The Independent covers a wide range of issues including reproductive rights, climate change and Big Tech, deploying reporters on the ground to investigate complex stories. The outlet investigates financial and political connections, produces documentaries like 'The A Word' about American women fighting for reproductive rights, and solicits donations to fund reporting while refusing to lock content behind paywalls. A Buffalo marketing campaign aimed at Canadian visitors with a "Buffalo Loves Canada" billboard and a $500 gift card giveaway saw initial interest but failed to restore the usual summer influx. The shortfall mirrors a wider downturn in international tourism to the U.S., with experts linking the decline to policy shifts after President Trump's return, including tariffs and stricter immigration measures.
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
For a few hopeful weeks this summer, a bright billboard on the major highway linking Toronto to New York greeted Canadian drivers with a simple message: "Buffalo Loves Canada. The marketing campaign, which included a $500 gift card giveaway, was meant to show Buffalo's northern neighbors they were welcome, wanted and missed. At first, it seemed like it might work, said Patrick Kaler, CEO of the local tourism organization Visit Buffalo Niagara. More than 1,000 people entered the giveaway.
Buffalo's struggle reflects a broader downturn in international tourism to the U.S. that travel analysts warn could persist well into the future. From northern border towns to major hot spots like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, popular travel destinations reported hosting fewer foreign visitors this summer. Experts and some local officials attribute the trend that first emerged in February to President Donald Trump's return to the White House. They say his tariffs, immigration crackdown and
Collection
[
|
...
]