This article was updated on January 12 with more information on destinations that abandoned Canadian tourism campaigns. It was first published on January 11.
Canada’s travel boycott of the United States started off with political tension, but now, Canadians are avoiding the U.S. for several different reasons. Among them are border insecurities. There were several problematic examples last year, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) mistakenly surrounding a Canadian visitor’s vehicle over a name mix-up. Another Canadian interviewed by TheTravel also said he was detained three times by CBP for unknown reasons.
To start the new year, it appears Canadian airlines expect decreased travel to the United States. Airlines in Canada have eliminated 450,000 seats for travel to the United States in the first quarter. Despite the reduction, popular tourist attraction areas in the United States are sending mixed signals. Some are still welcoming Canadians with open arms and have even designed passes for Canadians that offer discounts and other deals.
However, on the flip side, some U.S. destinations have decided to pull all marketing efforts. Here’s a closer look at the latest destination that pulled the plug and its reasoning behind it. Plus, it’s not the only one to have cut the cord on tourism advertising in Canada in recent months.
Big Sky, Montana, Has Decided To Stop Marketing Efforts Towards Canadians
Big Sky, Montana, was a popular destination for Canadians, especially for residents in Saskatchewan. However, Canadian visits decreased last year. Community tourism agencies reported that Canadian visits to Big Sky decreased by 16%.
In terms of finances, the losses were huge, according to Brad Niva, the CEO of Visit Big Sky.
“Financially, having the loss of Canadian traffic is massive. In my community, it’s half a million dollars of lost revenue,” he told CBC News.
The decrease is especially noticeable from data released by CBP. The latest stats reveal that 62,000 fewer Canadians crossed into the United States last year.
Despite Visit Big Sky’s popularity amongst Canadians in recent years and its proximity to Yellowstone National Park, Canadians are still staying away, and it doesn’t seem as though they’ll be coming back in 2026.
With that said, Visit Big Sky CEO Brad Niva stated that all marketing efforts towards Canadians have now been halted.
The goal is to “just kind of let time heal itself,” the CEO stated.
For now, Visit Big Sky has a ‘general’ welcome on its website for visitors. It writes: “There’s something special we’re nurturing here in Big Sky. It’s a place that deeply honors its rugged Montana roots, yet also offers world-class experiences that feel just right. We offer it all: epic downhill slopes, thrilling outdoor adventures, and cozy, stylish accommodations, united by a pioneering spirit.”
“More than just a spot on the map, we’re where your adventure story begins. Dive into Montana’s grandeur, from heart-pumping mountain thrills to moments of pure serenity under a canopy of stars. Newcomers, easy-goers, and how-did-I-get-here-ers, welcome to your new favorite escape,” the website adds.
As expected, the message from Visit Big Sky has caused a stir online, with lots of Canadian visitors admitting they won’t be visiting the United States any time soon.
Reactions To Big Sky’s Decision Have Been Mixed
The decision to cut marketing towards Canadians has caused a stir online. For many, visiting the U.S. is off limits for the foreseeable future. Many are opting for other international destinations instead.
The decision to skip U.S. travel was initially politically motivated, but now other factors are giving Canadians second thoughts, including exchange rates and possible scrutiny at U.S. borders.
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How Users Are Reacting To Visit Big Sky’s Decision: |
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-“So many friends I know are avoiding the US entirely. When they used to go to Florida or Louisiana, now they travel to Mexico or Belize. We’ve found MUCH better places to vacation, and I highly doubt we’ll go back to the US for any reason.” |
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-“Montana is beautiful. Hey Montana, maybe address your super weird countries politics and I’ll head back.” |
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-“No. They’re welcome to come spend lots of money in Saskatchewan though.” |
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-“We have a big beautiful country of our own to explore.” |
Although residents in Saskatchewan are holding back on U.S. travel, the opposite doesn’t hold true. According to Tourism Saskatchewan, cross-border vehicle traffic from the U.S. increased by 2% in 2025 compared to 2024.
Air arrivals from all parts of the United States into Saskatchewan also increased by 10% during the first ten months of 2025, in comparison to 2024.
Other Destinations In Montana Similarly Gave Up On Canadian Tourists In 2025—Though Some Have Since Tried Again
Visit Big Sky isn’t the only Montana tourist destination to cut its marketing to Canadians. Before summer in 2025, parts of Montana outright abandoned the idea of Canadian tourists. This was particularly the case for Kalispell, whose tourism marketing body, Discover Kalispell, temporarily paused advertising after receiving negative responses to its marketing campaigns in Canada.
“We need signals from both governments that cross border friendships and our economic partners matter, and without that no amount of marketing is going to help that right now,” said Discover Kalispell Executive Director, Diane Medler, at the time. “We continue to let Canadians know we welcome them back as soon as they are ready to come,” she added.
However, as it turns out, they didn’t concede defeat for long. Some of these tourist destinations in Montana that previously gave up have since tried to woo Canadians again, including Kalispell. In fact, Discover Kalispell began encouraging Canadians with a “Canadian Welcome Pass.” The pass includes discounts and deals at restaurants and hotels.
Discover Kalispell’s website writes, “While we wish we could make everything okay between us again, we know that things aren’t that simple. But we also know that we can’t continue to sit by and do nothing. Which has led us to this – our Canadian Welcome Pass.”
“This pass was created with you in mind and to show you that we’re putting our money where our mouths are – with this pass, many Kalispell businesses have come together to offer discounts, deals and more,” it added.
Other Tourist Destinations In The United States Haven’t Given Up On Canadians Just Yet
While Montana has been on and off with its Canadian tourism campaigns, other U.S. destinations haven’t given up at all and are still marketing strongly. For instance, over in California, 16 tourism leaders took part in a PR Blitz in Vancouver, with once again the goal of enticing Canadians back in.
Visit Anaheim president and chief executive Mike Waterman stressed that Californians share similar values to Canadians.
“We understand and respect, you know, those folks who out of principle just don’t want to come. I think California and Governor (Gavin) Newsom have done a really good job of trying to articulate that we’re 3,000 miles away from D.C. and we act and react differently than our (federal) government at this point, and we’re a very welcoming state,” he tells CTV News.
It remains to be seen if the efforts will continue in 2026, or if other U.S. destinations will follow Visit Big Sky and pull its marketing campaigns for Canadians.
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