MAINE PUBLIC • May 23, 2025
When President Donald Trump said he wanted to make Canada the 51st state and then slapped 25% tariffs on Canadian imports in March, former Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau angrily shot back that Canadians would not come to Old Orchard Beach this summer. The Mills Administration met with the hospitality industry this week to talk about the fallout of that rhetoric on tourism in York County. Seaside Inn owner Ken Mason said reservations are down nearly 20% and he had to refund close to $7,000 in pre-booking deposits. Chris Whittaker of Ocean Park Realty in Old Orchard Beach said his vacation rental business is also down. Data show Canadians spent almost half a billion dollars in Maine in 2024.