15-05-2025
Canadian visits to N.H. have plummeted amid Trump's tarrifs and '51st state' talk
About
Get N.H. Morning Report
A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox.
Enter Email
Sign Up
'It is particularly disturbing to me to see how quickly the relationship has fallen,' said Brian Gottlob, principal at PolEcon, an economic research firm in Dover, and director of the NH Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau.
Advertisement
He spoke in his personal capacity during a panel for the Carsey Policy Hour hosted by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire on Wednesday, calling the downward visitation trend 'a very troubling data pattern.'
Gottlob said he's heard from Hampton residents that rental properties and smaller hotels are seeing Canadians canceling reservations.
'If that continues, that will have some really profound effects, I think, on our hospitality and tourism industry in New Hampshire,' he said.
Advertisement
Canada is New Hampshire's biggest trading partner. The Granite State imported about $2 billion in Canadian goods in 2024, and sent about $1.15 billion exports in return. There are
Gottlob estimated that if tariffs last for a year, it could lead to about 2,150 fewer jobs in New Hampshire. Over time, and especially if tariffs are lifted, he said those jobs would recover and the state's economy could return to baseline in about three to four years.
'The damage to trust and mutual respect, from my perspective, I just find that more troubling,' he said. 'It's much more difficult to repair.'
This story first appeared in Globe NH | Morning Report, our free newsletter focused on the news you need to know about New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles from other places. If you'd like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday,
Amanda Gokee can be reached at