Nashville sees a drop in visitors from Canada
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Nashville is already seeing a decrease in Canadian travelers after President Trump imposed large tariffs and suggested making our northern neighbor the 51st state.
Why it matters: Canada is the top international market for Nashville. Tourism leaders have invested heavily over the last decade in hopes of attracting more foreign travelers.
By the numbers: According to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp.'s estimate of 2024 data, international travel accounted for 3% of total visitors.
- Roughly half of all international visitors were from Canada, according to the CVC.
State of play: On the heels of Trump's anti-Canada policies, Canadian patriotism is skyrocketing alongside disdain for all things American throughout the Great White North.
Driving the news: Advance bookings for Canada-U.S. flights in April-September are down over 70% compared to this time last year, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick reported, citing aviation data firm OAG.
- "This sharp drop suggests that travelers are holding off on making reservations, likely due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the broader trade dispute," writes OAG chief analyst John Grant.
- CVC president and CEO Deana Ivey also confirms to Axios that there's been a drop in visitors from Canada.
What she's saying: The CVC didn't share specific data on lost travel from Canada, and Ivey says it's "too early to tell the direct impact this will have on Nashville's tourism over the coming months."
- "Tourism is a cyclical business and because of that we constantly monitor and remain flexible to adjust to changing market conditions," she tells Axios.
- The CVC appreciates how much "our Canadian guests support Nashville's local businesses," Ivey says. She adds that new and existing direct international flights provide a great volume of visitors and serve as hubs for "dozens of feeder international markets."
The other side: The CVC expects the direct flights to "mitigate the anticipated decline from Canada" and keep the city's overall international travel numbers strong.
Threat level: A mere 10% drop in Canadian visitors could cost U.S. businesses as much as $2.1 billion in revenue, according to The Points Guy.