Fred Kennedy likes to stay in touch with past guests of the Alouette Beach Resort, a landmark hotel on Old Orchard Beach.
He sends out occasional newsletters, hoping the email reminder will inspire return visits. And each year it’s a good bet that some of the returning guests will come from Quebec and New Brunswick, Canada, as they have for decades.
However, the last newsletter didn’t land well with some of his Canadian patrons, including a few who said they were unhappy with President Donald Trump’s threat to levy 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, as well as his insulting statements about their country and its leaders.
“We heard back from two or three who said it would impact their decision to come down this year,” Kennedy said. “We haven’t had any cancellations yet, but it’s certainly not great for business.”
Kennedy, who owns two additional hotels in Old Orchard Beach, is among thousands of …