B.C. prepares for tourism boom amid U.S. tariffs, 51st state rhetoric

Alex Ross and his team are busy booking hundreds of hotel rooms, securing equipment and watching long-term weather forecasts as tourism season draws near. 

His company, Fresh Adventures, takes tourists from all over the world on guided tours throughout B.C., and even into nearby territories and states. 

In an average year, Ross said he gets about 30 per cent of his business from Canadians outside the province. He said Canadian bookings have increased to about 50 per cent as tensions between Canada and the U.S. persist and leaders encourage travel within Canada.

But Ross said it's not just Canadians from other provinces booking his tours in B.C. — British Columbians appear to be showing more interest in checking out local sights. 

"We've definitely been getting a bigger surge recently. It's really nice to see the interest from Canadians so close to home."

Tourism from fellow Canadians is expected to soar in B.C. this summer, according to Destination B.C. vice president of Global Marketing Maya Lange. She said airline bookings to British Columbia this summer, made by Canadians from other provinces, are up about one-third compared to 2024. 

"We're anticipating a very strong domestic tourism season for British Columbia this summer," she said. 

It's not just Canadians choosing B.C. for their summer holidays, Lange said: summer bookings from the U.S. to British Columbia are up, and Lange said her European counterparts tell her people across the Atlantic are also prioritizing travel to Canada and, in particular, B.C.

"Apparently inquiries are up for travel to Canada over the U.S.," Lange said.

Earlier this week, California Governor Gavin Newsom pleaded with Canadians to ignore U.S. President Donald Trump's taunts and threats, and reconsider travelling to the Golden State.

Canadians were encouraged to cancel trips to the U.S. as tariff threats and 51st-state comments ramped up, and it seems to have worked: in March, the U.S. saw a 32 per cent decline in Canadian trips to the country by car compared to last year, and air travel trips were down 13.5 per cent, according to Statistics Canada. 

But Americans may be hesitating to come to Canada, too. Statistics Canada reports the number of U.S. residents travelling to Canada by car in March was down 10.6 per cent compared to March 2024, and air travel was only up by 1.2 per cent. 

Lange said people from the U.S. worry Canadians, including British Columbians, are angry at the American people and won't be kind when they visit. 

Even though Canadians may well feel bitter toward the United States, Ross is reminding Canadians how important it is to welcome American tourists who continue to visit B.C.