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
