April 11, 2025
In a recent study with residents of Halifax, conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and Discover Halifax, results show that the vast majority of Haligonians say they are already welcoming to tourists generally (96%) and American tourists particularly (83%).
Given the current political climate, residents were asked how they anticipate their welcoming nature will be towards American tourists for the remainder of 2025. Going forward, most say they will continue to be welcoming to American tourists, or will even increase their level of hospitality, though one-quarter are reportedly less likely to welcome visitors from the U.S. This minority sentiment is driven by a worry of encountering American visitors who may be Trump supporters. However, it’s worth noting that many Haligonians are able to separate their views of the Trump administration and Americans generally.
“Clearly Haligonians are living up to the Maritime reputation of being welcoming, despite the current political climate, and understand the importance of tourism to our economy,” said Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner of Narrative Research.
When it comes to the perceived beliefs about tourists to Halifax, the vast majority of Haligonians (78%) believe the benefits of tourists outweigh the downsides. In fact, few (3%) believe the downsides of tourists outweigh the benefits.
“Tourism has long been a positive force in Halifax, and our warm welcome of visitors is something we take great pride in,” said Ross Jefferson, President and CEO of Discover Halifax. “The strong relationship between Canada and the United States has deep roots here, and American visitors play a key role in the tourism economy of our region, supporting local businesses and communities. We are delighted to see these results and no matter the global landscape, we hope Halifax remains a place where visitors will always feel welcome.”
The questions asked were:
- How welcoming are you generally to tourists visiting Halifax? [Very welcoming; Somewhat welcoming; Neither welcoming nor unwelcoming; Somewhat unwelcoming; Very unwelcoming]
- How welcoming are you generally to American tourists visiting Halifax? [Very welcoming; Somewhat welcoming; Neither welcoming nor unwelcoming; Somewhat unwelcoming; Very unwelcoming]
- Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, do you anticipate being…?
- More welcoming to American tourists than you were in the past
- As welcoming to American tourists as you were in the past
- Less welcoming to American tourists than you were in the past
- What are the main reasons you would be welcoming or unwelcoming to American visitors this year?
- Which of the following statements is closest to your beliefs about tourists to Halifax?
- The benefits of tourists outweigh the downsides
- The benefits and downsides of tourists are roughly equal
- The downsides of tourists outweigh the benefits
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and Discover Halifax. The survey was conducted between March 4 and 9, 2025 with 400 residents of the Halifax Regional Municipality, 18 years of age or older from Narrative Research’s online panel, East Coast Voice. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender and age to reflect actual population distribution. For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca
OR
Sarah Reeves, Communications Director, Discover Halifax – 902-717-1343, sreeves@discoverhalifaxns.com
Narrative Research (www.narrativeresearch.ca), is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned, research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
Discover Halifax is a non-profit, aiming to maximize economic and social benefits resulting from the tourism industry for the benefit of the people who live, visit, and invest in our region. We showcase the best of our region to the world, and alongside our industry partners, we seek to shape the future of tourism through good planning, investment, and design.
