ruining Everything. It was a most excellent getaway.

While a majority of Canadians plan to travel this summer, numbers of those planning to visit the U.S. are down from last year

OTTAWA — While more Canadians are planning to travel this summer, U.S. destinations are not on the itinerary.

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New polling released Thursday by Leger show a surge in Canadians looking to take a leisure trip this summer — 55%, up from just 47% in 2024.

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More Canadians plan to travel this summer, but not to the US: poll

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But fewer Canadians are considering spending their vacation dollars in the United States, with just 10% of respondents saying their plans include America.

That’s down sharply from 23% last year.

Of those planning a summer trip, 77% say they plan to stay within Canada — up from 69% last year.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war is a key factor in people’s decision to avoid American travel, with seven-in-10 saying they’re less likely to travel south of the border this year — 71% this year compared to 59% pre-tariffs.

For those looking to get away from it all, Canadians are also opting to spend their vacation dollars overseas instead of the U.S.

TORONTO — Although overall summer travel intentions are strong, interest in U.S.-bound travel this summer is “collapsing,” according to the results of a just-released Leger poll.

The online survey polled 1,537 Canadian residents 18 years and older.

“The U.S tariff backlash is real,” notes Leger, with more than seven in 10 Canadians saying they’re less likely to visit the U.S. throughout 2025 compared to last year.

Domestic tourism intentions are soaring as more Canadians plan local or interprovincial trips, and international travel intentions are up too.

Here’s a look at Leger’s findings, from the May 16 – 19 survey …

Summer travel intention is surging among Canadians in 2025. Over half (55%) plan to take a leisure trip this summer, which is up significantly from 47% who planned to travel in summer 2024.

Over half (55%) plan to take a leisure trip this summer, which is up significantly from 47% who planned to travel in summer 2024. Although overall summer travel intentions are strong, interest in U.S.-bound travel this summer is collapsing . Only 10% plan to travel to the U.S. this summer, down sharply from 23% last year. In contrast, domestic travel intentions are soaring, with 77% of travellers planning to stay within Canada (up from 69% in 2024).

Canadians are increasingly choosing to explore their own backyard this summer. Compared to before tariffs were introduced, more Canadians are likely to travel within their home province (48% vs. 38% pre-tariffs) or to another Canadian province (42%, up from 30%). Atlantic Canadians lead in overall domestic travel intent this summer (94%), especially for trips outside their provinces (60%).

The U.S tariff backlash is real. Three-quarters (75%) of Canadians who were planning a trip to the U.S. say the tariff announcements have influenced their plans, and over half (56%) who had planned to visit the U.S. now intend to travel elsewhere.

Canadians’ decisions to avoid U.S. travel are being driven by more than just tariffs. While over six-in-10 indicate tariffs (64%) and political tensions (61%) as key concerns, other key factors include safety concerns (47%), poor exchange rate (46%), not feeling welcome (44%), and concerns about border delays (40%).

Despite the overall decline in U.S. travel, some groups remain more likely to follow through with their plans. Albertans lead the way, with 44% of those who had a U.S. trip booked saying they still intend to go. Among those still heading south, the top reasons include a desire to visit the destination (43%), feeling unaffected by the political climate (41%), and visiting family or friends (27%).

The full report can be accessed here.

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