Border towns across upstate New York are feeling it after 3.4 million fewer people entered from Canada in 2025, according to the Times Union. Federal data shows a 21% drop in crossings by car, train and bus compared to the year before.
The decline follows tariffs and tense rhetoric from President Donald Trump that strained U.S.-Canada relations. A North Country Chamber survey found 83% of local businesses reported fewer Canadian customers. Niagara Falls USA also saw visits fall 27%.
Canadian travelers spent $1.7 billion in New York in 2024, about 8.5% of foreign visitor spending. Early 2026 numbers show crossings still sliding, though some tourism leaders hope warmer months will revive traffic.
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