In 2023, international visitors spent approximately $1.4 billion in Michigan. That number could nosedive in 2025 and in the years to come, as shifts in federal foreign policy strain international relations and slow across-the-border tourism. Experts say the impact is especially likely to affect Michigan, given its proximity to Canada. But will Traverse City and its tourism-dependent economy feel the effects?
Late last month, Bridge Michigan reported that border crossings from Canada into Michigan had “declined sharply since Trump took office,” dipping “more than 10 percent from this time last year.” The drop in Canadian visitors follows calls from former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his citizens to stop…
