Gov. Janet Mills on Thursday morning urged Mainers to welcome Canadian visitors this summer despite federal turmoil over tariffs.
Speaking to attendees of the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Bangor, the governor said she wants potential tourists from all backgrounds to feel safe and welcomed in Maine.
The state saw around 15 million visitors last year, which generated more than $9 billion in tourism revenue, according to Mills. Of those visitors, around 800,000 were Canadian visitors, who contributed around half a billion dollars to Maine’s economy.
“We share a 600 mile boundary with Canada. Maine and Canada have a cherished relationship, founded not only [on] a mutual financial and economic advantage, but on centuries-old familial and cultural bonds that have always superseded politics,” Mills said. “I am committed to working with Canadian leaders to preserve cross-border travel, encourage tourism to our respective jurisdictions, and promote each other’s economic advantages and amenities.”
According to the state tourism office’s data, visits to Maine dipped around nine percent from from the summer of 2023 to 2024. However, many residents and employees in popular tourist destinations noted that the overall season seems to be persisting well into September and October.
The comments from Mills come amid a trade war with Canada, initiated by President Donald Trump imposing a 25 percent tariff on most Canadian imports, which led to retaliatory tariffs from the United State’s northern neighbor. Trump has also said he would like Canada as the 51st state.
Carolann Ouellette, director of the Maine Office of Tourism, told lawmakers earlier this month that visits from Canada to the U.S. are expected to drop by a minimum of 24 percent, based on a new report from Tourism Economics, as a result of the tariffs.
