Vermont’s economy suffers from Quebecers who respond to Trump prices by sulking the United States while the number of Canadians visiting national parks dropped 70% despite construction holidays.
“It is clear that Canadian tourism has dropped. In some regions such as downtown Burlington or in the Jay Peak mountains, I am told that there are 50 to 60% fewer Canadian visitors than usual, “saddle the treasurer of Vermont, Mike Pieciak, in an interview with The newspaper Sunday, when the construction holidays ended.
Mike Pieciak tries to attract Canadian tourists to Vermont.
Photo provided by Mike Pieciak’s team
Usually Quebecers are going through the border in major numbers at this time of year to visit the United States. But the smoke of the forest fires “is the only thing that visits the Vermont currently,” said the democrat with a yellow laugh.
Hard on the economy
The Vermontois are used to being able to count on annual expenses of $ 150 million from their north neighbors. Concretely, it is certain sectors and certain companies which are most dramatically affected, since the economy of Vermont is one of tourism.
In recent weeks only, 70% fewer Canadians have visited the Vermont national parks compared to previous years, said Pieciak.
Both passages to American customs and credit card payments made by Canadians are down “30 to 40%,” he also said.
Impacted companies
In Kingdom Trails, a network of more than 200 mountain bicycle and hiking trails in the East Burke sector, in northern Vermont, the effects of boycott hurts.
Usually, in July, “approximately 24% of users in our tracks are Canadians,” assured general director Abby Long, who observes that the quantity of Canadian visitors has half this year. Mme Long left office a week ago.
Abby Long, who held the post of director general of Kingdom Trails for 8 years.
Photo taken from Kingdom Trails Instagram
“It has a tangible impact on the number of memberships in Kingdom Trails, which are used to finance the maintenance of our infrastructures and our tracks, and it is affected on several companies around Canadians,” she said.
They try to attract Canadians
Trying to attract tourists, Kingdom Trails even offered a free day for Canadians on August 2.
Kingdom Trails offered a free day on his site for Canadians during the construction holidays.
Photo taken from the Instagram account Kingdom Trails.
In Montpelier, the capital of Vermont, Kelly Sullivan, the co -owner of a boutique of natural products, also suffers from the absence of tourists.
She estimates that in normal times, around 20% of her customers are Canadians during the summer period, “but I don’t think I saw one this year,” she said, stressing her Canadian “friends”.
“The Vermontois voted massively against Donald Trump,” recalled Mr. Pieciak, who argues that his citizens “did not ask for this tariff war”.
Harting that their senator, Bernie Sanders, is one of the most active democratic opponents of Donald Trump, he claims to encourage “the economy of Vermont is to encourage resistance”.