Increasing tensions between the U.S. and Canada, fueled by President Donald Trump’s tariffs, have contributed to a decline in Canadian tourist visits.
The impact is visible on the wine industry.
“We’ve seen a change in travel behavior from consumers in the Canadian market towards the state of Washington,” said Martin Fujishin, director of College Cellars and the Enology and Viticulture Program at Walla Walla Community College.
A change under the Trump administration
In 2025, Canadian provinces began removing U.S. wines from store shelves in retaliation for U.S. tariffs placed on Canadian goods.
Tariffs are taxes imposed by a government on goods and services imported from other countries.
The most recent round of tariffs was imposed on Canadian imports Saturday, Aug. 22, after trade negotiations between the two countries fell through.
American importers could now be paying tariffs of 50% on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, ranging from alcohol to agricultural products.
In July, Trump imposed tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners, accounting for 99% of U.S. imports.
Impact
Trump’s desire to annex Canada and disruptions in trade relations between the two countries are linked to the tourism decline.
“Canadians are frustrated with America right now,” said Kyle Pottorff, one of the owners of The Thief Fine Wine and Beer, a retail shop in Walla Walla.
According to the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee-Minority, passenger vehicle border crossings from Canada in Washington dropped by more than 24% in 2025 compared with 2024.
From January to October 2025, the number of border crossings nationwide declined by nearly 20%.
What does this mean for
Walla Walla wine?
The wine industry is bearing the cost of the decline in tourism, on top of the tariffs.
Taxes on imported goods, along with retaliatory actions taken by countries like Canada, have increased manufacturing costs for Walla Walla’s wineries and cut off access to many foreign markets for local shops.
The costs are passed along to customers through increased wine prices.
Ryan Pennington, chief operating officer at the local winery L’Ecole No. 41, said Walla Walla has historically had a good number of Canadian tourists, especially from British Columbia and Alberta, the two provinces closest to Washington.
“But we’re not seeing much of any Canadian tourism currently,” he said.
The primary reason for the decline, he said, is “unfortunate rhetoric around trade negotiations and the negative sentiment on both sides being fostered by that rhetoric.”
At the Thief, Pottorff has also seen a decrease in the number of tourists visiting the shop.
“I haven’t had many conversations with people in town from Canada,” he said.
Prior to the tariffs, he said, Canadian tourists visiting Walla Walla purchased wines and spirits they couldn’t find back home.
Looking ahead
Fujishin said tourism from Canadian is crucial because a decline affects more than just the wine industry, extending to the overall economy.
“Those tourists are also spending dollars on hotels, restaurants, tasting fees and buying fuel,” he said.
Canadian tourism in 2024 contributed $20.5 billion to the U.S. economy and supported 140,000 American jobs, according to the Joint Economic Committee report.
“Hopefully we (U.S. and Canada) can get back to a very positive and productive relationship,” Pennington said.
