For more than a century, the state of Maine in the northeastern United States has been a popular summer vacation spot for Canadians, particularly Quebecers. So much so, Canadians make up over a third of the tourism economy in one particular resort town: Old Orchard Beach.
But now, with escalating U.S. trade tensions and President Trump’s antagonistic rhetoric towards Canadian sovereignty, cancellations have started adding up and hurting — even possibly devastating — some local businesses who have decided to speak out.
At the Point View Inn, a 50-year old family-run hotel, a greeting note on its website says “Welcome! Bienvenue!” in a nod to its French Canadian visitors each year. They flock to Old Orchard Beach by the thousands every summer.
Sterling Morse, owner of the Point View Inn, said that when Trump began talking about annexing Canada and making it the 51st state, he became worried.Then, the cancellation calls started coming in.
“It was pretty bleak,” he told Global News in an interview on Tuesday. He stated that almost all of his summer bookings began to be paused or canceled entirely. Mike Halle, who runs the Paradise Park Resort, says, “We’re up over a little over 100 cancellations, which is up significantly 250 percent or so from what would be normal this time of year.” The vast majority of his customers have been Quebecers for decades. Halle is also the president of the town’s Chamber of Commerce. He says Canadians make up 30 to 40 per cent of revenue for their average seasonal business.“ He stated, “There will be an impact.” The passionate speech that then-prime minister Justin Trudeau gave on March 4 urged Canadians to reaffirm their patriotism and support local causes. “[We’re] angry. We’re going to choose to not go on vacation in Florida or Old Orchard Beach,” he said at a press conference in response to Trump’s tariffs.
“A small part of me died when I heard that,” Morse said about the moment Trudeau mentioned his home by name.
“We all just wish this would go away,” owner of On The Beach Hotel, JJ Mokarzel, told Global. “It’s sad when the people at the top affect the people at the bottom, because we really are powerless.”
Morse says he thinks he will be able to save his season after a viral interview with CNN led to an inundation of bookings from people — both Canadians and Americans — looking to help save his business from going bankrupt.
He said he has also managed to change some minds. “We’re friends, families, neighbours, you know? That can’t be broken.
Maine hotel owners speak out amid flurry of cancellations from Canadians
