U.S. ski towns hope holiday season marks turnaround after slump in Canadian visitors
CBC
American ski towns bracing for a steep decline in Canadian tourism are still hoping they can coax their northern neighbours back this holiday season.
Ultimately, the decision to travel south might hinge 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, Montana's Whitefish Mountain Resort — about an hour south of the border with southeast B.C. — was quiet after a rainy start to the week.
Still, public relations manager Chad Sokol was optimistic numbers would ramp up by Christmas, historically one of the resort's busiest times of year.
"It's all hands on deck," Sokol said. "We did see a drop in Canadian visitation over the past year or so in the city of Whitefish … so we're interested to see where things go from here."
Canadian licence plates are typically a common sight in Flathead County, which includes the ski towns of Whitefish and nearby Kalispell.
Canadians visit in winter to ski, in summer to boat, and at all times of year to shop or to replace their aging knees, said Diane Medler, executive director of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.
But from January through September, border crossings plummeted and Canadian credit card spending in the region declined by 39 per cent, Medler said.
"It's disappointing and sad," said Medler, though she said she understands why many Canadians have chosen not to visit.
Canadian travel to the U.S. has been down since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, sparked a trade war and started spitballing about Canada becoming the 51st state.
Beyond political sentiment, the region has other factors working against it as a tourism hotspot. The weak Canadian dollar makes a trip down south a pricier proposition, and the December ski season in Whitefish has been marked by rain, not snow.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Rockies have been blanketed with early season powder and business is booming.
SkiBig3, which sells tickets and vacation packages to resorts in Banff and Lake Louise, said it's had 11 powder days since November and is seeing huge spikes in ticket sales from both local and international visitors.
Canadian sales are up 10 per cent, sales in the U.S. are up nine per cent, while sales from visitors in the U.K. and Australia are up 20 and 25 per cent, respectively.
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