Maine could see a 25% drop in Canadian tourists this year because of economic insecurity, the prospect of higher prices driven by new tariffs and lingering animosity over President Donald Trump’s talk of annexing their country, the state’s top tourism official said Friday.
In a typical year, about 900,000 Canadians vacation in Maine, supporting local economies in beach communities like Old Orchard Beach, said Carolan Ouellette, director of the Maine Office of Tourism. But she expects to see 225,000 fewer visitors this year because of federal policy changes and political rhetoric that have upended relations with Maine’s northern neighbor and most important trading partner.
That drop is likely to be part of a larger decline in international visitors more broadly. Ouellette had expected an 8.8% increase in international visitation, but now she expects it to drop by about 9.5%.
Canadians account for about 5% of Maine’s overall tourist visits, …