ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The Florida tourism industry is bracing for impact from the U.S. trade war with Canada.

The tariff battle kicked into high gear this month between President Donald Trump and Canada.

Inside Spinster Abbott’s store on San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine, Maya Carviou likes to talk with her customers. 

“Frequently we’ll chat about where they’re from because it’s a tourist area,” Carviou said. “And it’s great to get to know why they’re here.”

And in this Florida themed business, there are indeed Canadian customers.

“I would say a good amount of people from the north, especially Canada,” Carviou noted.

But this merchant and others in St. Augustine that cater to tourists wonder if they will see a decline in Canadian visitors.  This comes after Trump’s tariffs on Canada, and Canada’s travel boycott on the United States. 

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in early March, “This is a trade war, yes, but Canadians, Canadians are hurt. Canadians are angry. We’re going to choose to not go on vacation in Florida or old Orchard Beach or wherever.”

“Canadians love to come down to Florida,” Susan Phillips said. 

Phillips is the CEO of the the St. Johns County Visitors and Convention Bureau. According to Visit Florida, in 2024 Florida saw approximately 3.3 million Canadian visitors. That represents about 2% of the Florida’s total visitors, and that makes Canada the leading country in international tourists to Florida.

While some airlines have reportedly seen Canadians cancel trips to Florida, Phillips says St. Johns County has not seen a decline in Canadian visitors…. yet.

“We do know it is a topic of concern for us to watch,” Phillips said. “But I don’t think there’s anything right at this moment that concerns us overly, but again we have to be very smart and savvy about this.”

If fewer Canadians come to the First Coast, their absence could indeed be felt. 

“They don’t come from just a couple of days. Many times they will come for a couple of months and then go back,” Phillips said. 

For now, Carviou said it’s too early to notice a decline in Canadian customers where she works.

‘It would be a shame if the tariffs implied that the tourism from Canadians would decrease,” she said.