Canadians snub US Disney parks for Paris in Trump travel boycott

Canadians are increasingly looking across the Atlantic for their dose of Disney magic, as a notable decline in foreign visitors to the United States persists despite robust global travel trends.

Travel agencies specialising in Disney holidays and other trips are observing a commitment among Canadians to boycott travel to the US.

According to travel agents, President Donald Trump's ongoing trade disputes, his controversial suggestion to acquire Greenland, and intensified immigration enforcement efforts have collectively rendered the US a less appealing destination.

Figures from the US Commerce Department's National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) reveal a 5.4 per cent decline in total foreign travel to the United States through November 2025.

This downturn was driven by a four million reduction in Canadian visitors, marking a 22 per cent drop compared to the previous year.

Christine Fiorelli, the owner of Canadian travel agency Fairytale Dreams & Destinations, said she has seen a 30 per cent shift in clients who normally book a US Disney vacation, as they are now turning to places like Disneyland Paris.

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"Many travellers are still eager for that magical Disney experience but prefer to avoid supporting US-based parks at this time," said Ms Fiorelli.

“It still holds a place in their heart, but not now."

Walt Disney CFO Hugh Johnston said on the company's latest earnings call that it had less visibility into international bookings for the second quarter, and has shifted its marketing and sales efforts to domestic travelers.

Disney did not respond to an additional request for comment.

"We're huge Disney lovers, but given the current political climate, we're not traveling to anywhere in the US," said Catherine Norris, 57, from the Toronto area, who has visited Disney World with her family every year since 2008.

She and her husband have booked a Disney vacation in Europe and back-to-back Disney cruises departing from Singapore instead.

"It will probably be at least five to 10 years before we will travel to the US again," she said.

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In 2024, Canada was the top market for visitors to Orlando, home of Walt Disney World, with a record 1.2 million visitors, according to Visit Orlando, the city's destination marketing firm. Visit Orlando has not released 2025 figures.

The outlook could shift, however, with the World Cup soccer tournament set to start in June.

“President Trump has done more for American tourism than anyone," said Anna Kelly, White House deputy press secretary.

"His America First agenda has restored our country’s place as the leader of the free world once again – making it the best place to live or visit.”

However, the World Travel and Tourism Council estimates a 6 per cent drop in foreign visitors to the United States in 2025, even as global tourism rose 6.7 per cent.

The hit to travel is also affecting US national parks, according to travel agencies.

Australia-based Intrepid Travel, which offers over 300 US national park tours, said bookings are down 42 per cent for 2026, particularly from Canada, UK, and Australia, with Canada bookings plunging 93 per cent.

UK-based luxury travel agency Cazenove+Loyd said they scrapped plans for tailor-made itineraries centered around parks in states like Montana, Washington and California.

"It might not be quite the time to launch something that is dedicated to the States," said Christopher Wilmot-Sitwell, co-owner.

Hotel operator Hilton Worldwide's full-year results showed per-room revenue and occupancy rates fell in the United States in 2025 despite rising in every other region. At a conference in January, Marriott International CEO said the company was working to convince government officials to be more welcoming to international visitors, according to a report by CoStar, a hotel analytics firm.

Bookings by Europeans to the U.S. between 7 October and 31 January were down 14 per cent year-over-year, according to flight analytics data firm Cirium, while bookings from Canada fell 17 per cent in the same period.

The White House's recent proposal to require millions of travelers to submit social media data has added to the uncertainty, travel agents said.

The US Travel Association, an industry group, warned this could cause millions of vacationers to go elsewhere, as the administration's immigration enforcement efforts have led to a perception that it's harder to travel to the United States, said Erik Hansen, the group's head of government relations.

"When you look at the data, the number of phone searches by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the number of denied entries has not gone up compared to previous administrations," he said.