Spending by international travelers in Oregon this summer has sharply declined, with a 21% decrease in July compared to July 2024, according to an analysis of Visa card spending conducted for Travel Oregon, as reported in late September by Khushboo Rathore of the Oregon Journalism Project.
The Oregon Coast has experienced the most significant impact, with international travelers’ spending in July dropping to half of last year’s figures.
A key factor contributing to this decline is the current U.S. President’s comments about potentially making Canada the “51st state,” which has alienated Canadians, Oregon’s largest source of international tourism, representing over half of all international visitors.
This July, Canadian Visa card spending in Oregon was half of what it was in July 2024.
“I will put my country ahead of my vacation plans and spend my money in Canada instead,” Janice Reynolds of Calgary, Alberta, wrote to Travel Oregon, the state’s lodging tax–supported agency.
“A lot of the letters, actually, people were sad,” said Julia Amato, director of communications at Travel Oregon. “They wanted to come here, but just as a source of honoring their own country, they didn’t feel like they could spend their dollars here in the United States.”
International tourists spent an estimated $700 million in Oregon last year. This summer, every area of the state lost international tourism dollars, according to the Travel Oregon data.
