According to newly released data from Statistics Canada, trips by Canadians to the United States are increasing gradually in 2026, but remain below historical levels. This has impacted destinations such as Las Vegas, which has always been a hotspot for Canadian tourists.
Canadian Travel to the US Sees Slight Increase
In September, return trips by Canadian residents from the US by car and air increased 6.8% year over year to 1.9 million, marking the sixth consecutive month of annual growth. Despite the increase, return trips by car from the US remained well below previous levels. Although they rose 5.6% compared with September 2025, they were still 31.1% lower than in September 2024.
Christopher Whyte, a travel agent with Freestone Travel in Beamsville, Ontario, highlighted the significant decline in Canadian air travel to major US destinations, particularly Las Vegas, compared with 2024 levels. He noted that airline data and academic research showed steep double-digit declines in Canadian passenger numbers to key US cities such as Las Vegas, Phoenix and Orlando through early 2026.
According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), visits by Canadians to Las Vegas fell 17.4% in 2025 compared with the previous year, totaling just under 1.2 million tourists.
Dalhousie University professor Lorn Sheehan, a specialist in management and tourism destination development, believes Canadians will eventually return to their usual travel patterns as the political climate in the US changes. Sheehan explained that Canadian reluctance to travel to the US is largely directed at the Trump administration, which imposed high tariffs on many Canadian products.
He pointed to the warm reception American visitors receive in Canada as evidence, noting that they continue to be welcomed as friends and neighbors. He added that he expects this welcoming attitude to remain unchanged in the future.
American Travel to Canada Sees Much Higher Increase
Interestingly, however, US citizens traveling to Canada have seen a much larger increase. Americans made 1.8 million trips to Canada by car or air in September. That’s a 17.2% increase from the same month last year and the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year growth. Statistics Canada noted that the later timing of Labor Day in 2026, which fell one week later than in 2025, partly contributed to the sharp rise in American visitors.
Sean Buckland, CEO of Ambassatours Gray Line, described the increase in American tourists visiting Canada as marginal. He noted that US visitors arriving at the company’s port in Halifax benefit from favorable exchange rates, making Canada a more affordable destination and increasing the value of their spending.
In other news from Canada, legal advisory firm Inteliumlaw has recently launched end-to-end support services to help clients obtain gaming licenses in Ontario.