Signs American visitors are returning to Windsor after ArriveCAN requirement lifted

American visitors are returning to Windsor, Ont., following the easing of COVID-19 border restrictions this month, some business owners say.

"The Americans, when they come over, they usually spend the night here or venture off to the casino afterwards. So the influx of the American clientele here is great for business," said Filip Rocca, co-owner of Mezzo Restaurant and president of the Erie Street BIA.

Rocca estimates an uptick of about 10 to 15 per cent in U.S. clients.

The owners of El Mayor restaurant said Americans make up about 40 per cent of their business, so seeing some of them returning on weekends is important.

We are seeing an increase in U.S. guests; however after two and half years, we expect it will take some time for many American tourists to return to our city.— Susanne Tomkins, Caesars Windsor

"We see all these families again. We see them reunite here and choose our restaurant to have that place to reunite, and it's the best feeling in the world to see that again," said manager Faith Abbas.

Canada lifted its requirements around COVID-19 vaccination and use of the ArriveCAN app on Oct. 1. Border-city mayors lobbied to bring an end to the restrictions, saying the rules were hurting tourism.

Caesars Windsor told CBC the removal of those measures was a positive step for the casino.

"We are seeing an increase in U.S. guests; however, after two and half years, we expect it will take some time for many American tourists to return to our city," Susanne Tomkins, manager of public relations and communications, said in a statement.

Carolyn Brown, manager of the Canadian side of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, told CBC News that traffic is up 7,000 vehicles since the beginning of the month, from 62,000 to 69,000.

The American side of the tunnel reports a 74 per cent increase in vehicles travelling from Detroit to Windsor over the same time last year. But it's still down 15 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Neither side can break down the number of American versus Canadian vehicles.

'Your dollar goes further in Canada'

Windsor isn't the only city anxious for the return of U.S. visitors.

The Stratford Festival recently spent about $50,000 on a marketing campaign in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Mich., and Buffalo, N.Y., in an effort to get Americans back to theatres.

A full-page ad welcoming U.S. visitors appeared in the Detroit Free Press on Oct. 5, reminding them that "ArriveCAN is no longer required" and "your dollar goes further in Canada."

"We had heard that there was a perception that the ArriveCAN app was a barrier to crossing the border," said Michael Adams, the festival's senior director of marketing and audience development. "So telling those people that piece of the puzzle was now removed and the process is simpler was a really important message for us."

Adams said 25 per cent of the festival's business is from Americans. He and other businesspeople who CBC spoke with would like to see the province or the local tourism agency do more advertising in the states, to remind them about the restrictions being lifted and the dollar being stronger.