Nearby Kalispell, Montana is reaching out to Canadians to let us know they miss us in the light of continual declines in visits south of the border since President Donald J Trump began his fickle and damaging tariff yoyo performances and 51^st state rhetoric.

Recent Statistics Canada data shows an average decrease of about 30% in recent months in Canadian visits to the U.S., compared to last year. The decline has continued over an eight-month period with automobile and air travel to the US.

The drastic drop in business is occurring all over the US but border communities are experiencing the sharpest pains.

As a result, Discover Kalispell, the tourism marketing and management organization for the city, has launched the Kalispell Canadian Welcome Pass.

“If there’s one thing we know about Montana and Canada, it’s that we’ve always been friends. For the last several months, our countries have been going through some things. But there’s one thing we know and it’s this – we miss you,” Discover Kalispell noted on its website.

“And while we understand that you’ve been staying away for your own reasons, we also know that we’ve always been there for each other, as allies, friends and supporters. While we wish we could make everything okay between us again, we know that things aren’t that simple. But we also know that we can’t continue to sit by and do nothing. Which has led us to this – our Canadian Welcome Pass.

“This pass was created with you in mind and to show you that we’re putting our money where our mouths are – with this pass, many Kalispell businesses have come together to offer discounts, deals and more.”

The Kalispell-Whitefish corridor in Montana’s Flathead Valley is 200 km from Cranbrook, accessed by Highway 93.

With the Whitefish Mountain Resort, Whitefish Lake and Glacier National Park, among other attractions, the area has been a major draw for Canadians living in the nearby East Kootenay and Alberta for decades.

Discover Kalispell image

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