• 4.2.25
• General

CHAMBER RELEASES SNAPSHOT OF TARIFFS IMPACT ON CANADIAN VISITATION

The North Country Chamber of Commerce has released the findings of a survey of various hospitality related businesses, providing a snapshot of the impact through March of reduced Canadian visitation to the area because of the current U.S. tariffs on Canada and the response by Canadians. The survey reached out to a crosssection of likely impacted businesses including Hotel/Lodging, Restaurant/Food Service, Attraction/Recreation, and Retail.

"The feedback confirms a decline in Canadian plans to visit the North Country this year," says Garry Douglas, Chamber President. "We saw a 16% decline in cars at the Champlain border crossing in February and, while we don't yet have March numbers, we expect this number to be larger for the last month."

The findings include:

• For 23.5% of these businesses, Canadians typically are 26-50% of their customers.3.3% report that Canadians are more than 50% of their business
• Major retail contacts estimate that 30% of shopping traffic is driven by Canadian shoppers
• 66% have already experienced a slight to significant decrease in Canadian bookings for 2025
• 59% of businesses report that 25-50% of their revenue is generated by Canadian visitors
• 26% have already adjusted staffing levels in response to the decline
• 76% cite the political climate and tariffs as the primary cause of the decline. 43% also attributed the decline to the exchange rate

"For some perspective on the stakes, a Chamber study in 2004 estimated that Canadians were spending $310 million annually in just Clinton County, including shopper. tourists and other visitors," notes Douglas. "Even without applying inflation since then, the economic impact is huge, and the impact of any significant drop is large as well."

The Chamber believes the 16% decline in February was largely due to the worsened exchange rate, now at about 70 cents, with the beginnings of decisions by Canadians to not spend in the U.S. "But March brought the two waves of U.S. tariffs along with the Canadian response including a 25% surcharge on almost all forms of goods Canadians purchase here, increasing the growing wave of a Canadian visitation boycott," says Douglas. "This is profoundly sad to everyone in the North Country who rightly values the historic and special people-to-people relationship with our friends and neighbors."

“While overall visitation numbers may be down, it’s important to remember that Canadians are still crossing the border and choosing our region as their getaway. That’s why now, more than ever, we need to maximize our hospitality efforts. Through our new ‘Welcome Canadians’ campaign, we’re equipping local businesses with signage, social media tools, and a checklist of simple ways to show our appreciation and make our neighbors feel truly valued, says Kristy Kennedy, Vice President of Marketing and Tourism for the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau. At the same time, we’re refreshing our advertising in the Montreal market to deliver a welcoming and understanding message, while also expanding our efforts into New York’s drive markets to help boost lost visitation throughout the tourism season.”

The North Country Chamber and Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau will continue to monitor impacts in the coming months and maintain close communication with local tourism partners.

“Canadian visitors are a vital part of our local economy,” Kennedy added. “We’ll keep pushing for policies that support cross-border travel and will be working with our partners to adapt as needed.”