Canadian Travel to the U.S. Slowly Recovering

The latest Longwoods International Canadian Travel Sentiment Toward the U.S. research is revealing insight into how the travel behavior of Canadians venturing to the U.S. is changing.

Among those promising findings are indications that travel from Canada to the U.S., which has seen a sizable downturn since early 2025, is slowly trending in the right direction. Key highlights from this wave of research (which was fielded July 9-14, 2026 using a national sample randomly drawn from a consumer panel of 1,000 Canadian adults, ages 18 and over) include:

• Recent Travel Activity Improves Year-Over-Year: 28% of Canadian travelers visited the U.S. in the last six months, up from 23% in July 2025, while 51% did not travel and had no intent, down from 60%.

• Intent to Travel to the U.S. Increases from April 2026: 49% intend to visit in the next 12 months, up from 43% in April 2026. 37% have not yet booked their travel and 12% have already done so.

• S. Policy Deterrence Declines as No Influence on Travel Plan Rises: 56% say U.S. policies make them less likely to travel, down from 63% in July 2025, while 25% say policies have no influence, up from 18% in July 2025.

• Switching to Other International Destinations Declines While Domestic Substitution Remains the Top Alternative: Only 16% would switch to an international destination other than U.S., down from 25% in April 2026, while 37% would replace a U.S. trip with a domestic trip, down from 42% in July 2025.

• Avoidance of Certain U.S. Areas Increases: 19% of policy-concerned travelers say they will alter their itinerary to avoid certain U.S. areas, up from 11% in January 2026.

• Recognition of U.S. Attractions Peaks While Safety Concerns Persist: Agreement that the U.S. has “lots to see and do” reached a study-period high of 91%, while only 37% agree the U.S. is a safe place to visit.

Courtesy of Groups Today.