Tourism officials hope lowered demand for U.S. trips will bring more people to Ottawa

Tourism officials hope travellers choosing to avoid U.S. destinations will visit the capital region instead. CTV’s Peter Szperling reports.

Ottawa’s busy summer tourism season is just around the corner, but with fewer Canadians travelling to the U.S. and a lower Canadian dollar, tourism organizers are hoping more people will come to the nation’s capital.

Canadian visits to the United States plummeted last month amid anger over tariffs and annexation threats from its president, on top of growing fears about treatment at the border.

In March, the number of Canadians returning home by car from the U.S. fell nearly 32 per cent compared to March 2024, the third consecutive month of year-over-year declines and the steepest plunge since the pandemic, according to Statistics Canada.

Return trips by air from the U.S. fell 13.5 per cent year-over-year.

• RELATED: Canadians turn their backs on U.S. travel, as return trips plunge: StatCan

Backlash to tariffs both threatened and real by U.S. President Donald Trump have prompted many Canadians to turn their backs on stateside excursions, as have belittling or menacing comments from the American president about Canada as a potential “51st state.”

“We might have gone to Palm Springs, but I wanted to come to Ottawa anyways,” says Robert Reey, who is visiting Ottawa with his wife Sabina from Nanaimo, B.C.

She also wants to keep her travel dollars in Canada. “Oh, definitely. I love Canada.”

Reey says he would’ve travelled to the U.S. if not for the situation in the White House. “Because Trump wants Canada, you realize what a great country we have.”

Ottawa Resident Bryan Anderson says he’s planning to travel in Canada this summer.

“I think our travels down to the states have pretty well finished for a while,” Anderson said. “Just what’s happening in the White House with the tariffs and, you know, on the way he kind of attacked us.”

Arms open to U.S. tourists

A favourable exchange rate with the U.S. dollar is also a good value for American visitors.

“The value is still there, and value for money and exchange rate are two important things, important factors for both U.S drive and air market,” says Catherine Callary, vice president of destination development with Tourism Ottawa. “So, we’re looking forward to continuing to see a strong visitation from our neighbors to the south and definitely in Ottawa we’re continuing to welcome those, U.S visitors with open arms.”

Callary says Ottawa Tourism continues to market to domestic visitors, in addition to those form the U.S. and overseas.

“We continue to market Ottawa strongly in our Canadian market because, of course, we have a very strong domestic market. We are continuing our marketing in the U.S. as well, and international, given our new flight … from London Heathrow, in our case, as well as the Paris flight. So, we are continuing our marketing efforts there as well.”

Callary says she is hopeful for the upcoming season.

“Well, I’m always hoping to have a wonderful tourism season here in Ottawa. Our operators are hoping for it and expecting it,” she says.

ByWard Market Vendor Darwin Radke hopes Americans continue to visit us.

“We’ve already seen a lot of Americans come over. And, first of all, they apologize and they’re happy to see us,” Radke said.

Julia Oliveira with Ottawa Boat Cruise hopes encourages Americans to come to Canada and enjoy everything the country has to offer.

“I’m definitely hoping that some Americans will come and visit us and take advantage of their dollars,” she said.

Ottawa Boat Cruise operates in the capital, including two electric tour boats on the Rideau Canal, which welcomes visitors from all over the world.

“We have them from all over the world. We have them from Europe. We have a lot with from within Canada as well, and from the states and Mexico,” she added.

With files from Canadian Press