HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – Nova Scotia saw a dramatic 13 percent decline in the number of American visitors this year, a 25-year low, Tourism Minister Rodney MacDonald announced Monday.

The province could face even further declines if Washington proceeds with a plan requiring American citizens visiting Canada to carry passports in order to get back home.

“The reality is travel patterns have changed,” said the minister in a news conference following a speech to industry members. “We must be strategic in our promotional spending and aggressive in our approach.”

MacDonald blamed the overall decline on the war in Iraq and high gasoline prices.

Traffic from the New England states, a traditionally easy draw for provincial tourism operators, was down by 20 percent this year. MacDonald said the province needs to step up marketing in nontraditional spots, such as Europe and China.