Upper Cape region sees record low international tourists, political tension could be to blame

As tensions between the U.S. and other countries, especially Canada rise, the Upper Cape Cod region is seeing record low numbers of international tourists.

The Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce serves Wareham, Bourne and Sandwich and runs tourist stops near both the Sagamore and Bourne bridges where they record how many people and from what countries visit the area.

So far this year, the Sagamore location saw just 29 international travelers and the Buzzards Bay location saw 20. Both are significant declines from a year ago.

In 2024 the international travelers that visited the Sagamore Information Center totaled 137 while the Buzzards Bay Information center had 62.

President of the chamber, Marie Oliva, said that recent political tension could be to blame. 

"I was at the Sagamore location and a Canadian visitor came in," she said. "She said that the United States had not been receptive to Canada."

According to Statistics Canada, the national statistical office for the country, the number of Canadian-resident return trips from the United States by automobile decreased by 33.9% this past year. In August 2024 2,942,346 Canadians drove back to Canada from the U.S. but in  butAugust 2025, that number dipped to 1,944,300. 

Tensions between Canada and the U.S. grew in March of this year when President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on many Canadian goods, including steel.

Ontario's Premier Doug Ford said in response that he wouldn't hesitate to shut off the electricity that Canada provides to the United States if Trump continued to escalate. 

Oliva said that she often refers the international travelers to local events like the Harvest Moon Festival and Cape Verdean Festival when they stop by the center.

"That's the top thing they're interested in," she said. 

When tourists don't come, Oliva said it harms the economy. 

"They want to shop and do all the things that visitors do, it's just a wonderful opportunity for them to experience the United States," she said.

Sharing the history and love for the area is something Oliva said she misses with the lack of international travelers, calling the visitors, "gracious." 

"It's just disappointing," she said.