'Open Arms for Canada' discount offered to Canadian tourists in Seattle this weekend

SEATTLE - Dozens of Seattle restaurants, attractions and hotels are taking part in the Open Arms for Canada campaign to bring in more Canadian tourists.

What they're saying:

"We're approaching 40 businesses and organizations that will accept Canadian currency at par, roughly a 30% discount, if they come to Seattle and show us a [Canadian] driver's license or passport," said Bob Donegan, President and CEO of Ivar's.

Ivar's is among the businesses joining the campaign, which runs through this weekend as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park, an event that typically pulls in a lot more Canadian fans to the Emerald City.

"Canadian visitors are our single biggest source of international travelers to Seattle," said Donegan. "They take over the waterfront and all of downtown with their Blue Jays caps and gear, and we're not seeing them this year."

The Open Arms for Canada campaign is in response to the drop in Canadians coming to Washington through border crossings, ferry sailings and air travel.

"Border crossings are down 50%, air travel to Seattle is down 70% from Canada," said David Meinert, owner of Mecca Cafe in lower Queen Anne.

Meinert's restaurants are part of the campaign to not only serve more Canadian customers but as an act of goodwill.

"We feel bad that there's been so much tension between the U.S. and Canada," said Meinert. "In this Washington, we like Canada, we respect them, and we want them here."

Bob Donegan tells Fox 13 that participating organizations will get together next week to assess how many tourists took advantage of this discount and that there could be similar Open Arms for Canada campaigns in the future.

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