Tourism to Arizona Plummets 22 Percent as Biggs and Schweikert Back Cost-Hiking Tariff Agenda

A new report shows Arizona’s tourism economy is taking a major hit as Canadian visitors stay away, threatening up to $2.4 billion in annual economic activity. Despite the growing damage to Arizona businesses and communities, Andy Biggs and David Schweikert continue to support Washington’s cost-hiking tariff agenda. 

Industry experts attributed the decline, among other factors, to “negative sentiment of President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods,” leading to statistically significant declines in passenger counts on Canadian airlines at Sky Harbor International Airport. The fallout is being felt across the state as Canadian tourism plummeted by 22 percent, with a recent Joint Economic Committee report highlighting a staggering $184 million lossdue to declines in park visitation alone. 

Arizona small businesses are taking another massive seasonal hit as operating costs continue to skyrocket, leaving local owners wondering why Biggs and Schweikert refuse to halt the tariff madness. Overall, Arizonans paid an extra $2,200 for goods and services because of Biggs and Schweikert’s cost-hiking tariff agenda, according to an earlier Joint Economic Committee report.

Biggs has called tariffs “a brilliant economic strategy” and argued that the tariffs were “not inflationary,” before claiming that Washington has “tamed inflation,” and stating that he would like to “explore [tariffs] more.” Schweikert bragged about personally “doing the calculations” with the White House on tariffs and proposed his own new tax instead of offering Arizonans relief. 

Copper State Victory spokesperson Nicholas Simões Machado said:

“Washington’s reckless trade agenda is scaring away billions in Canadian tourism, leaving Arizona business owners to pay the price. Instead of protecting Arizona’s economy, Andy Biggs and David Schweikert are doubling down on failed Washington policies that are crushing local businesses and driving up costs for working families.”

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