Travel Manitoba hoping for local spring break boost, amid recent anti-American sentiment

With the start of spring break this weekend, some Manitoba families are taking a hard look at their travel plans in light of the ongoing trade war between Canada and the United States.

"People are recognizing that they are in charge of where they spend travel dollars and people are making a conscious decision," said Linda Whitfield, communications vice president at Travel Manitoba.

Spring break has generally been a popular time for local tourism, given how short the school break is, compared to summer vacation, for instance.

But with a rise in the cost of living, including gas prices, Whitfield said more Manitobans have been searching in recent years for a "close to home getaway" that might offer a better bargain.  

Now the ongoing trade war between Canada and the U.S., paired with threats of annexation, is also playing a role in driving a surge for local travel. 

"They want to buy not just Canadian, but local, and that means supporting Manitoba tourism," Whitfield said. 

While the agency will have to wait until after spring break to determine if there was a surge in travel this year, Whitfield said Travel Manitoba has seen more people asking for local tourism alternatives. 

"On our socials, 'spring break' is one of our most popular searches … it is probably only second to fall suppers," she added. 

At Winnipeg Richardson International Airport on Friday, some travellers said they're keeping the U.S. out of their travel plans for the time being. 

Martin Entz, who is travelling to Ottawa for a family birthday, said his family is showing their displeasure over the ongoing situation in the U.S. by staying away from it. 

"We will avoid the U.S. as long as they represent an existential threat to our sovereignty," he said. 

Shannon Petrie said she has also crossed the U.S. off any future itineraries. 

"I just don't want to support the U.S. economy," she said. "I don't want to be supporting the U.S. at any time soon." 

Petrie and Entz aren't the only Canadian residents cutting back on visits to the United States.

Data released by Statistics Canada early in March shows that the number of return trips among Canadians travelling by car to the U.S. declined significantly in February, down 23 per cent compared with a year earlier.

Return trips made by air also dropped a smidge, declining 2.4 per cent on a yearly basis.

Latest numbers from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection show  a similar picture, with a 18 per cent drop in the number of travellers driving from Canada into North Dakota and Minnesota in February compared to the same month last year.