Joe T.
Member
The number of Canadians heading south has grown this year, and the flap between Trump and Trudeau after last month’s G7 summit in Quebec didn’t change that.
Border crossing data indicates the number of Canadian motorists returning from the U.S. in June grew 12.7 percent from last year, a healthy increase, according to a license plate-scanning system used by the Canadian government.
A so-called “Trump Slump” never materialized after Trump’s election, and travel to the U.S. is growing despite anecdotal evidence that some Canadians are choosing to travel elsewhere, said Allison Wallace, of Flight Centre Canada, a travel agency with 150 locations across Canada.
“All of that being said, we’ve not seen a trade war like this, so that may change,” she said, “but as of now, the U.S. remains a very popular destination.”
Florida accounts for the largest number of visitors from the north, typically snowbirds in the winter. New England is also a popular destination, and beaches like Old Orchard Beach and Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, are an easy drive from Canada’s Atlantic provinces.
In Old Orchard, Canadian flags are flown and many desk workers speak French. Fries are served up Canadian-style, topped with vinegar, or with gravy and cheese.
For now, the value of the Canadian dollar is having a bigger impact than the flap between the leaders. The loonie is currently worth only 76 cents in the U.S.
More at the Associated Press.
A little more positive news for the US amid all the negative media coverage that seems to attract the most attention these days.