Pritzker Courts Canadian Tourists Amid Trade War, Trump Tension

ILLINOIS — Gov. JB Pritzker is encouraging Canadians to visit Illinois, despite the current political and economic tension between the U.S. and its neighbor to the north.

Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on Tuesday released a video inviting Canadians to come to the Prairie State in celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week.

"I don't blame anyone from Canada whose appetite for visiting the U.S. might have soured — with our current president and the shameful way he's represented us on the national stage as of late. But as Governor, and self-designated chief marketing officer of Illinois, I want to reassure you that we're as eager as ever to have you come here," Pritzker said in a news release. "Here in Illinois, we're ready and eager to prove that Midwest nice is the closest thing to Canadian hospitality you can get south of Windsor.”

Of the 2.16 million international travelers to visit Illinois in 2023, over 600,000 were from Canada — more than any other country, according to the state, citing Tourism Economics.

In addition to Pritzker’s video, the Illinois Office of Tourism is launching a social media campaign this week on Facebook and Instagram in Canada, the latest of several targeted efforts to connect with Canadian travelers.

President Donald Trump in recent months offended Canada's sense of pride and friendship by saying he wants to make Canada the 51st U.S. state and levying steep tariffs against an essential partner in the manufacturing of autos and the supply of oil, electricity and other goods. The outrage provoked by Trump enabled newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party to score a stunning comeback victory last month as the trade war and attacks on Canadian sovereignty have outraged voters.

Trump has imposed 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum and tariffs on other products outside the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, in some cases ostensibly to address relatively low volumes of fentanyl intercepted at the northern border. That has jeopardized a closely entwined trade relationship as Canada sees an increasing need to build relations with the European Union and other nations.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.