Updated on April 2, 2025
Many Canadian travelers are pressing pause on U.S. vacations in 2025 – and the effects are starting to show. According to a new report from Key Data, bookings from Canada for U.S. vacation rental properties are down 21% compared with the same period last year. That’s nearly 1,300 fewer reservations so far in 2025, according to Key Data.
What’s driving the decline? Rising political tensions between the two countries and a strong U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar may be part of the story. Whether fueled by political frustration, budgetary concerns, or a desire for different experiences, more Canadians are looking outside the U.S. for their getaways.
“I think a lot of those reservations for next year are particularly going to be impacted since so many Canadians or seasonal snowbird renters book a year in advance for their stay and may not be doing that quite yet,” said Davis Meyer, Vice President of Government and Industry Relations at Visit Greater Palm Springs during a webinar on March 26, 2025.
For short-term rental hosts and property managers, this trend is a reminder of how quickly traveler behavior can shift – and why monitoring your booking data and adjusting your marketing strategy accordingly are key to staying agile. In this guide, we’ll share some destination marketing advice that will help you adapt to the new reality.
Review booking trends
Davis advised starting by diving into your own performance data. Are you seeing a dip in Canadian bookings? Are U.S. travelers picking up the slack? Spotting shifts early can help you adapt before they eat away at your bottom line.
On top of monitoring your own booking trends, tap your local Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for valuable data. DMOs often conduct traveler research that can shed light on what’s influencing regional demand.
“We’ve used research and data to really guide that creative development and what brings people from Canada to Maine and also just remain welcoming,” said Christine Shepard, Media Director at Miles Partnership, a strategic marketing consultancy, during a Canada Marketing Update by the Maine Office of Tourism on March 25, 2025, which the Vacation Rental Professionals of Maine promoted to hosts.
DMO data and marketing campaigns can help you understand traveler sentiment, booking patterns, and messaging strategies that will resonate with your audience.
Some DMOs like Visit Greater Palm Springs also offer promotional opportunities to vacation rental operators, such as listing your property on their website or sharing your social media content. Contact your local DMO to find out what they offer in your community.
Expand your target market
If bookings from a usual feeder market are down, it may be time to broaden your reach.
Consider exploring new international markets or doubling down on domestic travel segments. This could mean refreshing your ad campaigns and email messaging to target travelers who haven’t stayed with you before and tailoring your social media content to speak directly to these audiences.
Need help identifying your next ideal guest? Check out this guide to creating guest avatars in the RR Network under “Articles & Guides” to supercharge your short-term rental marketing.
Fine-tune pricing and promotions
When demand from a key traveler group drops, strategic offers can help bridge the gap. Experiment with promotions like extended stay discounts, direct booking perks, limited-time incentives, or bundled experiences to capture new interest and keep your calendar full.
These measures will also appeal to both Canadian and American travelers who are looking for budget-friendly accommodations.
If you want to entice reluctant travelers, make an offer they can’t refuse. Davis noted that “Disney has been promoting in Canada that they are honoring the Canadian dollar rate for the U.S. dollar price of tickets as a way of getting Canadian travelers to come to Disney World right now,” Davis said. “That’s approximately a 30% currency exchange discount.”
Need ideas on how to work with other local businesses to make promotional offers to guests? Check out our guide to increasing direct bookings through partnerships with local businesses in “Articles & Guides” in the RR Network.
Speak their language
If you’re marketing to Canadian travelers, consider how language plays a role in their experience. Canada has two official languages—English and French—and your messaging should reflect that.
“This is something we’ve been focusing on the past few years, making sure we have both English and French Canadian language translations for each audience member that will come to Maine,” Christine said. Even small touches, like bilingual captions or translated welcome guides, can go a long way in showing guests they’re truly welcome.
Steer clear of politics
Political tensions can make their way into your social media comments section, but that doesn’t mean you need to engage. The Maine Office of Tourism has taken a clear approach that we recommend you emulate: highlight your destination’s strengths and stay focused on the guest experience.
“We have been very deliberate and very general on social as far as just highlighting the things to see and do,” said Carolann Ovellette, Director of the Maine Office of Tourism. “Certainly, being very welcoming in the messaging and understanding how it fits in with how you message yourself is very important.”
Let your marketing focus on what matters most to your guests: the beauty, experiences, and relaxation your vacation rental offers.
For more vacation rental marketing advice, check out “Articles and Guides” in the RR Network.
…
