Hotels have started giving Canadians anti-Trump discounts

'The message? Simple: We see you. We value you,' one Oregon hotel told Canadians.

Apr 28, 2025 - 16:09

Hotels have started giving Canadians anti-Trump discounts

After President Donald Trump spent a large portion of last winter mocking Canada as “the 51st state” and implemented 25% tariffs on goods coming out of the country, Canadians began canceling travel plans en masse in protest.

Local travel agency Flight Centre Travel Group Canada estimated that business travel from Canada fell by 40% in the first months of 2025 while data published by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows that border crossings from Canada to the U.S. dropped by 12.5% in February and 18% in March.

Any concerns on how this would affect the U.S. tourism and hotel industry — the U.S. Travel Association estimates at least $2.1 billion and 140,000 lost jobs — were repeatedly shot down by White House communications and Trump personally, who on April 23 told a reporter that such a reduction “is not a big deal."

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‘We see you, we value you,’ luxury hotel tells Canadians

Hotels evidently feel differently, and some have started responding by specifically marketing to Canadians. The boutique Campfire Hotel in Oregon’s Cascade Mountain Range is giving visitors from the country 20% off any stay they book with them.

“This spring, the hotel is leaning into its independent spirit by launching the Tariff-Free Room Package, offering 20 percent off stays for all Canadian guests,” Campfire Hotel writes in its marketing materials. “The message? Simple: We see you. We value you. This one's for you.”

"We want our Canadian friends to know just how much they mean to us," General Manager Keagan Parks said in a separate statement. "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."

Prior to the tariffs and the start of the current administration, Oregon was a particularly popular destination for Canadians driving south from British Columbia both for shorter getaways and as part of a wider trip down the coast to California.

On a larger level, states with democratic leadership and a progressive population have also been issuing separate statements countering Trump’s antagonism toward Canada.

The Canadian province of Québec registered some of the biggest dropoffs in travel to the U.S.
Image source: Shutterstock

California also tells travelers not to let Trump ruin their vacation

"The Golden State and Canada have always shared so much in common," California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote in a new travel campaign aimed specifically at Canadians at the start of April. "Sure, you-know-who is trying to stir things up back in D.C., but don't let that ruin your vacation plans."

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In the video address, Newsom also refers to California as being "2,000 miles away from Washington and a world away in mindset."

Even so, multiple polls show that Canadian attitudes toward the U.S. have plummeted swiftly under the current administration.

The Canadian government recently put out an advisory telling citizens to "expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including of electronic devices" at U.S. borders. High-profile stories like that of Vancouver resident Jasmine Mooney, who was detained at Otay Mesa detention center in San Diego for 12 days after trying to enter the U.S. from Mexico, have also indefinitely put off many Canadians' vacations to U.S. destinations they once loved.