Rochester tourism planners navigate uncertainty surrounding Canadian tariffs
Mar 17, 2025
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) - Following the federal tariffs put into place by President Trump, News 8 is taking a closer look at the possible impacts of Canadian tariffs and local tourism.
Leaders at Visit Rochester, the city's tourism bureau, are discussing what they are expecting heading into the s
pring and summer seasons.
Visit Rochester president and CEO Don Jeffries says Rochester's proximity to the Canadian border will work in the city's favor when it comes to traffic and revenue.
Jeffries says he anticipates the tariffs will have a larger impact on bigger destination cities like New York City or Boston, but says their organization remains focused on any potential influence in the future.
"We’re running campaigns in Canada as we speak – to say that, 'Rochester and Monroe County are welcoming places to be, come, we’d love to see you…' But, we just don’t know," said Jeffries on the possible impacts.
The uncertainty is faced by tourism agencies across the state, like Visit Rochester, in connection to the imposed tariffs.
"In the summer months, we have 15 to 20 percent of tourist traffic that is Canadian and I have no idea what it's going to look like. We do have ways to track that, and we will know what's going on. You don’t know what's going to happen by this summer. This stuff is unraveling so fast because it's just unknown. The other thing that concerns me about our Canadian traffic is the exchange rate. It's around 40 percent, so their dollar is worth 60 cents here. So, that’s a disincentive as itself. Then, you throw in the tariffs and everything else, it’s up in the air at this point," said Jeffries.
Jeffries added for the dollars spent locally in the seasons ahead, he expects the changes will surround a specific group of travelers.
"It’s the leisure traveler, it’s the person saying, 'Well, I'm going to go visit my friends in Rochester, New York.' That’s what we need to keep an eye on. But in terms of groups, meetings, and the major sporting events – I don’t think it will be effective," he said.
Canadians will soon need to register with the U.S. if they plan on staying for more than 30 days, according to the Dept. of Homeland Security. The rule goes into effect April 11.
Locally, with the return of Rochester festivals and the Erie Canal bicentennial this year, Visit Rochester is also planning to announce a new festival next week.
Stay with News 8 for future details. ...read more read less