The Rocky Mountaineer is a train trip through the Rockies that is quintessential Canadiana.
Tim Hoban is looking forward to two trips within Canada this year — one to Toronto to see his beloved Blue Jays play and another to Cape Breton, his home and native turf, to see the fall leaves. Often, he would take a jaunt to the United States — Boston, Mass., or at least Bangor, Maine, — but this year and he’s said “forget it” to any U.S. travel.
“I’m not going to spend any money down in the United States,” says Hoban, 83, a widower who lives in Miramichi, N.B., with his son and caretaker. “With this Trump player, I won’t give him a penny. He’s way out of whack.”
Hoban isn’t alone. Brett Walker, general manager for international operations for Collette, says his company has absolutely seen a surge in domestic travel.
“We are definitely seeing a significant uptick in demand — no doubt about it and it’s not just anecdotal,” Walker says. “We know that Canadians are [angry] and elbows up and all that with regard to our southern neighbour.”
While some are heading overseas to avoid the United States, Walker says that in Canada, as it was in the pandemic, the surges will be seen in gateway cities, such as Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton. He said Maritime packages also do well for Collette.
Destination Canada’s most recent numbers don’t reflect the boycott of U.S. travel because they are from the third quarter of 2024, even before U.S. President Donald Trump was elected. But the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) says it can confirm domestic travel is seeing increased interest.
“We’re hearing from tourism operators across the country that domestic travel is on the rise,” says Beth Potter, president and CEO of TIAC. “Canadians are actively choosing to spend their tourism dollars at home. It’s more than just convenience; there’s a quiet sense of patriotism at play. By deciding to choose Canada, people are making a statement about value, identity and community.”
Potter says it reflects a genuine desire on the part of Canadians to invest in their own country.
“As an industry built on showcasing the very best of Canada, that choice is something we take pride in,” Potter adds. “Whether it’s hiking in national parks, discovering small towns or experiencing regional food and culture, Canadians are finding renewed meaning in exploring their own backyard — and that’s good news for communities across the country.”
For his part, Hoban, a retired RCMP officer, is thinking it might be his last trip to Cape Breton, where he was born.
“I want to go in around the Cabot Trail, and probably stay on the trail somewhere overnight, and then go across to the west coast of Newfoundland, where I have a lot of friends and relatives,” he says, adding that his late wife is from Deer Lake, N.L. “I would go down in that area and visit my relatives for the last time.”
He says he likes to see the fall colours on the trees on the Cabot Trail.
“I remember going up to the Cabot Trail when it was a dirt road,” he says. “I grew up in Cape Breton — I’m a Caper.”
Warrick Lockyer and his wife, Louise Allie, plan to tour the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec this summer, instead of a planned trip down the coast of Maine.
U.S. travel plans revisited
Warrick Lockyer, of Perth Andover, N.B., and his wife, Louise Allie, had plans to travel down the east coast of the state of Maine this summer with a group of friends in RVs, but those plans have been put on hold due to the political climate and the dollar.
“This summer, we’re planning on a short two-week trip across Labrador with our camper,” says Lockyer, who retired after 36 years from the Royal Canadian Navy. Allie spent 26 years working as an administrative assistant, first for the Department of National Defence and then for Service Canada. “And then the crowd that was supposed to go to Maine will be doing the Acadian shore of New Brunswick and then to Gaspé and then on to Quebec City.”
Lockyer and Allie have actually worked as tour guides for a U.S. company that does RV tours of Atlantic Canada and Alaska, but they aren’t doing that this year.
“I grew up in [Dildo,] Newfoundland, spent 40 years in Nova Scotia and now I’ve lived in New Brunswick for eight so I’ve travelled almost every highway in all four provinces,” says Lockyer, who is the president of Federal Retirees’ Upper Valley branch.
Another travel agent’s view
Paula Nygaard had several trips planned this year, but this summer, she plans to stick close to home and spend some time at her cabin. She took a trip to Banff, Alta., and Edmonton in May and has a big trip planned for June — a cruise through Norway — that she considered cancelling, but having paid a lot of money up front, she decided to stick with it.
“It’s with a U.S. company, and that’s why I hesitated, but this time, my decision was based on the almighty dollar,” she says. “But I have lots of travel within Canada, including a trip to Saskatoon.”
She also has some fall travel to Europe planned, but not with any U.S. companies. As a resident of a border town in Manitoba, Nygaard was a frequent cross-border shopper, but that’s all stopped.
“Myself, my friends, [nobody] I know, is doing the cross-border shopping anymore, which we used to do a lot,” she says. “It’s just not happening.”
Nygaard, who retired from Service Canada, is now a travel agent with Trevello Travel Group in her post-federal public service career. She says 90 per cent of her clients who’ve booked to the United States are foregoing their deposits and cancelling.
“People in general, for sure, are absolutely avoiding travel to the U.S. and travel with U.S. travel companies,” she says, adding that she’s seeing more business within Canada as a result.
“If you look at airlines, they’re cancelling flights to the U.S. because no one is on them,” she says. “It’s an interesting time to be in the travel business. People are asking where they can go, and I tell them to look at our East Coast — it’s fabulous. Look at Quebec. There are all kinds of options to promote within Canada and that’s what most of us are doing.”
Nygaard, who is the branch services co-ordinator for the Winnipeg branch of Federal Retirees, notes that the Canadian dollar’s performance is also a factor.
“Your dollar goes further at home,” she says.
Indigenous experiences
Collette’s Brett Walker deals with lots of foreign tourists coming to Canada and with them, Indigenous experiences are always a priority, but it’s something Canadians seem to stress less often. As such, we present a list of Indigenous attractions from across the country, compliments of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.
Métis Crossing: Located in Smoky Lake, Alta., this is a Métis heritage site that offers experiences and a glimpse into the culture.
Wendake Tourism: Located on the banks of the Akiawenrahk River in Quebec City, this is a place where you can discover Indigenous traditions, history, culture and the modern way of life.
Aurora Village: A place for visitors to experience the magic and wonder of the North on the Ingraham Trail near Yellowknife. It purports to be “the best place in the world” to see the northern lights.
Wapusk Adventures: A Churchill, Man., dogsledding and outdoor adventure facility, it offers a range of related experiences.
Ahous Adventures: An eco and cultural adventure tour company in Tofino, B.C.,it is owned and operated by the Ahousaht Nation and offers excursions, including a visit to Springs Cove as well as whale- and bear-watching.
Lennox Island: This 540-hectare island located in Malpeque Bay, P.E.I., is home to 450 Lennox Island First Nation band members and several businesses.
The Torngats: Located in the Torngat Mountains, this Happy Valley – Goose Bay, N.L., site features Inuit hosts in the heartland of Inuit culture.