The number of travelers crossing the Canadian border into Maine declined in March by 26% compared to the same month last year, furthering a dip that began with President Donald Trump's tariffs and threats of annexation.
The data on border crossings into Maine comes from monthly U.S. Customs and Border Protection reports. In February, when the president first announced his tariffs against Canada and goals of annexing the country, there was a 15% decline from the previous year.
The March data show an even steeper drop-off — about 60,000 fewer people coming through Maine border crossings.
The figure is part of an overall drop at all northern border crossings of 900,000 travelers nationwide.
State officials have warned that Canadian visitors are a small but important part of the state's tourism economy.
Speaking at the Governor's Conference on Tourism in Bangor today Gov. Janet Mills highlighted the resilience of the state's tourism industry during the pandemic and in the face of economic uncertainty.
She said Maine's economy continues to grow, with 15 million people visiting the state last year. But with 5% of those visitors coming from Canada, Mills said Maine can't afford to let Canadian visitors feel unwelcome.
"On the eve of another summer tourism season, we're once again facing a great economic uncertainty," she said. "This time the uncertainty is not being driven by a pandemic but by harmful rhetoric and painful tariffs imposed by the federal government."
Mills said Maine might lose 225,000 Canadian tourists this year, due to tensions created by the federal government.
"That's hundreds of thousands fewer people staying in our hotels, our B&Bs, fewer people making reservations at restaurants, shopping at our small businesses, buying souvenirs and products that we retail here in Maine," she said.
Although some have suggested that Maine can make up the difference by attracting more tourists from within the U.S., Mills warned that other states will be competing for those same visitors.
Mills said she is committed to working with Canadian leaders to preserve travel across the border, encourage tourism and promote each country's economic advantages.
