Minnesota courts Canadian travelers as U.S. visits drop
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Gov. Tim Walz is reminding Canadian travelers the state is open for business amid a sharp drop in visitors from north of the border.
The big picture: Canadians have been avoiding the U.S. amid tensions between their government and the Trump administration.
By the numbers: Year-to-date, 28% fewer Canadian residents have crossed the U.S. border by car than by this point in 2024.
Zoom in: While those figures from Canada's government span the whole border, U.S. government data show crossings at Minnesota's border stations are down by similar amounts.
- After a post-pandemic rebound in international ground travel, Minnesota's Canadian border posts saw marked year-over-year declines in crossings in each of the first five months of 2025.
Yes, but: "Minnesota is ready for you!" Explore Minnesota executive director Lauren Bennett McGinty wrote in a joint statement with Walz.
- The state's tourism agency continues to advertise on broadcast and digital platforms in Winnipeg and Thunder Bay, the statement read.