Will Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods entering the U.S. affect tourism at home, tarnishing ties Canadians and Americans have shared for decades? It’s a fair question to ask.

While Canadians have reputations for being polite, a Leger poll just last month found that 27 per cent of Canadians perceive the U.S. as an “enemy” nation. This has caused some worry for one would-be traveller, who took to Reddit to ask: “Are people in Canada still generally welcoming to Americans?”

The American Redditor, Julie, who did not want her real name used for privacy reasons, has an upcoming trip to Vancouver planned for the spring. In light of the political climate — U.S. President Donald Trump constantly antagonizing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by referring to him as the “governor” of the “51st state,” tariffs that undo decades of policy and neighbourly friendliness — Julie wondered if Canadians’ current feelings about American leadership would make for a welcome that would be frostier than our winters.

“I wasn’t nervous that anyone would be violent or cruel,” she tells Yahoo Canada. “I didn’t want to be anywhere that I wasn’t wanted, in light of everything that my country is imposing.”

Aftermath of tariffs and threats: Canadian patriotism on the rise

In the lead-up to Trump’s tariff announcements earlier this year, the threat alone of the extra duties led more Canadians — 58 per cent — to say they felt “proud” or “very proud” to be Canadian. Even in Quebec!

Across the country, the sentiment is being felt and acted upon in subtle — a coffee shop in B.C. changed the name of their Americano to “Canadiano” — and less-subtle ways, like American liquor brands being taken off shelves in some stores, and Canadian fans booing the American national anthem in hockey arenas. Canadian shoppers are even vowing to boycott U.S. products at the grocery store, instead focusing on buying local and made in Canada goods.

But that soft hostility doesn’t appear to be making much of an impact on American travellers coming to Canada so far this year.

The most current numbers from Statistics Canada show a spike in numbers actually. In January, there were 217,700 Americans who travelled to Canada by air, up 10.2 per cent from a year earlier. As well, 707,000 Americans drove across the border to Canada in January 2025, up 23.3 per cent from a year earlier.

Experts: U.S. news coverage of Canada can be educational, boon for tourism

Wayne Smith is the director of the Institute for Hospitality & Tourism Research. He thinks there’s potential to see more American tourists as a result of the trade wars.

“Where you’ll lose from some, you’ll gain on a whole segment of the population because the U.S. is so divided,” he says.

Additionally, having so much Canadian coverage on U.S. channels will only help educate Americans on Canada’s dollar.

“I think you might see some net gains coming,” he says. “People knowing about exchange rates and knowing about what’s here, most of the time Canada isn’t even mentioned down there. So it’s hard to be chosen (as a destination to visit) if you’re not thought of.”

Sui Sui is a professor of global management studies at the Ted Rogers School of Management with Toronto Metropolitan University. She says when it comes to American visitors, Canadians shouldn’t write them off as a result of the chilly political temperature.

“We’re integrated enough, we should still welcome U.S. travellers, tourism and business,” she says. “The only way to change the situation is to work with the U.S., either as consumers or business partners. You have to work with them to solve this situation.”

“We can have counter tariffs and all that, but we’re still being polite, we’re still welcoming their business. This relationship doesn’t change,” she continues.

Canadians react: ‘Majority of us know you are not to blame …’

The majority of respondents to Julie’s Reddit post were friendly and helpful, reassuring her that she had nothing to worry about.

“I can’t speak for every Canadian, but the majority of us know you are not to blame for what your president is doing,” DebiDoll65 wrote. “You are more than welcome to visit Canada.”

Most of the responses to her post helped reassure Julie.

“Lots of people gave me great tips, where to go, what to eat,” she says. “People were incredibly welcoming.”

The one thing that was brought to her attention, which she thought would be obvious, relates to currencies.

“Responses were asking, telling or reminding me not to pay with U.S. dollars,” she says. “I was so embarrassed as an American that so many people from my country were doing that. It’s such bad manners.”