The northeast WE state of Maine Was a popular summer holiday destination for Canadians, especially Quebecers, for over a century.
So much so, Canadians represent more than a third of the tourist economy in a particular seaside resort: Old Orchard Beach.
But now, with the climbing of American trade tensions and the antagonistic rhetoric of President Trump towards Canadian sovereignty, the cancellations have started to add and injured – even perhaps devastating – certain local companies that have decided to express themselves.
From an Inn point of view, a 50 -year -old family hotel, a note of greeting on his website, known as “Welcome!” Welcome!” In a wink to greet its French annual Canadian visitors. They flock to Old Orchard Beach by thousands each year.
Sterling Morse, owner of the point of View Inn, said that when Trump started talking about Canada’s annex and making it the 51st state, he became worried.
“A small part of me died when I heard this,” said Morse about the moment when Trudeau mentioned his house by name.
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Then the cancellation calls began to arrive.
“It was quite dark,” he told Global News in an interview on Tuesday. He said that more than 90% of his reservations for the summer season had started to stop or be canceled.
For decades, the vast majority of its customers are Quebecers.
Mike Halle, who directs the Paradise Park Resort, said: “We are up to more than 100 cancellations, which is considerably increasing, around 250% of what would be normal at this time of the year.”
Halle is also the president of the City Chamber of Commerce. He says Canadians represent 30 to 40% of income for their average seasonal business.
“There will be an impact,” he said.
“We all want this to disappear,” said the hotel owner on the beach, JJ Mokarzel, in Global. “It’s sad when people upstairs affect people below, because we are really helpless.”
Morse says he thinks he will be able to save his season after a viral interview with CNN has led to a flood of people’s reservations – Canadians and Americans – seeking to prevent his business from going bankrupt.
He said he had also managed to change certain minds. “We are friends, families, neighbors, do you know?” You can’t break this. “
“Prefer to invest in Quebec”
For some, what happened between the United States and Canada clearly indicated their decision.
“I boycott everything that is American now,” said Robert Mailoux, a resident of the Montreal region, who has been going to Maine for 35 years. This year, he will not go.
But for others, canceling their plans is not necessarily a clear choice.
The woman of Mailoux, Joanne Lacoste, says she always thinks of leaving because she really likes the owners of her favorite hotel. She told Global that she believed that it could be more important for her, more than ever, to support them and to ensure that they avoid serious financial losses that could make them pass.
Nicole Guerin – A woman from Sainte -Catherine, qué. – explained that her connection with Old Orchard Beach and his Edgewater hotel managed by the family are deeply deep and go back to when she was young.
“We went with the family every summer. We have always been to the same hotel. The son took over from his parents, so we still feel at home, “she said in a statement.
Years ago, she and her two sisters brought their father back to Old Orchard Beach to celebrate his 80th anniversary – and to “thank him for presenting us with this wonderful place”.
She added that she and her younger sister have returned every summer since 2016 for a short stay of four nights. But this year, she said she would prefer to invest in Quebec.
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