As a coalition of North American tourism associations committed to open borders, accessibility and safety, we recognize the tourism industry’s pivotal role in fostering vital economic stability & growth, cultural exchange, and environmental stewardship. As we move into 2025, the industry faces a dynamic landscape of challenges and opportunities that call for innovative solutions and unified action.
Current government trade and border crossing policies are creating an environment of instability in the travel sector, which is creating many hurdles. These challenges threaten not only the financial health of countless businesses but also the livelihoods of millions of workers who rely on a thriving tourism industry. Indigenous communities, which are increasingly benefiting from a growing demand for authentic cultural experiences, also face heightened risks as economic pressures mount.
Nowhere is this pressure greater than between Canada and the United States. Each country counts the other as its most significant trading and travel partner – with the recent declines impacting businesses and communities on both sides of the border. This is especially true throughout Indigenous communities who remain connected through kinship and culture regardless of borders. The importance of sharing culture and place remains strong through Indigenous lands and people, who have also created an important Indigenous cultural tourism economy which is now facing negative impacts.