Promoting and Advocating for Travel in Canada and Washington, D.C.
April 21, 2026 | Julie Schoelzel
In late March, I had the opportunity to represent the Monadnock Region at the Montreal Outdoor Adventure Show, joining a group of state and regional partners working to promote travel to New Hampshire.
Canada is New Hampshire’s top international tourism market, and that matters more than most people realize.
Tourism supports not just our hospitality sector, but the broader fabric of our communities. The restaurants we frequent, the small attractions our families enjoy, and the jobs that sustain our local economy are all supported by visitors from Canada.
That’s why a concerning trend has been getting so much attention: visitation from Canada is down roughly 30%.
This decline is being felt across our region and state in hotels, inns, campgrounds, restaurants, and downtown businesses. And because tourism is so interconnected with daily life here, the ripple effects extend far beyond the visitor economy. To put the importance of travel into perspective: in 2025 alone, the U.S. travel sector generated $1.4 trillion in direct spending and $3 trillion in total economic output, supporting more than 15 million jobs nationwide.
In New Hampshire, using data from 2024 we can see that tourism is the second largest revenue-generating industry. That year we had about 14.6 million visitors who generated $7.5 billion in spending, which in turn supports more than 70,000 jobs within the state.  In 2025, the meals and room tax generated more than $445 million, supporting our General Fund revenue, school building aid, tourism, and state services, with a large percentage of its revenue being returned to municipalities. Tourism is vital for New Hampshire’s economic well-being.
From Montreal to Washington, D.C.
Shortly after returning from Montreal, I traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in U.S. Travel’s Destination Capitol Hill—stepping in for New Hampshire’s Director of Tourism, Michelle Cruz, who was participating at the Discover New England Summit in Burlington.
This event brings together tourism leaders from across the country to meet directly with members of Congress and to share a clear mission: to make increasing travel to and within the United States a priority.
Because while New Hampshire is feeling the impact of declining Canadian visitation, the challenge is much bigger:
- The U.S. has lost 41% of its long-haul international travel market share since 2000
- Domestic travel growth has increased by only 2%, not enough to offset international losses
- The U.S. was the only major global destination to see a decline in international visitation last year (5.5%!)
- And notably, the U.S. travel trade deficit has now exceeded $70 billion, which means Americans are spending far more traveling abroad than international visitors are spending here
Policy Matters—Even at the Local Level
While in D.C., we met with staff from Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s office, Senator Maggie Hassan’s office, Representative Chris Pappas’ office, and Representative Maggie Goodlander’s office to discuss specific actions Congress can take to strengthen the travel industry.
One issue that came up—both in Washington and even in conversations with Canadian travelers in Montreal—was concern about proposed updates to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) that would mandate international visitors disclose social media information and other personal data. A few Canadians I spoke with in Montreal said the proposed changes had influenced their decision to not travel to the U.S., even though they hadn’t even been enacted yet.
A Smart Investment: Brand USA
One of the key priorities we advocated for was restoring funding for Brand USA, the nation’s destination marketing organization.
Brand USA plays a critical role in attracting international visitors, and it does so without relying on U.S. taxpayer dollars. Instead, it is funded through fees paid by international travelers.
The return on investment is significant: for every $1 invested, Brand USA generates $24 in visitor spending.
A recent example from a few years ago: a Monadnock Region video we commissioned was shared by Brand USA’s national platform. That exposure helped generate interest in our region and coincided with a writing retreat booking in Peterborough, bringing visitors and economic activity into our community. You can check that share here: https://www.instagram.com/reels/C0kEpjBv36U/
Why This Work Matters
For New Hampshire, this is about more than tourism. With thousands of open jobs and too few workers to meet demand, we’re using place-based marketing as workforce strategy to turn weekenders into workers. It might sound a little silly, but how many times have you opened up Zillow while on vacation? People move to places they love all the time, and we know it happens here.
That’s why initiatives like Magnify Monadnock matter. Through targeted marketing and platforms like MonadnockNH.com, we’re introducing our region to hundreds of thousands of people, all while creating real economic opportunities.
Recognizing Leadership in Travel
A cool highlight of this experience was seeing our former governor, Chris Sununu, who served as the keynote speaker in his new role as president and CEO Airlines for America.
The trip also included the Travel Champion and Travel Hero Awards, which recognize leadership and frontline service across the industry:
- Secretary Sean Duffy received the 2026 Travel Champion Award for advancing safety, security, and infrastructure
- Congressman Mark Amodei and Senator Amy Klobuchar were honored for their long-standing leadership and support of the travel industry
The Travel Hero Awards recognized frontline workers, including air traffic controllers and TSA officers, who maintained critical operations during government shutdowns, underscoring the resilience that keeps our travel system running. The impact of government shutdowns came up in discussions with our federal delegations, and we encouraged them to cosponsor and pass bills that would ensure air traffic controllers and TSA officers are paid during funding lapses to prevent disruptions to the economy and the air travel system.
The People Who Make This Work Meaningful
Finally, one of the most energizing parts of the experience was connecting with others who share a deep commitment to the travel industry.
From watching Kori Johnson, General Manager at the Westin DC Downtown bring energy and care to an incredibly busy lobby, to connecting with Megan Fariel of Destination DC, Jessica Soforenko of the U.S. Travel Association, Nick Johson of Delta Airlines, along with our tourism peers from Maine, I was reminded just how people-driven this industry truly is. I was very lucky to have Tyler Gosnell from U.S. Travel Association as my guide for all my federal delegation meetings. He’s a true travel and policy expert (and laughed accordingly at my jokes and didn’t sigh every time I mentioned how hot it was, but it was really hot).
I’m so grateful to Michelle Cruz and the BEA’s Division of Travel and Tourism for giving me these opportunities. If there’s one thing I love to do, it’s hype up New Hampshire and the Monadnock Region!