As Canadians Cancel US Meetings, US Conferences Pull Out of Canada

While many Canadian groups have pulled back from US events, there has also been a quiet exodus of U.S. conferences from Canada. Industry leaders say it is a worrying development.

They blame Trump’s protectionist rhetoric, as well as US organizer fears of border unpredictability and the optics of spending their event dollars abroad.

Downtown Vancouver hotels, for instance, have seen cancellations from as many as five major US-based corporate gatherings, reports Business in Vancouver. “They don’t want to be seen as having a large conference and spending money in the Canadian economy,” said Adam Laker, general manager of Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

Sheraton Wall Centre General Manager Sean Antonson has heard concerns from conference organizers that US residents who aren’t citizens wouldn’t attend a conference in Canada, over fears of not being allowed back in the country. Still, the hotel has yet to see cancellations.

Meanwhile, an annual conference for the North American Faith Network, originally scheduled to be held in Wolfville, N.S. in August, was called off in April because of worries over US border policies.

Fewer US conferences could hit hard. Meetings and events make up about 40% of Canada’s tourism spending—a segment still rebounding post-pandemic, according to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

But industry groups see opportunity in the disruption. The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), for instance, is working on a new strategic plan for the province’s tourism industry—its first since 2016, Andrew Siegwart, TIAO President and CEO, told the Toronto Star.

“We’re already hearing of destinations looking at campaigns to welcome Americans to come to Ontario,” said Siegwart, “highlighting the value of the dollar as an incentive.”

“Elbows up, but arms open is kind of our mantra,” he added.

In Toronto, business bookings remain strong for now. Andrew Weir, CEO of Destination Toronto, said hotel and meeting bookings are pacing ahead of previous years, but acknowledged that some organizers may grow hesitant about planning cross-border events.

This period of “volatility and uncertainty” is also an opportunity to attract more business to Canada, Weir underscored.

In Vancouver, tourism leaders are optimistic for a strong summer, driven by staycations and major events still on the books.

The Web Summit and an Alcoholics Anonymous convention, which is expected to draw 60,000 attendees, are set to anchor strong hotel occupancy.

“We’re busier and ahead of our pace from previous years,” says JW Marriott Parq Vancouver General Manager Graeme Benn.

Tourism operators also anticipate a rise in domestic travel, fueled by Canadian pride, anti-Trump sentiment, and proposed federal perks like free access to national parks and museums, discounted youth train fares and the new “Strong Canada Pass.”

Rocky Mountaineer CEO Tristan Armstrong told BIV that bookings are up by about 8% over last year, with nearly 100,000 guests expected—many of whom stay additional nights in Vancouver, boosting high-end hotel revenue.

Rocky Mountaineer offers some promotional fares, including lower rates for Canadians.

Cruise traffic, another pillar of Vancouver’s tourism economy, is expected to dip from last year’s record-breaking 1.32 million passengers. Still, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority forecasts about 1.2 million cruise visitors for 2025, potentially the third-best year on record.

British Columbia Hotel Association CEO Paul Hawes added that while US group bookings have slowed, leisure and transient travel—particularly from Europe, Australia and within Canada—are holding strong.

BC Tourism Industry Association CEO Walt Judas said increased funding for marketing efforts will be critical. “Perhaps [the new government] could increase Destination Canada’s budget to ensure we’re not only keeping up with the rate of inflation but can compete globally against other countries that are looking for the same business in the same markets that we are,” he said.