{
  "id": 1800746,
  "title": "Bellingham, Wash. businesses say continued decline in Canadian visitors damaging",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/bellingham-wash-businesses-say-continued-decline-in-canadian-visitors",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-18T21:11:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Global News",
    "slug": "global-news-globalnews",
    "url": "https://globalnews.ca/news/12026095/bellingham-businesses-continued-decline-canadian-visitors-damaging/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Bellingham Chamber of Commerce has conveyed a dire outlook on how the ongoing drop in Canadian visitors is impacting their businesses. The food and beverage industry is the hardest hit, with 91% of businesses stating the decline is damaging, and 64% expressing concerns about their survival. Retail establishments echo this sentiment, with 85% finding the decrease damaging and 60% worried about their future. Tourism and visitor services report a 67% damage rate, while 70% of other community services agree the trend is harmful.\n\nBased on data from the Cascade Gateway Border Data Warehouse, vehicle crossings from B.C. to the U.S. have been in a steady decline from 2024 to 2026, although there were brief increases in April, May, and June of 2026 before another drop in July. When queried on the impact of Canadian visitors, 63% of respondents strongly agree the decline is damaging, with an additional 26% expressing agreement. Just 1.5% strongly disagree.\n\nIn response to the dwindling number of Canadian visitors, 57% of businesses say the trend is severely damaging their operations, while 37% have made adjustments. Of those changes, 73% are long-term or permanent. Businesses that have been in operation for less than a decade are particularly worried, with 67% expressing concerns about their survival.",
  "summary": "The food and beverage sector is affected the most by fewer visitors, with 91 per cent saying the decline is damaging and 64 per cent are concerned about survival.",
  "key_points": [
    "91% of food and beverage businesses say declining Canadian visitors are damaging.",
    "63% strongly agree the decline is damaging to tourism and visitor services.",
    "57% of businesses report the trend is severely damaging their operations."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "Bellingham, Wash. businesses say continued decline in Canadian visitors damaging",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/bellingham-wash-businesses-say-continued-decline-in-canadian-visitors-1805814",
        "published": "2026-08-18T21:11:38.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}