≡-Florida Joins California, New York, Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas as US Tourism Giants Face a Turbulent Start to 2025, Cracking Under a Storm of Fading Travel, Canadian Backlash, Trump Tariffs, Airline Cuts, and More – Viral of Today

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Home » AIRLINE NEWS » Airline News of US » Florida Joins California, New York, Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas as US Tourism Giants Face a Turbulent Start to 2025, Cracking Under a Storm of Fading Travel, Canadian Backlash, Trump Tariffs, Airline Cuts, and More Thursday, June 26, 2025Florida has joined California, New York, Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas in facing a turbulent start to 2025 as America’s top tourism giants crack under the combined pressure of fading international travel, a sharp Canadian backlash, Trump-era tariffs, widespread airline route cuts, and plummeting visitor numbers. Once considered untouchable destinations for global travelers, these states are now grappling with a sudden wave of flight cancellations, route reductions, and diplomatic tensions that are reshaping the international tourism landscape. From Canadian travelers abandoning trips to Florida, to major airlines cutting connections to New York, Las Vegas, Honolulu, and Dallas, the warning signs are no longer subtle — America’s tourism pillars are weathering a storm with no easy fix in sight.Florida’s Visitor Surge Stalls OutFlorida, long hailed as a magnet for Canadian snowbirds and European sun-seekers, entered 2025 with flat tourism growth in the first quarter. According to Visit Florida, the state welcomed 41.193 million visitors between January and March — a number nearly identical to Q1 2024. But scratch beneath the surface, and the cracks become clear: international tourism took a visible hit.Canadian arrivals dropped to 1.227 million — a 3.4% fall from the 1.269 million who came during the same period last year. Overseas visitors also edged down slightly, from 2.13 million to 2.114 million.While domestic travelers — accounting for 92% of total visits — continued to prop up Florida’s numbers, the international segment, which drives higher spending and longer stays, clearly lost ground.Trump Tariffs and Canadian Retaliation Spark PullbackFueling the decline is a diplomatic rift that’s spilled over into travel behavior. President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Canada and the imposition of fresh tariffs have triggered a backlash among Canadians, many of whom are rethinking their U.S. travel plans.Preliminary April data from Statistics Canada showed that just 1.2 million Canadians returned home by car from the U.S. — a 35.2% year-over-year drop, marking the fourth straight month of decline. Air travel also took a hit, with a 19.9% drop in return flights compared to April 2024.Even before those April figures, there were signs that the fallout was impacting major tourism states. Airlines began cutting or downgrading routes between Canada and key U.S. cities, including Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Larger jets such as the Airbus A320 were replaced with smaller regional aircraft on routes between Toronto, Montreal, and Fort Lauderdale — a move that signals reduced demand.California, New York, and the Broader U.S. DownturnFlorida isn’t alone in feeling the squeeze. California, the country’s most visited state by overseas travelers, is expected to see a 9% drop in international arrivals this year, according to state tourism projections. New York City — another global magnet — lost around 800,000 international visitors in Q1 2025, which translated into a spending loss of roughly $4 billion.The broader picture isn’t any rosier. Nationwide, international travel to the U.S. fell by 3.3% in Q1, with a steep 11.6% drop recorded in March alone. That March dip included a 31.9% decline in Canadian land arrivals, a 13.5% fall in Canadian air arrivals, and similar double-digit declines from key markets like Germany (–28%), the UK (–18%), Spain (–25%), and Australia (–7%).Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas Also Feel the ChillTourism-heavy states like Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas are also contending with the downturn.In Hawaii, recovery from the 2023 Lahaina wildfires has been slower than expected, and high travel costs are compounding the issue. International visitor numbers remain well below pre-pandemic levels.Nevada, driven largely by Las Vegas tourism, saw a 7.8% decline in visitor arrivals early in 2025. Canadian and European traffic softened, with local businesses reporting thinner foot traffic on the Strip.Meanwhile, Texas, a state with increasing appeal to Mexican and South American tourists, is now facing an uneven recovery. Reduced airline capacity and changing visa perceptions are limiting inbound momentum.The Cost of a Cracked FoundationThe economic consequences are stacking up. According to Tourism Economics, the U.S. could lose between $8.5 billion and $12.5 billion in international tourism revenue in 2025 if current trends persist. That would not only impact airlines and hotels, but also restaurants, attractions, and small businesses that depend on global foot traffic.State governments, too, are feeling the pinch. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently proposed shifting the tax burden away from property owners and toward tourists, especially Canadians and Brazilians, through targeted sales tax adjustments. Ironically, the very visitors meant to plug Florida’s budget gaps are now retreating.America’s Welcome Mat Looks WornAt the heart of the issue is perception. With political rhetoric heating up, airline routes being slashed, and retaliatory sentiment rising in foreign markets, America’s once-irresistible draw is weakening — especially among international travelers who feel unwelcome or overcharged.And while domestic travel remains robust for now, international visitors typically spend more than double what U.S. travelers do. Losing millions of them won’t just leave empty hotel rooms — it could reshape the economy of entire states.Airlines Slash International and Domestic Flights in Key Travel StatesStateMajor Airline Route CutsFloridaVancouver–Tampa (Air Canada); Fort Lauderdale to Belo Horizonte, Manaus, Curaçao (Azul); Silver Airways halts all operationsCaliforniaOver 20 Canada–California routes cut (Air Canada, WestJet, Porter, Flair); Avelo drops Santa Rosa domestic routesNew YorkCalgary–New York routes cut (Canadian carriers); JetBlue slashes JFK routes to Miami, Austin, Houston; American suspends 6 transatlantic routes from JFK/NewarkHawaiiJetstar ends Sydney–Honolulu service in October 2025NevadaCalgary–Las Vegas and other Canadian routes dropped; Air Canada cuts Las Vegas capacity by 10%TexasCanadian carriers cancel routes to Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio; American ends Dallas–Frankfurt flightsFlorida joins California, New York, Hawaii, Nevada, and Texas as US tourism giants face a turbulent start to 2025, with international travel crumbling under Canadian backlash, Trump-era tariffs, and widespread airline route cuts. These mounting pressures are now shaking the foundation of the US travel economy.Looking Ahead: Can Tourism Rebound?To reverse course, U.S. tourism giants may need more than sunshine and slogans. Restoring international trust, easing visa constraints, and rebuilding air routes will be key. But if early 2025 is any indication, the road ahead may be longer and bumpier than many expected.Florida has now officially joined the ranks of states facing a harsh new travel reality — and it’s no longer an isolated storm. It’s a nationwide weather system reshaping the very foundation of American tourism.Tags: Airline News, California, Canada, florida, hawaii, Nevada, New York, Texas, Tourism news, travel industry, Travel News, trump, US

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