The homes and inns surrounding Lake George, in the Adirondacks region of New York, draws legions of families on return visits each summer. (Christopher Reynolds/The Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Patrons watch a race from The Porch apron during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Pedestrians walk along Canada Street in Lake George, Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

The Lake George steamboat Mohican returns to shore near Beach Road in Lake George, Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

People watch as the Lake George steamboat Lac du Saint Sacrement returns to dock Tuesday near Beach Road in Lake George.

Pedestrians show interest in a storefront on Canada Street in Lake George, Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

Fans of all ages react to Michael Glabicki and The Uprooted Band playing before a packed Broadway in Saratoga Springs during the Belmont on Broadway free concert in Saratoga Springs Wednesday, June 4, 2025.

Fluctuating tariffs and rising costs. Verbal fisticuffs with border allies and coordinated immigration sweeps contributed to growing anxiety among area business owners and hospitality leaders alike in the days leading up to the summer tourist season.

Those in the greater Capital Region with a financial stake in the summer travel season dealt with the changes that came their way. Some sought to attract a different type of visitor, others aided by special events to sought to amplify their standard summertime attractions. And while more time to fully analyze the summer of 2025, there is a general consensus that many did just fine.

Canada

Canada is the top source of international visitors to the United States, with more than 20 million visits in 2024, generating $20.5 billion in spending and supporting 140,000 American jobs, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

In May, The World Travel & Tourism Council — the global body representing the travel and tourism private sector — forecast only the United States out of the 184 nations it analyzed would see a decline in international visitor spending.

“While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign,” warned Tourism Council President Julia Simpson.

More recently, Tourism Economics posted year-to-date figures through July that reported overseas arrivals declined 1.6% compared to last year, with Canadian visitors down 25.2%. And in October, Statistics Canada indicated a one-third drop-off in the number of Canadians taking road trips into the U.S. in August and September compared to a year earlier.

Summer tourism and the Canadian effect

“I spoke to a lot of people about Canadian tourism and we are lucky in this day and age, that makes up such a small percentage of our visitor base, especially when you compare that to places like Plattsburgh, Burlington, Vermont, or Lake Placid,” said Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd........

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