How Americans feel about travelling to the Maritimes amid Trump, tariff tensions

Given the current political climate, First at Five looks at whether Americans have altered travel plans to Canada.

After a long winter, it’s the time of year where people in the New England states start looking forward to getting away for some seafood and scenery here in the Maritimes.

“We start seeing the Nova Scotia tourism ads down here in Boston,” said Dan Vassallo of Peabody, MA, who drives to Cape Breton each May to participate in the annual Cabot Trail Relay Race.

“We started seeing them like three or four days ago and (it’s) nothing but excitement.”

Vassallo said he is aware driving around Eastern Canada with a Massachusetts licence plate might hit a bit different to some people this year, but he still expects a warm welcome.

“I understand there is some rhetoric from some people who are extremely online and extremely immature,” Vassallo said. “I would think that the adults are going to continue to prevail.”

At Governor’s Pub & Eatery along the Sydney waterfront, owner and head chef Ardon Mofford said about 30 per cent of their customers during peak tourism season are from the United States.

“Mostly, they come off the cruise ships and they want to experience the people, so they’ll come into the pub environment,” Mofford said. “They’re going to continue to come here I think, with the strength of their dollar compared to ours.”

Contrary to what you might expect, the head of Destination Cape Breton said their website traffic from the U.S. is up more than 70 per cent.

“We think we’re going to have more Americans come here,” said CEO Terry Smith.

Smith added they are also putting on a big push in digital advertising to people in the Boston and New York areas.

“Well, I think Americans are looking at safe places to travel,” said Smith. “There was a study recently that came out from Longwoods International that said of the top three international destinations for Americans, that Canada is in that top three.”

Marc Botte helps run a tour company that caters to cruise ship passengers in Sydney and says 60 to 75 per cent of their traffic comes from the United States. He said despite some people choosing to boycott American products or boo their anthem we need them as visitors.

“I don’t think it’s disingenuous,” Botte said. “I think we can separate the actions of government from the actions of a population’s citizenry.”

Back in the Boston area, Vassallo said he plans to take at least one precaution in a show of solidarity during his visit to Cape Breton.

“I’m going to have an iced Timmies in hand pretty much the entire time there to prove that while I’m not one of y’all, I’m down with the movement,” Vassallo said with a grin.

Botte added that in late June, a musical missionary group from California plans to arrive in Cape Breton by cruise ship. He said during their visit they plan to fundraise and purchase instruments for local youth with an interest in music.

Botte said it’s an example of the kindness of everyday Americans overcoming any hostility from their government.

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