California Governor Gavin Newsom has a message for Canadian travelers: Don¡¯t let ¡°you-know-who¡± in Washington D.C. disrupt your plans to vacation in the Golden State.

The ¡°you-know-who¡± in this case, is of course President Donald Trump. And Newsom is doing his best to distance the state from the president as Canadian visitation declines.

¡°California is 2,000 miles away¡± from Washington D.C. and ¡°a world away in mindset,¡± Newsom stresses in a newly released marketing video for California that was posted on X, the platform long known as Twitter.

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Since coming to office in January, Trump¡¯s policies and rhetoric have increasingly alienated Canadian travelers. That has included Trump repeatedly referring to Canada as "the 51st state,¡± along with rolling out tariffs that will negatively impact the Canadian economy, a historic U.S. ally.

In response, Canadians are canceling vacation plans to the U.S. and opting to travel elsewhere, along with visitors from many other countries who have been put off or downright rattled by the Trump Administration policies, and high profile border detentions.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has urged his country¡¯s citizens to spend domestically instead, stating:

¡°Now is the time to choose Canada...It might mean changing your summer vacation plans to stay here in Canada and explore the many national and provincial parks, historical sites and tourist destinations our great country has to offer.¡±

Meanwhile, it has been widely reported that the travel agency Flight Centre Travel Group Canada recorded a 40 percent decrease in leisure bookings to the U.S. in February compared to one year earlier. On top of that, the company¡¯s leisure brand experienced a 20 percent cancellation rate for U.S. trips, with many of those trips rebooked elsewhere, including destinations such as Mexico or the Caribbean.

Canada is the top source of international visitors to the United States. In 2024 alone, it was the source of 20.4 million visits, which generated $20.5 billion in spending for the United States. Those visitors also supported 140,000 American jobs.

A 10 percent reduction in Canadian travel could mean two million fewer visits, $2.1 billion in lost spending and about 14,000 job losses, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

California, meanwhile, which is the country's number one tourism destination, has already begun to experience a downturn in Canadian visitation. In 2024, around 1.8 million Canadians visited California and spent $3.72 billion, according to the governor¡¯s office.

New figures, however, show that in February there was a 12 percent year-over-year decline in Canadian visitors to the state. That¡¯s the first drop in Canadian travelers to California since the the state¡¯s tourism economy began recovering after the pandemic.

California tourism leaders suggest the decline is due to to the impact of federal policies introduced by Trump, according to a report from Travel and Tour World.?

Now Newsom is trying to stem the tide and avoid a truly serious blow to California¡¯s economy.

That effort has included various measures. Newsom, for instance, recently visited with British Columbia Premier David Eby to discuss potential cross-border cooperation on such things as lumber trade, housing development and transportation infrastructure, among other areas.

The newly released marketing video aimed at Canadian travelers is another element of Newsom¡¯s, and the state¡¯s efforts. It¡¯s part of a broader? international tourism initiative meant to reinvigorate visitation to the state from the United States¡¯ northern neighbors.

Sequoias & Kings Canyon National Parks, California. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/fertatay)

The campaign highlights California¡¯s iconic attractions, while also emphasizing the state¡¯s friendly vibe. It also showcase California as ¡°the ultimate playground,¡± where Canadian visitors can enjoy iconic beaches and national parks, as well as world class wine, food and outdoor adventure.

During his narration for the video, Newsom also makes clear that the Golden State remains the inviting place it has always been, despite unwelcoming federal policies from the Trump Administration.

¡°There¡¯s something here for everyone,¡± stresses Newsom, adding: ¡°Here in California, we have plenty of sunshine and a whole lot of love for our neighbors up north.¡±

California has been the historic leader in U.S. tourism. In 2023, visitor spending exceeded $150 billion, which created $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue.

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