From the Niagara Falls Review:
It’s a strange juxtaposition: Niagara Falls is among the leaders as a Wonder of Canada in a CBC-sponsored online competition, yet the number of American visitors – the lifeblood of a vibrant tourism industry – crossing the border to visit here is in free fall.
Clearly, it’s cause for concern as the city heads into the heart of the tourism season.
By most accounts, the number of visitors to the city was down last year and it’s apparent the trend will likely continue this year.
Ontario Ministry of Tourism statistics show trips to Canada from the U.S. this year fell 24.7 per cent compared to February, 2006.
Overnight trips were down 13.3 per cent and same-day travel was down 29. 6 per cent.
One could argue February is a bad month to gauge anything by, given the lousy weather we had this year. But it’s no secret the number of U.S. residents crossing the bridges in this area has been dropping for some time.