Statements & Press Releases
The Beyond Borders Tourism Coalition (BBTC) warns that spring break 2026 is arriving amid the worst Canada–U.S. cross-border travel collapse in 25 years.
Canadian automobile trips to the U.S. fell 30.9 percent in 2025, roughly 7.6 million fewer vehicle trips, while airlines have cut 450,000 seats on Canada–U.S. routes in Q1 2026 alone, a 10 percent reduction with some carriers slashing capacity by nearly 60 percent. The students, school groups, and families who once defined the spring travel season are cancelling trips outright, not rescheduling them, as crossing the border feels increasingly unpredictable and not worth the risk. Gateway communities in states like Vermont and Montana, where passenger vehicle crossings have fallen close to 30 percent, are reporting conditions worse than COVID.
For Indigenous youth, the damage runs even deeper: Jay Treaty rights to free movement are not being reliably honoured at the U.S. border, forcing cancellations of cultural exchanges, ceremonies, and language camps that cannot simply be rebooked.
The window to act is now! The bipartisan USMCA Travel and Tourism Resiliency Act would establish a dedicated Travel and Tourism Trade Working Group inside the 2026 USMCA joint review, giving tourism a formal policy voice in the trilateral framework for the first time, with a mandate to remove barriers, improve border fluidity, and weigh security measures against their real economic and cultural costs.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the U.S. 250th anniversary approaching, BBTC is urging Congress to advance the Act through the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees without delay, calling on both governments to treat the collapse in youth and student travel as a strategic threat, and pressing for an immediate pause on new data-collection measures that add friction without demonstrable security benefit.
This radio broadcast discusses how politicized rhetoric has depressed cross‑border travel between Canada and the United States, with clear impacts on both sides: Canadian car trips to the U.S. reportedly down close to 20%, some states citing campground bookings from Canadians plunging as much as 70%, and border communities in places like Montana and New Hampshire—once reliant on Canadians for up to 80% of international business—facing empty lots.
Shannon Stowell, CEO of Adventure Travel Trade Association and initial founder of the Beyond Borders Tourism Coalition (BBTC), joined a radio broadcast to outline the coalition’s goals and a practical reset. He stressed tourism as “soft diplomacy,” noted damage flowing in both directions, and traced BBTC’s origins to industry leaders convening to “elevate the conversation,” now 11 organizations strong. Key points: remove politics from travel, ensure no surprise fees or border process changes, align positive binational messaging on value and safety, and coordinate advocacy—especially among U.S. associations active in Washington—to restore predictability. He condemned disrespectful statements, affirmed the historic friendship across the longest undefended border, and said many in the industry urged action.
From BBTC’s perspective, the fix requires stable, transparent policies, harmonized communications, and targeted recovery for hard‑hit gateway communities. With risks of prolonged damage into the 2026 season, the coalition calls for immediate, binational collaboration among policymakers, tourism boards, and trade associations to depoliticize travel, rebuild confidence, and safeguard livelihoods.
From Best Friends to Elbows UP: Tourism Leaders Call Time Out on the U.S.–Canada Travel Meltdown :: December 2025
The Beyond Borders Tourism Coalition (BBTC) warns that the long-standing ease of U.S.–Canada travel has given way to a policy environment that is actively depressing visitation and destabilizing border economies. Canadian car trips to the U.S. are down nearly 20 percent, with some states reporting campground bookings from Canadians plunging by over 70 percent, while certain destinations—like Montana and New Hampshire—are seeing profound declines among their historically high share of international visitors. Compounding the demand shock, new per-person surcharges of $100 at iconic U.S. national parks and a tripling of international annual pass prices—applied mid-season—are eroding contracts and trust for tour operators who sold itineraries 12–18 months in advance. Group travel via motorcoach generated nearly $70 billion in direct traveler spending and supported more than 890,000 U.S. jobs in 2024, yet international group bookings are already down 30 percent, hitting rural gateway communities hardest.
The release links surprise fees, tariffs, and antagonistic rhetoric to a chilling effect on cross-border tourism, including concerns over digital privacy at the border. Indigenous and rural communities—whose livelihoods depend on predictable cross-border flows—are watching carefully built partnerships wobble as policy whiplash undermines long-lead planning. BBTC’s recommendations are clear: stop surprise fee changes by instituting transparent timelines and meaningful consultation; reassess travel-related tariffs and costs that drain border economies; retire tough-talk messaging in favor of pro-tourism, pro-trade language; and invest in joint marketing, recovery programs, and support for gateway and Indigenous communities. This call to action frames the U.S.–Canada tourism relationship as a valuable economic asset requiring immediate, cooperative advocacy to restore confidence, demand, and jobs across both nations.
Association Leaders Unite to Tackle Obstacles to Tourism Growth :: September 2025
Leaders across the U.S. tourism ecosystem, and Beyond Borders Tourism Coalition founders —Catherine Prather (NTA), Terry Dale (USTOA), Carylann Assante (SYTA), and Fred Ferguson (ABA)—highlighting how post-pandemic gains are now threatened by policy volatility, funding cuts, and weakening inbound demand. Core concerns include reduced federal support for destination marketing (notably Brand USA), trade and visa friction that can quickly depress cross-border visitation, and the cascading economic effects on national parks, suppliers, and communities dependent on tourism.
Leaders underscore that tourism is a top-tier employer—surpassing sectors like retail and manufacturing—yet it remains under-recognized in policy debates. Funding reductions at the federal level shift burdens to states, which are already redirecting tourism dollars elsewhere. The result: fewer staff, diminished experiences, and a chilling effect on investment. Meanwhile, inbound declines—particularly from Canada, historically the U.S.’s number one market—are pushing operators to pivot to domestic travel while seeking stability in cross-border flows.
Borders or Barriers? Why Suspending Youth Travel Jeopardizes Cultural Understanding and Impacts Future Generations :: August 26, 2025
North American Tourism at a Crossroads: Beyond Borders Tourism Coalition Urges Action as New Tariffs and Political Instability Stall Recovery for Tourism Industry (en français) :: July 30, 2025
Beyond Borders Tourism Coalition - The Future of Travel in North America :: April 16, 2025