By MICHAEL BAGINSKI/ Canadian travel to the U.S. may be down, but tourism types from the Big Apple regard the dip simply as a momentary “pause” in long-standing relationship between neighbours and friends that has withstood the test of time, and will withstand current circumstances.
With this in mind, New York City Tourism + Conventions conducted a strategic sales mission to Montreal and Toronto, led by CEO Julie Coker, last week to engage with the travel trade, MICE buyers, key media, and supplier partners, such as Air Canada.
Accompanied by a delegation of nine NYC Tourism member businesses, the mission aimed to strengthen tourism ties and showcase New York City’s latest cultural, sports, and hospitality offerings within the key Canadian markets.
Participating member businesses included the Empire State Building Observatory; Hotel Indigo Lower East Side; Hudson Yards Experiences; Mercer Labs Museum of Art & Technology; MoMA; New York Yankees; Rockefeller Center; The Westin New York at Times Square; and Walker Hotels.
“Canada is an extremely important market to us, and we think it’s important for us to meet face to face,” NYC Tourism’s Britt Hijkoop told members of the media before the sales mission event in Toronto.
Indeed, even during the downturn, Canada remains New York City’s second-largest international market (after the UK), with 840,000 visitors expected in 2026, notably representing a 5% boost over 2025, which itself was down 19% over the year before – a high-water mark that saw nearly a million Canadians (983,000) visit the city.
That wasn’t going to happen last year after Jan. 20 (the inauguration of Donald Trump), said Coker, with “a lot of talk about tariffs and a lot of uncertainty for countries, certainly including Canada,” including border fears and talk by the president of being the 51st state.
But she believes “this year we’re in a different space… and a lot of those things have eased as we’ve moved away from last year.
“The fact that we are (here). We would not have been here last April. So, I think we are making positive strides, and we are reacclimating ourselves to each other and we are forging ahead with relationships – and we’ve heard from a number of Canadian visitors that they are ready to return… So for those reasons we are hopeful… as customer sentiment becomes a reminder of sentiment of what we all loved about New York City and the relationship that we’d had for years.
“This is one moment in time and in my opinion, it shouldn’t define a relationship that we’d built up over years both ways.”
And while Coker hopes to get back to the million mark in Canadian visitations, she admits, “We understand that it isn’t overnight that the relationship arose, and we know that it won’t be overnight that that relationships is rebuilt.
“It’s a moment in time – it’s a bad moment in time, but we’ve had disruptions over the years (like 9/11 and COVID) that we didn’t think we’d come out of, but here we are and you need to take lessons learned… So, I’m hopeful that we’ll will get beyond this moment.
“And, she adds, “the feeling amongst New Yorkers is still the same. We know the relationship we have.”
In the meantime, Coker maintains that ever-changing New York hasn’t changed in its most important aspects.
“All the things your customers love are still there, a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge is still a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, a slice of pizza at 2 a.m. in Times Square – shame on you for being there!” she laughs. “New York is always going to deliver – and we have more in experiences in a 24- to 36-hour period I daresay than any other city.”
Britt Hijkoop and Julie Coker, of New York City Tourism + Conventions, with Kirk D’Souza, Reach Global Marketing
All while acknowledging that cost/exchange rates are also a factor for Canadians, she points to shoulder season travel, or just after Christmas/New Year’s, and incentives such as Broadway, Hotel and Restaurant weeks to help visitors get their best bang for the buck.
“There’s something for everyone at different price points,” she says.
Costs – reflecting demand – may prove a little higher during the FIFA World Cup tournament in June and July, with the city also hosting the final on July 19, but Coker points out there will be an incredible vibe in the city and free events for fans across the five boroughs.
Sports, in fact, along with other live events, such as theatre and concerts, is trending up as a travel motivator for Canadians, she points out.
Here are some other Canadian traveller facts according to recent NYC Tourism research:
- 2025: 796,000 visitors (19% decline from 2024)
- 2006: 840,000 forecast (+5%); spend $1,000 per trip
- Country ranking: 2, after U.K.
- Demographic: Compared to other markets, Canadians are more likely to travel with children (42%) and stay in hotels; average age 42; booking window 49 days; and likely to book through the travel trade
- Favourite months: March-May
- Biz or leisure: 96% leisure (including 19% VFR), 4% business
- Top activities: Sightseeing (31%), shopping (27%), food (18%), art museums/galleries (18%), theatre (15%), state park (15%), history (14%)
With so much data available, Coker says travel advisors shouldn’t forget to use NYC Tourism as a resource.
“We can help them with questions, whether it’s about which borough I should visit, or I’m bringing a family, or first-time visitors. We have access, obviously, to all that information, so use us as your partner.
“New York City continues to reinvent itself, so there’s always something new to do, whether (advisors) are working with groups, or travellers that have been to NYC before, there are a number of new options and experiences that they should take advantage of.”
Coker addressed the recently announced discontinuation of flights to JFK airport, stating that she had a very “positive” meeting with the airline during her visit.
“They’ve made a pause on those flights… primarily because of the construction that’s happening around JFK and it’s a temporary pause for them from June to October. But I think what’s most important is that are still 34 (Air Canada) flights into New York City (LaGuardia and Newark) and the capacity between our two countries is still very strong.
“(Canada and New York) have such a long-standing, effective, progressive relationship, so we see this as a pause right now and we want Canadian travellers to know that when they are ready to come back to New York City, we are ready to welcome them with open arms.”
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