With the specter of tariffs on Canadian imports still looming, tourism promoters in Maine are worried about the impacts a trade war could have on the industry.
HospitalityMaine Executive Director Becky Jacobson said Maine relies heavily on Canadian visitors, especially in towns on the border.
"There's a very symbiotic relationship," she said. "There are family members on both sides of the border. They're used to coming and going, and we would only encourage anything that fosters that relationship and encourages it."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has encouraged Canadians to buy Canadian products and to not vacation in the United States. And some readers told the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail that they are changing travel plans to avoid the U.S.
Jacobson said Canadian tourism is very important in Maine, especially as the industry hasn't fully recovered from the pandemic.
"Nobody knows exactly how this latest round of tariffs and not tariffs, and whether there will be tariffs that will affect everybody," she said.
Jacobson said the tariffs add another layer of unpredictability to the challenges the industry has faced in recent years.
