A growing number of Canadian tourists are opting for Mexican vacations over traveling to the United States, drawn by smoother entry, fewer visa hurdles, and more welcoming border policies.
Mexico’s world-renowned beaches and archeological sites have long made it a top global destination, but this year, Canadian arrivals are rising sharply. The shift appears fueled not only by Mexico’s appeal, but also by mounting frustrations with U.S. travel, ranging from visa restrictions and long border wait times to increasingly frosty rhetoric from Washington.
"At this moment, tensions are a little elevated between the US and Canada. Also, to my dollar, the Canadian dollar isn't maybe as strong. So, I decided to come down. I have never been to Mexico City. So, I decided to come to Mexico City, have a little bit of cosmopolitan, have a bit of a cheaper price point and just experience it," said Catherine Veenstra, a Canadian tourist.
"Definitely, I love going to the U.S., but given the situation and how things are, it was a perfect opportunity to come to Mexico. It's not that far away. We can still afford to. Our dollar goes far here, I find," said Lynn O'Connor, another Canadian tourist.
Mexican tourism officials and Canadian travelers themselves also attribute the tendency to visiting Mexico not only to the country's more open border policies but also to the warm reception Canadians receive there.
"According to our statistics on platforms, such as Trip Advisor, AirBnB, Get Your Guide, which are platforms dedicated to tracking tourism --- yes, there has been an increase lately of Canadian visitors to our country," said Jaime Morales, a Mexico City tourism guide.
Mexico sees surge in Canadian tourists amid US travel frustrations
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
