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Or sign-in if you have an account.Trips south of the border were down 18 per cent from 2025 in the first two months of 2026 and down 28 per cent from 2024. Photo by Graham Hughes/BloombergSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorDonald Trump’s trade policy has not been kind to many Canadian industries, but inadvertently he has handed one a big boost.Tourism in Canada changed dramatically in 2025, finds a new study by Desjardins Group, as political tensions between the United States and Canada persuaded many Canadians to spend their money at home.“In 2025, tourism trends were defined less by where Canadians chose to go than by where they chose not to go,” said Desjardins senior economist Kari Norman.Canadians’ travel to the United States dropped by 25 per cent last year — that amounts to 10 million fewer trips across the border.Breaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“What made the 2025 story particularly encouraging for domestic operators was that much of the spending diverted from cross-border travel stayed in Canada,” she said.Spending on domestic tourism rose 10 per cent in the first three quarters of 2025 as Canadians made almost 6 million more day trips and 2.6 million more overnight stays within their own country. They also stayed longer and spent more on domestic trips than the year before.The surge in Canadians spending their leisure time within Canada has also helped the economy. Tourism jobs rose 3 per cent during the year, which is more than double the 1.4 per cent increase across the economy as a whole, said Norman.Total tourism employment is up by more than 30,000 jobs from 2019, growing to nearly 3 per cent of total employment in Canada.Not all of the tourism diverted from the States stayed in Canada. Canadians also took about 700,000 more trips overseas during this period with interest extending beyond the traditional jaunts to Mexico and the Caribbean to more distant choices in Europe and Asia.And more foreigners are coming here. Trips to Canada by U.S. residents rose almost 3 per cent in the first two months of 2026, with overseas visitors increasing by about the same rate.As we enter the peak tourism season, the pro-Canada sentiment driving the shift in travel patterns looks set to continue, said Desjardins.Trips south of the border were down 18 per cent in the first two months of 2026 from last year and down 28 per cent from 2024.A recent Leger poll cited by Desjardins found that 70 per cent of Canadians say they are less likely to travel to the U.S. The top four reasons all involve tensions with the United States and include Canadians not feeling safe nor welcome in the country.The poll also found that 67 per cent intended to travel within Canada this spring, a share that is up sharply from recent years, said Norman.There are risks on the horizon — namely higher fuel costs from the Iran war and upcoming negotiations over the Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement.Fuel costs may actually support the trend by encouraging Canadians to take more road trips within the country, especially now that Ottawa has suspended the fuel excise tax until Labour Day, said Norman.Trade talks could go either way. A hostile outcome could harden Canadians’ resolve to stay home, while a more positive outcome that eases political frictions could partially restore cross-border travel.“Either way, trade developments have the potential to influence sentiment by dominating the news cycle as the peak summer travel season approaches,” she said. Sign up here to get Posthaste delivered straight to your inbox.So far the Iran war and oil disruption have trimmed about 30 basis points from global growth expectations, but if the conflict continues the economic hit will deepen, say economists with Toronto Dominion Bank.TD says if tanker traffic stays disrupted into mid-year and oil remains above US$100 per barrel its forecast for global GDP will drop to the mid-2 per cent range.“That’s a far cry from the 3.1 per cent of our March forecast and gets uncomfortably near to a broader downturn,” said TD.Today’s Data: United States housing starts and building permitsEarnings: Walmart Inc., CAE Inc., Lightspeed Commerce Inc., Deere & Co., Ralph Lauren Corp.Millennial parents are finding ways to set money aside for their children’s future, despite the challenges of a rising cost of living. Read more about how today’s new parents are placing their children’s future at the centre of their planning.Interested in energy? The subscriber-only FP West: Energy Insider newsletter brings you exclusive reporting and in-depth analysis on one of the country’s most important sectors.Are you worried about having enough for retirement? Do you need to adjust your portfolio? Are you starting out or making a change and wondering how to build wealth? Are you trying to make ends meet? Drop us a line at wealth@postmedia.com with your contact info and the gist of your problem and we’ll find some experts to help you out while writing a Family Finance story about it (we’ll keep your name out of it, of course).Want to learn more about mortgages? Mortgage strategist Robert McLister’s Financial Post column can help navigate the complex sector, from the latest trends to financing opportunities you won’t want to miss. Plus check his mortgage rate page for Canada’s lowest national mortgage rates, updated daily.Visit the Financial Post’s YouTube channel for interviews with Canada’s leading experts in business, economics, housing, the energy sector and more.Today’s Posthaste was written by Pamela Heaven with additional reporting from Financial Post staff and Bloomberg.Have a story idea, pitch, embargoed report, or a suggestion for this newsletter? Email us at posthaste@postmedia.com.Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the business news you need to know — add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.