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Passport rules blamed for drop in U.S. tourists

Fewest Americans in 37 years

By: Carolin Vesely

Posted: 07/28/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

The number of Americans visiting Canada is at a 37-year low and new stricter U.S. passport rules aren't helping, says the president of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

"We're at the lowest level since 1972," says Randy Williams. "We peaked in 2002 at around 40 million visitors a year and now we're down to less than 20 million."

Williams says the drop in visitors, which likely started with the 2003 SARS epidemic, is mainly due to the economic downturn, but new passport rules that took effect June 1 have dealt a blow, especially to the "short-haul drive market."

As of June 1, anyone travelling into the United States -- or Americans returning home via land or sea port -- has been required to produce a passport or other acceptable form of identification, such as a NEXIS card or an enhanced driver's licence.

Surveys indicate about 30 per cent of Americans owned a passport prior to the new regulation, and Williams says there has been little change since the deadline passed. However, according to Passport Canada, 56 per cent of Canadians (45 per cent of Manitobans) are passport holders, a three-per-cent increase since the start of the year.

The percentage of passport holders will always be higher in Canada, Williams says, because of our tendency to head south in winter. "If you live in Minneapolis, you can go to Florida without needing a passport."

Manitoba has seen "significant" declines in American traffic during the past five years, but it's too early to gauge the impact of the passport changes, says Hubert Mesman, president and CEO of Travel Manitoba.

"That's (due to) a combination of a myriad of circumstances, including an increased push in the States to get people to see their own country," Mesman says.

The same number of American tour buses (around 35) are booked for Folklorama as last year, although they have until the end of the week to confirm, says executive director Ron Gauthier.

"We've been working with our bus companies for quite awhile and we don't foresee any problems," he says.

The flow of Americans, especially North Dakotans, coming into Manitoba for fishing, gaming and "general tourism" has slowed, but there's no raw data pointing to a single cause, says Manitoba Chamber of Commerce president Graham Starmer.

"We know in talking to the hotels and the restaurants in town that they're being impacted. That's the anecdotal picture," he says. "But can't tell if it's got anything to do with the economy, the passport issue, or the weather."

The Winnipeg Folk Festival and Fringe Festival, which likely draw American visitors, both recently drew crowds, Manitoba Hotel Association president Jim Baker points out.

"We're not as dependent on American travel as other places," he says, "and most of the seasoned business travellers have passports. "The industry is concerned, but time will correct it."

carolin.vesely@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 28, 2009 A5

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