Pritzker appeals to Canadians to visit Illinois, calls Trump ‘shameful’

CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) — Gov. JB Pritzker made an appeal to Canadians, inviting them to vacation in Illinois, amid tensions between the two countries.

“I don’t blame anyone from Canada whose appetite for visiting the U.S. might have soured, with our current president and the shameful way he’s represented us on the national stage as of late. But as Governor, and self-designated chief marketing officer of Illinois, I want to reassure you that we’re as eager as ever to have you come here,” said Pritzker in a video message released by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

“From Rockford to Carbondale, Illinois is full of people ready to show you why the Land of Lincoln is so great,” Pritzker said.

Trump has splintered a decades-old alliance by saying he wants to make Canada the 51st U.S. state and levying steep tariffs against an essential partner in the manufacturing of autos and the supply of oil, electricity and other goods. 

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump welcomed Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, to the White House.

“I just want to congratulate you,” Trump told Carney on his election win as they met in front of reporters. “Ran a really great race. I watched the debate. I thought you were excellent.”

Carney won the job of prime minister by promising to confront the increased aggression shown by Trump.

“Here in Illinois, we’re ready and eager to prove that Midwest nice is the closest thing to Canadian hospitality you can get south of Windsor. As you head south through our shared Great Lakes, we are ready to welcome you to the middle of everything,” Pritzker said to potential Canadian visitors.

According to Tourism Economics, Illinois welcomed 112 million visitors in 2023, generating $4.6 billion in state and local tax revenue.

However, at an Illinois Senate Special Committee on Tourism, the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association said the state had been seeing a year-over-year decline in occupancy, citing Chicago as the lowest hotel occupancy rate of the top 10 convention markets.

Tourism Economics also estimated a 9% decline in international arrivals for the remainder of 2025.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.