Travel collapse! Canadian tourists vanish overnight — Montana's vacation towns in panic mode

Economic Times

a day ago

US-Canada border tourism trends 2025: Montana's tourism sector is facing a downturn as Canadian visits have significantly decreased, impacting local businesses. Border crossing data reveals substantial drops at key entry points, with some ports experiencing declines of up to 29%. A decline in Canadian credit card spending further confirms this trend.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Canadians Make Up a Key Part of Montana's Tourism Economy
Canadian Tourists Decline: Montana's Vacation Towns Sound the Alarm
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Border Crossings Drop at Every Port of Entry
Credit Card Spending Confirms the Decline in Tourism Dollars
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
FAQs
Montana's popular vacation towns are facing a sudden crisis as Canadian tourists, once a reliable source of visitors, seem to have vanished almost overnight, as per a report. Local businesses and tourism officials are sounding the alarm as cross-border visits plunge, putting the region's economy on edge, according to a NBC Montana report.Jefferey Michael, director of the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research, has shared that Canadians have traditionally made up about 8% of Montana's non-resident visitors, as reported by CNBC. But recent data tells a worrying story as the number of Canadians coming into Montana has sharply declined, sparking concern among tourism-dependent communities, as per the report.ALSO READ: From $32 million loss to just $4.7 million, AMC's big comeback sends shares soaring over 8% CEO of Montana's Glacier Country tourism group, Racene Friede, pointed out that though Canadians are still visiting, but the numbers are declining, according to the NBC Montana report.Friede said that, "They are absolutely coming especially if you were to talk to the businesses on the ground, Canadians are here, but we are most certainly seeing a decrease in visitation," as quoted in the report.ALSO READ: Is Google's AI revolution a threat to website traffic for digital publishers? Here are strategies to stay ahead Data from US Customs and Border Protection shows Canadian crossings at Montana's key entry points have fallen recently, reported NBC Montana, citing May's data.At the Del Bonita port, crossings dropped nearly 25% compared to 2024, while Piegan and Roosville saw declines of about 12% and 29%, respectively, according to the report. Even the busy Sweetgrass port recorded a 28% drop, compared to last year, as per NBC Montana.However, Michael pointed out that, "not every Canadian visitor to Montana enters this way – but it is a decent indicator," as quoted in the report.ALSO READ: 10 must-change iOS 18.6 settings that'll make your iPhone feel like day one again Local tourism leaders are backing up the border data with insights from consumer behavior, like Diane Medler, executive director of Discover Kalispell, noted that Canadian credit card spending in the area has dropped by roughly 37% per month so far this year, with March seeing the steepest fall, as reported by NBC Montana.Even the executive director at Explore Whitefish, Zak Anderson, said that Canadian credit card spending has fallen 25% in Whitefish through May, according to the report. Anderson pointed out that it is important to note that "the increase in domestic travel and visitation to Glacier Park has also had an another impact," as quoted in the NBC Montana report.While Friede said that the fall in Canadian tourists lead her company to launch a Canadian marketing campaign, saying that, "It's really all about letting the Canadians know that we miss them, that we don't think of them as a target market, we think of them as neighbors, friends, family. We share a history, we share so much more than just a border," as quoted in the report.ALSO READ: As the July jobs report paints a grim picture, 114 companies plan layoffs in August - is yours on the list? Yes, but far fewer than in previous years. Border data and spending trends show a sharp decline.They typically make up about 8% of all non-resident visitors.