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Montreal’s tourism industry overcame a period of early-season uncertainty in 2025 to welcome 11.8 million visitors, a 7.3 per cent increase over the previous year.
That’s according to a year-end report from Tourisme Montréal that shows the recovery was led by a 10 per cent surge in domestic travel.
“The first six months were a bit tough due to the geopolitical situation,” said Yves Lalumière, president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.
“We climbed back and we finished with plus seven per cent visitors in the city so we’re quite happy with that.”
Visitors from Atlantic Canada were particularly active, with that market growing by 17 per cent.
The surprise came from domestic tourism, in particular from Maritime provinces, Lalumière said. There has been an increased outreach effort to attract Canadians from outside of Quebec in recent years, he added.
Lalumière said an advertising campaign generated 15 million views, and the Tourisme Montréal website saw a nearly 15 per cent spike in traffic.
“What you can see is a strong appetite for the destination,” he said. “This is due to continued investment in marketing campaigns.”
U.S. visits down, visits from France up
While U.S. visits dipped five per cent over the year, overseas markets grew by two per cent, led by a record-breaking 470,000 visitors from France, the report says.
Total tourism spending held steady at $5.8 billion, with food and accommodation accounting for nearly three-quarters of all revenue.
The city also saw hotel capacity grow by four per cent, helping accommodate more than 90 days where occupancy rates topped 80 per cent, the report says.
Tourisme Montréal noted a significant shift in traveller behaviour, as the average booking window dropped to 50 days from the traditional 90.
Tourisme Montréal says it is looking toward a busy 2026, highlighted by the UCI Road World Championships in September and the Formula 1 Grand Prix, which has been moved to May.
Canadian travel to U.S. declines
As far as Canadians going to the United States, nearby travel destinations like Vermont saw a sharp decline in 2025, with data from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development showing that visitor intent has plummeted compared to previous years.
According to the agency’s latest insights, only 13.3 per cent of Canadians reported being likely to visit the U.S. in November 2025, a significant drop from the 24 per cent average maintained throughout 2024.
The downturn is further reflected in border crossing volumes. Passenger crossings into Vermont via land ports of entry fell by nearly 30 per cent through the first 11 months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
Canadian cardholders continue to show a significant decrease in spending in the U.S. as compared to last year. In November 2025, Canadian spending was down 44 per cent compared to the same time last year.
Tourism is Vermont’s premier economic driver, and the media there has been reporting significant concerns over the plummeting Canadian tourism, largely related to tensions between the two countries in the wake of President Donald Trump’s 51st state threats and aggressive tariffs.
However, reduced spending in the U.S. may not be solely due to Trump’s rhetoric. Domestic spending has been down overall and the loonie has remained generally weak to the U.S. dollar throughout the year.
Nationally, Statistics Canada data shows Canadian resident return trips from the United States by automobile declined 28 per cent to 1.5 million in November 2025. Of these arrivals, 68 per cent were same-day trips.
Overall, Canadian residents returned from 3.3 million trips abroad in November, down 14.4 per cent compared with November 2024.