Many Canadians are boycotting the US, so this is where they're travelling instead

Prior to US President Donald Trump's re-election, Kent Truscott and his family, from London, Ontario, had taken multiple trips south of the border, including to California and most recently New York in 2023.

But since late 2024, "my family and I have completely decided to boycott the United States", he told BBC.

That meant cancelling a trip last spring to Texas to watch the SpaceX Starship launch with his brother. The two had planned to fly down from Toronto, rent a car and stay a week to watch the launch, likely spending "thousands of dollars".

Truscott and his wife decided to spend that money in Canada instead – the Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, to be exact.

Their decision is a response to US tariffs and the president's comments about annexing their country. More than a year after Trump's return to the White House, many Canadians like Truscott are still holding firm on their boycott on travel to the US.

Even with a slight uptick in road trips to the US in April, Canadians made 800,000 fewer trips that month compared to the same time in 2024, before Trump was elected, according to national data.

The boycott has meant a loss of about C$3.3bn ($2.35bn; £1.75bn) in travel revenue for the US last year - money that Canadians have instead chosen to spend overseas or exploring their own country.

That financial void has been felt by a number of American cities and states, who have urged Canadians to return through targeted advertisements and special deals. In July, New York City's tourism board said it will offer Broadway tickets and hotel rooms to Canadian tourists at a 30% discount.