The stars may still shine over Hollywood, and the lights of Times Square remain bright, but make no mistake—America’s welcome mat looks rather worn these days. And the guests? Well, they’re simply not coming.
In the months following Donald Trump’s re-election in November 2024, the ripple effects have reached far beyond Pennsylvania Avenue—into the lobbies and linen closets of the US hotel industry. If there’s one place you can track sentiment shift in real time, it’s in hotel bookings. And by the latest count from leading travel platform Vio.com, the message from Canada and Mexico is loud, clear, and frosty: “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Canadians Say “Nope”
Traditionally seen as the polite neighbour with an insatiable fondness for Florida beaches and Las Vegas buffets, Canadians have, it seems, decided to sit this out. Vio.com’s booking data—sourced from their app and site between November 2024 and March 2025—paints a sobering picture: a 16% dip in bookings from Canada following the election.
“Usually our busiest months,” said Oz Har Adir, Vio’s CEO and a well-heeled travel veteran, “but this time, the only thing snowbirding was sentiment.”
By the time Trump officially returned to the Oval Office in January, that hesitation had snowballed into something more alarming. Canadian bookings continued to tumble, hitting a jaw-dropping low of minus 29% in March—coinciding, rather conveniently, with a full-blown trade war between Washington and Ottawa.
It was a diplomatic dust-up that sent shudders through border towns and hospitality spreadsheets alike. While cooler heads may eventually prevail, the damage—for now—has been done.
Mexican Travellers Also Pull the Plug
Meanwhile, Mexico’s response has been predictable and poignant across the southern border. November bookings? They were down by a brutal 33% year-on-year immediately after the election. This statistic practically screams, “We heard you the first time.”
“This isn’t just about economics,” noted Har Adir. “It’s about trust. When leaders talk about walls and deportations, travellers don’t hear policy—they hear, ‘You’re not welcome.’”
February teased a glimmer of optimism—a modest bump in bookings, briefly nudging above last year’s figures. But as anyone in the travel game knows, one swallow does not a summer make. Come March, bookings dipped again by 19%, as tensions flared in the growing US–Mexico trade row.
From Holiday to Hostility
What was once a weekend jaunt for tacos in San Diego or a family road trip to Disney has morphed into a political litmus test. Tourism, once the great unifier, now finds itself tangled in ideological barbed wire.
“Travellers don’t want to pack politics in their suitcase,” said Har Adir. “But when policy affects perception, perception affects bookings.”
With over two decades of industry wisdom, the Vio.com chief knows a thing or two about the fragile dance between politics and leisure. “The traveller,” he added, “is no longer just a consumer. They’re a conscience with a credit card.”
Dollars and Discontent
Let’s be clear—these aren’t just stats on a spreadsheet. Each percentage point represents empty hotel beds, shuttered restaurant doors, and tour buses idling in parking lots. Local economies from Buffalo to San Diego are feeling the pinch.
In Har Adir’s view, U.S. hoteliers must rethink their approach. “Focus on flexibility, neutrality, and value,” he urged. “And stop pretending that what happens in Washington doesn’t echo in Waikiki.”
Reputation: A Delicate Thing
Tourism, once bruised, takes time to recover. And in this age of Instagram and international scrutiny, perceptions shift quickly—and globally. It’s not just about the Canadian snowbirds or the Mexican family travellers. It’s about what the world now sees when it looks at America.
“There’s a chill in the air, and it’s not just from Canada,” joked one New York hotel manager who asked to remain anonymous. “We used to worry about weather disruptions—now it’s presidential ones.”
What Now?
Recovery is possible, but it won’t be automatic. Like any storm, rebuilding requires humility, strategy, and—dare we say it—hospitality in its truest sense.
Har Adir remains cautiously optimistic. “Travel has always been about hope and discovery. The moment we lose sight of that—on either side of the border—we lose more than bookings. We lose our way.”
By My Thanh Pham
