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Why honesty matters at passport control | Cruising Altitude<\/p>\n
What should you say to passport control if you’re on a work trip but not earning locally?<\/p>\n
JASPER, Alberta \u2014 Canadians have their arms wide open, and the travel industry is ready to hug it out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Almost a year after President Donald Trump<\/a> suggested our northern neighbors become the 51st state<\/a>, tariffs took place<\/a>, and a broader anti-American tourism<\/a> took place, Canadians are ready to move on.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe really are good friends and good neighbors, and we’re family and our feelings got pretty hurt,<\/a>\u201d Destination Canada Chief Marketing Officer Gloria Loree told USA TODAY. \u201cSure, you have \u2018elbows up,\u2019 but it didn’t feel right. \u2026 I think Canadians are very confident in their prime minister right now. There’s like a steady hand on the wheel there. And we have observed that that sentiment, willingness to host, is going back up again.\u201d<\/p>\n Between the ashes of a devastating fire and the pristine water of Jasper National Park, Destination Canada welcomed journalists and media professionals from across the globe last month to meet with representatives from cities and provinces all over Canada. The event, which takes place every other year, is aimed at giving a taste of Canadian offerings. This year, maybe more than in the past, Canadians want the world \u2212 and the U.S. especially \u2212 to know they are welcome.<\/p>\n Travel flows, spending are still shaky\u00a0<\/p>\n At the height of tensions, tourism both ways dipped.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Total inbound travel spending in the U.S. is forecasted to fall 3.2% to $173 billion for the year, according to the U.S. Travel Association. The organization cited, \u201csignificantly fewer visits from Canada are the primary driver of this decrease,\u201d while visits from other countries are expected to be flat.\u00a0<\/p>\n International visitors spent $126.9 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services during the first six months of 2025, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration.\u00a0<\/p>\n Canadians remain one of the United States\u2019 most loyal inbound markets. Around 20 million Canadians visited the U.S. in 2024, generating $20.5 billion in spending<\/a>, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Shopping trips, snowbird escapes, and cultural tourism remain strong motivators, despite concerns about gun violence<\/a>, health care costs, and currency fluctuations.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to intent of visitation, it\u2019s seldom one particular reason,\u201d Loree said. \u201cIt\u2019s this interesting response and this fidelity that citizens have to their own economy and their own vibrancy. And that’s what you see as a fidelity in Canada, to their own economy. So, it’s actually, it’s not about you guys. Right? It’s, how do I make sure that my community thrives?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n