Fears are mounting over multi-billion-dollar losses as tourists abandon the USA. Its tourism and aviation sectors are reportedly seeing a sharp decline in travel from Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, impacting visitor spending.
According to figures from the National Travel and Tourism Office, inbound visits from overseas markets, excluding Canada and Mexico, dropped by 3.4% year on year in June, with 2.8 million travellers recorded in the month. That is just 80% of the numbers seen before the pandemic, in June 2019. It has been attributed to a combination of factors, including geopolitical tensions, economic challenges, and a diminished perception of the country among international travellers, reports ITIJ.
The trend has been witnessed throughout the year, with a sharp drop in inbound travel in March 2025, according to international arrivals data from the US Department of Commerce.
UK arrivals were down nearly 15% year on year in March, Germany plunged more than 28%, and other key markets, such as Spain, Colombia, Ireland, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic, saw double-digit drops between 24% and 33%.
Fears around border crossings also play a part, according to Travel and Tour World. Carriers connecting the US have seen many travellers either delay trips or reroute itineraries due to visa restrictions and increasingly strict border inspection procedures.
Customs and Border Protection officers have the authority to examine phones when determining whether travellers can enter the country, and passengers have reported being denied entry due to this.
In March, a French scientist who had been critical of Donald Trump was refused entry after his phone was searched.
In May, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) forecast the US would be the only country to see a decline in international visitor spending in 2025, among the 184 economies it analysed with Oxford Economics.
It forecast this would have a huge impact on the US economy, and that international visitor spending could reduce by $12.5 billion this year, down from $181 billion in 2024.
While aviation and tourism industries are hard hit, the WTTC said it represents a direct blow to the US economy overall, impacting communities, jobs, and businesses.
“While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the US government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign,” warned Julia Simpson, president and CEO of WTTC.