Maritimers less likely to travel to U.S. due to Trump presidency: Poll

CITYnews halifax / By Natasha O’Neill

Amid the tension with the United States and the re-election of Donald Trump, a new poll is showing Maritimers are less likely to head south in the coming year.

According to a survey by Narrative Research, the U.S. president is making a difference for people in deciding where they will vacation in the next year. The poll was conducted online with 1,618 people from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. People were asked on Jan. 30 and 31.

Narrative Research says that nearly two-thirds of respondents are planning on travelling less to the U.S. This is up from 37 per cent from results done by the organization in December 2024.

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Half of respondents said it is because of Donald Trump and the “dissatisfaction” or “disagreement” with the leadership, values and administration. About 33 per cent of people noted safety concerns like the fear of violence, crime and gun culture amid public unrest as the reason why.

Another third of people specified financial reasons related to the 25 per cent tariffs Trump imposed on Canadian goods over the weekend.

More reasons include the “disapproval” of Trump’s personal character, concerns for treatment (such as those in the 2SLGBTQ+ community, women and people of colour) and the lower exchange rates.

A graph by Narrative Research shows if people will travel less to the U.S. (Contributed)

The survey also found some people who had “anxiety over unpredictable or sudden changes in laws, policies and travel restrictions.”

Around a quarter of people said they would travel to the States the same amount, while 3 per cent expected to travel more.

“Results are generally consistent across the three Maritime provinces, but differ by age, with those aged over 55 being the most likely group to say they will curb their travel to the U.S. in the coming year,” Narrative Research notes.

The data show that women are more likely than men to travel less to the U.S. in the coming year.