Cathy Dobson/The Independent

Efforts are being stepped up to revive American tourist traffic, left on life support by the pandemic and tariff threats, says Adam Veen.

The new executive director of Tourism Sarnia-Lambton (TSL) has been on the job only a few weeks but had some good news for local politicians and tourism leaders attending TSL’s annual general meeting Thursday.

Passenger traffic coming over the Blue Water Bridge from Michigan has consistently increased in 2025 and 2026, Veen said.

It’s not clear whether those Americans stay in Sarnia-Lambton or visit local attractions, but the hotel sector is reporting a 1.4% increase in stays.  

That may not sound like a lot, but it’s significant when compared to the decreases at hotels in nearby cities like Windsor and London, Veen said.

Sarnia-Lambton has historically counted on Americans for about one-third of its tourism. However, the pandemic shut down all American traffic and rebuilding is a challenge because of American misconceptions about tariffs, Veen said.

TSL has had a year of change, replacing its executive director and hiring several new employees.  

As an organization that receives about $825,000 a year from Lambton County, there was criticism prior to Veen becoming executive director, that there was not enough communication with Lambton mayors who sit on county council. 

But Veen said he is putting a new emphasis on communication.

“I really think it’s important to get all the community players, all the organizations, our municipal leaders, the attractions and accommodations, back in the room together and make sure we’re collaborating.

“We are a marketing organization. That’s what we do, so we need to showcase we’re doing the best that we can…for all of Lambton County,” Veen said.

That’s one reason the annual general meeting was a bigger affair Thursday, attracting 45 politicians and tourism leaders to the St. Clair Parkway Golf Course in Mooretown. 

Warwick Mayor Todd Case was at the meeting and said he’s happy to see a reset for TSL.

“Like any organization you fund, you have to see how well that money is being used…it’s under scrutiny all the time,” Case said.

He said he’s encouraged that Veen has “reached out” to all 11 municipalities in Lambton and looks forward to what TSL does this year.

While Veen said he believes Michigan residents immediately across the border still travel regularly to Sarnia-Lambton, Americans who live farther away need more encouragement to plan a Canadian vacation.

TSL is increasing marketing in states including Ohio, Illinois and New York this year, he said.  

“We want to capture that American audience and give them a reason to consider Sarnia-Lambton,” he said.  

Part of their hesitancy may be they believe Canadian tariffs apply to them when they come, which isn’t the case, said Veen.  Where tariffs are concerned, “it’s a constantly changing message and it becomes muddied water for them to understand exactly what to expect.”

American tourists may also worry about additional red tape required at the Canadian border.  And that isn’t the case either, he said.  

“We’re trying to convey to them it is still easy to come here and that their dollar goes further.” 

Statistics show that when Americans come to Sarnia-Lambton, they stay an average of 2.4 nights compared to domestic visitors who stay 1.7 nights, making the American market well-worth pursuing.

There was an eight per cent increase in domestic visitors to Sarnia-Lambton in 2025. And 2026 is projected to outpace that. The majority are coming from the broader GTA region, including Brampton, Toronto and Mississauga.  A significant number are also coming from Quebec, Veen said. 

They come primarily to enjoy local beaches and utilize hiking trails and bicycle routes to take in the region’s natural beauty.  Museums, sporting events, and festivals also top Sarnia-Lambton’s tourist draws.

While local tourism has not yet recovered fully since the pandemic, 1.8 million Canadian visitors came to Sarnia-Lambton in 2025, and 237,000 hotel nights were booked by Americans. Approximately 4,230 people found work in the local tourism sector, added Veen.