American ski towns bracing for a sharp decline in Canadian tourism are still hoping they can coax their northern neighbors back this holiday season.
Ultimately, the decision to head south may depend on snowfall rather than politics. While it's still early in the season, there are some signs that Canadians' resolve to spend their dollars close to home is starting to wane.
On a recent December morning, the Montana mountain resort of Whitefish, located about an hour south of the border in southeastern British Columbia, was quiet after a rainy start to the week.
However, public relations manager Chad Sokol hopes the numbers will increase by Christmas, which is historically one of the resort's busiest times of year.
“Everything is all right,” said Sokol. “Over the last year or so, we've noticed a decline in Canadian visits to the town of Whitefish… so we're interested to see what happens next.”
Canadian license plates are common in Flathead County, which includes the ski resorts of Whitefish and nearby Kalispell.
Canadians come here in the winter to ski, in the summer to boat, and at any time of the year to shop or visit. replace your aging knees, said Diane Medler, executive director of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.
However, from January to September, border crossings fell sharply and Canadian credit card spending in the region dropped by 39 percent, Medler said.
“It's disappointing and sad,” Medler said, although she said she understands why many Canadians have chosen not to come here.
Mountain communities in Montana usually welcome many Canadian visitors, but not this year due to the trade war and the low value of the Canadian dollar.
Canada's trip to the USA was down Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, started a trade war and started not caring that Canada is becoming… 51st state.
Apart from political sentiment, there are other factors in the region that are preventing it from becoming a tourism hotspot. A weak Canadian dollar makes travel south a more expensive proposition, and the December ski season in Whitefish was marked by… rain, not snow.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Rockies are blanketed in early-season snow and business is booming.
SkiBig3, which sells tickets and holiday packages to resorts in Banff and Lake Louise, said it has had 11 snow days since November and has seen a huge surge in ticket sales from both domestic and international visitors.
Sales in Canada were up 10 percent, sales in the US were up nine percent, and sales from visitors from the UK and Australia were up 20 and 25 percent respectively.
“It’s great to see,” said Rachel Wilson, director of marketing for SkiBig3.
Persuading Canadians
The U.S.-based National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) expects visitation to Canada could slow this year, with larger resorts and areas near the border hit hardest.
“We as an industry certainly hope that they will want to visit these resorts as often as possible,” said NSAA President Mike Reitzell.
In downtown Kalispell, Bias Brewing co-owner Gabe Mariman is offering free beer on a buy-one-get-one basis to encourage Canadians to come and stay for a while.
“If you look at a Montanan and an Albertan, we have a lot more in common than we have differences,” said Mariman, who says he misses talking to Canadians over a pint.
“I feel like these are my neighbors.”
Other Kalispell businesses are offering discounted ice cream cones, hotel stays and museum tours in an attempt to demonstrate their bona fides to Canadian visitors. organized on the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce.
Joe Jimenez, a local hotel manager, has cut booking fees for Canadians by 20 per cent in an attempt to boost occupancy, which is down 25 per cent this year compared with 2024.
“It’s off to a very good start,” said Jimenez, owner of Switchback Suites. “I think we have one [Canadian] arrival on Friday.”
Skier Whitney Bradbury, who lives about three hours south of Whitefish, said she hopes to see Canadians back on the U.S. slopes this year.
“We always think Canadians are amazing,” she said. “Very friendly, peaceful and cordial.”
Softening the attitude?
There are signs that Canadians' steely determination to stay north of the border may be beginning to wane. Travel research firm Longwoods International released a recent report. report suggesting that while many still plan to avoid the US for political reasons, feelings of indifference are beginning to increase.
“[The trend] is easing, but we are not out of the crisis yet,” said Longwoods President Amir Eilon.
In recent months, Alberta license plates have started popping up again in downtown Kalispell, said the local chamber's Medler. However, so far she says the evidence is anecdotal and not reflected in official spending data.
Ultimately, whether Canadians spend their vacations (and their dollars) in Montana ski towns may depend on the weather.
For example, Jay Peak Resort in Vermont, near the Quebec border, likely won't have trouble attracting visitors this year thanks to its early season. snow dump” said the NSAA's Reitzell.
“It’s all about the snow,” Reitzell said. “[If a resort] We have great snow conditions, people are going to go.”
