{"id":4363748,"date":"2025-03-04T20:09:22","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T01:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prideatwork.ca\/?p=4363748"},"modified":"2025-03-20T12:48:27","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T16:48:27","slug":"beyond-borders-do-travel-boycotts-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prideatwork.ca\/fr\/beyond-borders-do-travel-boycotts-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Borders: Do Travel Boycotts Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row nav_skin=”light” consent_include=”include”][vc_column css_animation=””][vc_image_caption image=”4363741″ style=”style_1″ caption_appear=”caption_appear” skin=”light” radius=”0″ title=”” description=”Illustration by DALL\u00b7E, commissioned for BEYOND BORDERS by Pride at Work Canada.” preloader=”” css_animation=””][vc_column_text]This is the second installment of Beyond Borders, a four-part series exploring the emerging challenges and opportunities of business travel for queer and trans employees amid rising polarization. Originally posted on LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

In light of dramatic shifts in U.S. domestic policy, Canadian companies are questioning whether sending employees across the border aligns with their duty of care. At the same time, economic nationalism is on the rise, and some are calling for more aggressive corporate activism, including boycotts of U.S. travel and investment.<\/p>\n

But do travel boycotts actually work?<\/p>\n

The Logic Behind Boycotts<\/h2>\n

The idea is simple: By refusing to bring business to regions with hostile policies, whether it’s tariffs or attacks on human rights<\/a>, companies can apply economic pressure on lawmakers to reverse course.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s precedent for this. In 2016, when North Carolina passed its infamous \u201cbathroom bill,\u201d major corporations, sports leagues, and even Bruce Springsteen<\/a> pulled events out of the state, resulting in an estimated $3.76 billion in lost business. This concentrated backlash contributed to a partial repeal of the law.<\/p>\n

But boycotts only work under specific conditions:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcc9 Short-term economic hits don\u2019t always drive change. While stock price drops can follow solidarity actions, long-term financial impacts are often negligible.<\/p>\n

\u2696\ufe0f Economic pressure alone rarely shifts policy. Boycotts work best when highly paired with highly targeted lobbying, lawsuits, and agitation.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfd6\ufe0f Some states are more vulnerable than others. Tourism-dependent regions feel the sting more than those with diversified economies.<\/p>\n

The Risks of Disengagement<\/h2>\n

While travel boycotts send a message, they also have unintended consequences:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcbc Professional Setbacks: As I discussed in my previous article<\/a>, banning employee travel may limit networking, professional development, and client engagement. In the face of economic protectionism, maintaining relationships with U.S. partners may be even more critical.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf0e Harming Local Communities: Blanket boycotts could cut off support for U.S.-based queer-owned businesses, community organizations, and local activists in affected regions. With trade tensions escalating, solidarity should be directed at the people most affected.<\/p>\n

Beyond Borders, Beyond Boycotts<\/h2>\n

Rather than blanket bans, Canadian companies should take a strategic, case-by-case approach to travel and investment decisions:<\/p>\n

\u2714\ufe0f Assess Business Priorities & Risks: Sally Susman<\/a> is Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Pfizer<\/a>. Her framework for corporate engagement offers a useful lens:<\/p>\n