I think another factor is visitors to the US worried they will be detained by ICE. If you can watch the game on TV in the safety of your own home, save your money and go in person to the next FIFA games. But how are ticket sales for the games in Canada? Or are the prices outrageous here too?
Well done Fred. Yes, Canadians don't have to start a war with Iran in order to be heard, we simply don't return the dinner invitation! Hun, we're going away on an extravagant weekend cruise, on The Great Lakes, an awesome dinner cruise & we can watch the game from there!!! No traffic to fight, no waiting hours to get food & find our seats! Heaven!
Since DT is so involved in this Fifa World Cup extravaganza, no wonder everyone thinks they can gouge the public on this event. Monkey see monkey do!! Only they are getting caught!
To be honest, I wouldn't walk across the street to watch a soccer game let alone pay thousands of dollars for the privilege. I'm guessing that 95% of Canadians feel the same. What i like most of this story Fred is that the hierarchy of greed is not getting the pot of gold they expected. Will they learn a lesson from this? I doubt it.
You over play the Canadian boycott angle in this story. It is a factor but a broader analysis of international travel to the US would have made this piece better.
Total Volume: The 68.3 million arrivals represent a steep decline from prior peaks, falling short of the pre-pandemic levels (79.4 million visitors in 2018).Top Origin Markets: Mexico and Canada remain the largest source markets, accounting for roughly half of all inbound travelers. The largest overseas contributors are the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil.Regional Declines: Notable contractions in arrivals have been recorded across several regions, including Canada (down 21%), Western Europe (down 17%), and varying drops across Asia.Economic ImpactVisitor Spending: International visitor spending fell to $176 billion, a 4.6% year-over-year decrease.Spending Per Trip: Overseas visitors spend an average of $4,000 per trip, making their economic contribution nearly eight times higher than that of domestic travelers.Travel Trade Deficit: Declines in inbound spending combined with surging outbound travel by U.S. citizens have pushed the U.S. travel trade balance into a significant deficit.Contributing FactorsIndustry experts and economic reports cite several challenges hampering the growth of international travel to the U.S.:Policy barriers, such as visa processing fees and restrictions.Geopolitical unease, trade frictions, and shifting consumer sentiment abroad.Increased global competition from other regions successfully capturing international long-haul travelers.
Too bad it won't make trump or his cult change their attitude. trump is too caught up in dreaming up new ways to be corrupt (and he might have a serious cognitive impairment to boot)--and the cult is too busy reveling in it--to care.
About this: “Cell phone mobility data reportedly showed the decline was deeper than traditional border statistics suggested.” I’m not convinced. When we travel to the US, only one of us uses cellular data because of insanely high roaming charges. So, cellular data may be a poor indicator of travel to the US.
The prices for everything were insane and it has not been changed very much. There is a war on that the US started and we are all paying for it. I wouldn’t feel safe in the US. Sad!
Good
I think another factor is visitors to the US worried they will be detained by ICE. If you can watch the game on TV in the safety of your own home, save your money and go in person to the next FIFA games. But how are ticket sales for the games in Canada? Or are the prices outrageous here too?
Yes, I’m wondering how the Canadian and Mexican games are selling? Both are considerably safer than the US right now.
Fair question.
My guess is Canada and Mexico may benefit from people rerouting plans...
but ticket pricing everywhere seems to be testing people’s patience.
Safety + affordability is a powerful combo.
Good point. Cost is one issue… but feeling welcome and safe matters too.
If people are worried about border hassles or detention stories, that absolutely affects travel decisions.
As for Canada... I suspect prices are painful here too, but demand may be stronger.
Worth watching.
Well done Fred. Yes, Canadians don't have to start a war with Iran in order to be heard, we simply don't return the dinner invitation! Hun, we're going away on an extravagant weekend cruise, on The Great Lakes, an awesome dinner cruise & we can watch the game from there!!! No traffic to fight, no waiting hours to get food & find our seats! Heaven!
Haha… now that’s a Canadian boycott strategy.
No drama. No yelling. Just: ‘Nah… we’ve got better plans.’
Enjoy the cruise, Patsy...
that honestly sounds like the smarter ticket.
