Hotels woo Canadians with wild discounts amid travel boycott | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

While Donald Trump has since dialed back the rhetoric in which he repeatedly called Canada “the 51st state” in the early months of his administration, Canadian travel to the U.S. continues to see record-low levels, both out of protest and fear of the current administration’s immigration crackdown.

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Customs and Border Protection data shows that border crossings from Canada fell by 12.5% in February and 18% in March.

While some politicians and tourism industry insiders classified this as a temporary ebb fueled by emotion, the numbers got even worse into the spring — Statistics Canada reports a 35% decline in land border crossings from the U.S. in April while the Flight Centre travel group (FGETF) similarly recorded a 40% decline in corporate travel in the first half of 2025.

Kennebunkport Resort Collection owns nine properties along the southeastern coast of Maine.

Kennebunkport Resort Collection

‘We’re thrilled to welcome our Canadian friends’: resort chain in Maine

Early estimates predict that even a 10% reduction in Canadian travel will cost the U.S. travel industry $2.1 billion in lost revenue, and hotels and entire liberal states have tried different ways to get back into the good graces of Canadians.

In April 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom published a video in which he said that “the Golden State and Canada have always shared so much in common” and urged Canadians not to let their vacation plans be ruined because “you-know-who is trying to stir things up back in D.C.”

In a similar move to win over Canadian guests, the Kennebunkport Resort Collection in Maine launched an “Oh Canada” promotion. It gives guests from north of the border 15% off a stay at any of its nine resorts on the southern coast of the state, a bottle of champagne and a box of chocolate-covered Maine blueberries upon arrival, and a late checkout on the day that they depart throughout the summer and until Sept. 1.

“We’re thrilled to welcome our Canadian friends to the beautiful coastal town of Kennebunkport with an exclusive, limited-time offer,” the hotel chain writes of its promotion.

Another hotel tells Canadian travelers: ‘You’re welcome here’

With Maine being the country’s northernmost state and the resort town of Kennebunkport a five-hour drive from Montreal, the area has for decades seen a steady stream of Canadian tourists.

While not overtly mentioning politics, the chain that includes properties like Cape Arundel Inn & Resort, Yachtsman Hotel & Marina and Lodge on the Cove writes that the discount means to celebrate the longstanding friendship between communities on both sides of the border.

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Located in another region that sees large number of Canadian visitors, the Campfire Hotel in Oregon’s Cascade Mountain Range launched a similar promotion earlier in the year: a Tariff-Free package that offered 20% off any stay someone coming from Canada books at the boutique hotel.

Before the tariffs and the start of the current administration, Oregon was a popular destination for Canadians driving south from British Columbia.

“We want our Canadian friends to know just how much they mean to us,” General Manager Keagan Parks said of the offer. “In a time when international travel can feel uncertain, we’re cutting through the noise with a clear message: You’re welcome here. You always have a place around the campfire.”