A movement in Canada is having an impact on Hawaiʻi as more Canadians choose not to travel to the islands.
The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority says Canadian tourism to Hawaiʻi fell by 12% last year. One of the reasons — Canada's “Elbows Up” movement, which is steering travelers away from U.S. destinations.
“Elbows Up” began last year in Canada — inspired by hockey great Gordie Howe's moves to protect himself as he skated into corners. It symbolizes protecting national interests and supporting local products in Canada. It's also led to Canadians boycotting U.S. travel and goods.
So, while Canada goes “Elbows Up,” tourism across the U.S. has gone down.
States that border our neighbor to the north have felt it more than Hawaiʻi. But the islands still saw a significant decline in visitors from Canada in 2025.
While visitor numbers are down, spending remains strong. The HTA also says 65% of Canadian travelers are repeat visitors.
This indicates snowbirds or groups with a strong connection to Hawaiʻi have continued to come.
HTA says Canadian snowbirds spend a lot of time in Hawaiʻi during the winter months and points out that many Canadians own real estate across the islands.
HTA says it's working to make Hawaiʻi stand out from other destinations by promoting Hawaiian culture and Hawaiian values.
And HTA says it's training the Canadian travel trade to become brand ambassadors who can educate and attract more Canadian travelers to Hawaiʻi.
