N.L.'s tourism industry confident it can weather trade war, capitalize on summer travel

Alex Kennedy · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 13, 2025 10:51 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Despite economical threats from the United States, the tourism manufacture in Newfoundland and Labrador manufacture says it's remaining optimistic for the summertime ahead.

Some travellers are reconsidering plans to caput southbound of the borderline arsenic a effect of actions by U.S. President Donald Trump. Data released by Statistics Canada shows the fig of instrumentality trips among Canadians from the U.S. declined importantly successful February — down 23 per cent by car and 2.4 per cent by level compared to past year.

Deborah Bourden, the outgoing seat of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, says she hopes people choose this state instead.

Bourden said information taken wrong the 18 months shows that arsenic galore arsenic 2.4 cardinal radical spot Newfoundland and Labrador arsenic a bucket database destination.

"Everything astir Newfoundland and Labrador ticks someone's box," Bourden told CBC News Wednesday.

"If Newfoundland and Labrador has been connected their database for immoderate magnitude of time, it conscionable roseate close up that list. And truthful we deliberation that we're going to person a very, precise bully 2025 season."

But Bourden says the province's tourism assemblage inactive faces challenges, specifically astir entree to the province.

Gudie Hutchings, the MP for Long Range Mountains, says the national authorities understands that issue. As a result, Hutchings announced up to $6 cardinal successful backing implicit 3 years connected Wednesday for hose carriers to research routes successful Atlantic Canada.

"The extremity is to get much seats into these smaller areas," Hutchings said.

But there's inactive different challenges beyond that.

Bourden points to things similar hotel and rental cars availability  — particularly with the Canada Games coming to St. John's successful August — but says she's assured inventory volition beryllium successful spot fixed increases from suppliers.

In an emailed connection to CBC News, the Department of Tourism said it's besides assured the tourism manufacture tin upwind troubling economical times.

"With much Canadians reconsidering trips to the United States, Newfoundland and Labrador stands to payment from accrued home travel, offering section tourism operators a accidental to pat into this increasing marketplace and showcase the quality and hospitality of our province," the connection said.

Meanwhile, others successful the manufacture privation to guarantee support is a precedence this summer.

Todd Perrin, a St. John's restaurateur and incoming Hospitality N.L. committee vice-chair, told CBC News helium wants the manufacture to beryllium treated similar different renewable resources that bring successful caller money.

Tourism spending by residents and non-residents reached a grounds $1.4 cardinal successful 2023, according to the Department of Tourism.

"Relative to the different industries that we have, it has greater imaginable than astir anything, and I don't deliberation it gets recognized successful that way," Perrin said.

"Most of the bars and restaurants successful Newfoundland and Labrador would not beryllium without tourism. We person a constricted colonisation here, and demographics bash not lend toward dining retired and going to restaurants and bars and each that benignant of stuff."

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