All I can say is, “Thanks for the laugh.” Greedy mungers. 😂😂😂
Since DT is so involved in this Fifa World Cup extravaganza, no wonder everyone thinks they can gouge the public on this event. Monkey see monkey do!! Only they are getting caught!
Price gouging has a way of spreading when everyone thinks demand is unlimited.
Problem is… eventually the public pushes back.
Looks like the bill for greed may be arriving faster than expected.
To be honest, I wouldn't walk across the street to watch a soccer game let alone pay thousands of dollars for the privilege. I'm guessing that 95% of Canadians feel the same. What i like most of this story Fred is that the hierarchy of greed is not getting the pot of gold they expected. Will they learn a lesson from this? I doubt it.
Haha… fair enough Frank 😄
And yes... greed usually assumes demand has no limit…
right up until people quietly stop showing up.
Whether they learn? History says: not quickly.
You over play the Canadian boycott angle in this story. It is a factor but a broader analysis of international travel to the US would have made this piece better.
Fair comment Robert.
I’m sharing and discussing reported trends, not claiming to invent the analysis.
And yes... broader international travel patterns are absolutely part of the story too.
😉 Lazy bastards...
Total Volume: The 68.3 million arrivals represent a steep decline from prior peaks, falling short of the pre-pandemic levels (79.4 million visitors in 2018).Top Origin Markets: Mexico and Canada remain the largest source markets, accounting for roughly half of all inbound travelers. The largest overseas contributors are the United Kingdom, India, and Brazil.Regional Declines: Notable contractions in arrivals have been recorded across several regions, including Canada (down 21%), Western Europe (down 17%), and varying drops across Asia.Economic ImpactVisitor Spending: International visitor spending fell to $176 billion, a 4.6% year-over-year decrease.Spending Per Trip: Overseas visitors spend an average of $4,000 per trip, making their economic contribution nearly eight times higher than that of domestic travelers.Travel Trade Deficit: Declines in inbound spending combined with surging outbound travel by U.S. citizens have pushed the U.S. travel trade balance into a significant deficit.Contributing FactorsIndustry experts and economic reports cite several challenges hampering the growth of international travel to the U.S.:Policy barriers, such as visa processing fees and restrictions.Geopolitical unease, trade frictions, and shifting consumer sentiment abroad.Increased global competition from other regions successfully capturing international long-haul travelers.
Good add, Hudson.
That broader international travel decline absolutely matters too...
especially when overseas visitors spend far more per trip.
Canada may be one piece of the puzzle, but it looks like the bigger story is the U.S. losing tourism momentum more broadly.
Appreciate the added data.”
Great point.
Ooopsie
Too bad it won't make trump or his cult change their attitude. trump is too caught up in dreaming up new ways to be corrupt (and he might have a serious cognitive impairment to boot)--and the cult is too busy reveling in it--to care.
Whatever people’s politics, economics has a way of cutting through ideology eventually.
Empty hotels and lost revenue tend to get attention faster than headlines.
It's more about what a sketchy fuckin place the US is than prices.
Did you avoid that prescient narrative on purpose?
“Not on purpose Hudson.
The piece focused mainly on the economic side... pricing, travel behaviour, tourism impacts.
But yes, perception of safety, border concerns, and how welcoming a country feels absolutely influence travel decisions too.
Thank you for lending clarity, Fred. Lord knows, I lack it occasionally. 😉
About this: “Cell phone mobility data reportedly showed the decline was deeper than traditional border statistics suggested.” I’m not convinced. When we travel to the US, only one of us uses cellular data because of insanely high roaming charges. So, cellular data may be a poor indicator of travel to the US.
Sure but math would suggest that that also applies to previous years figures as well. So the change in % would still be instructive.
Exactly.
Even if the methodology isn’t perfect, if it’s consistently imperfect year to year, the change can still tell you something useful.
Trends often matter more than precision.”
Fair point Robert.
That’s why I said reportedly...
mobility data isn’t perfect and shouldn’t be treated as gospel.
Official border numbers matter too.
I found the gap interesting, but it’s reasonable to question the methodology.
The prices for everything were insane and it has not been changed very much. There is a war on that the US started and we are all paying for it. I wouldn’t feel safe in the US. Sad!
Cost and feeling safe both matter.
Even people who could afford the trip seem to be asking themselves...
'Do I actually want the hassle right now?’
That question alone changes behaviour.