Foreign Tourism to U.S. Drops Over Trump Policies

8 Apr at 11:20 am

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Foreign Tourism to U.S. Drops Over Trump Policies/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Foreign tourism to the U.S. is falling sharply in 2025, with many citing President Trump’s rhetoric, tariffs, and global diplomatic tensions as key reasons. Travel forecasts have flipped, with analysts now predicting a nearly 10% drop in international visitors. The decline could cost the U.S. economy billions in lost tourism revenue.

A woman poses for photos on a mock red carpet setup outside TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Foreign Tourism to the U.S. Drops Sharply: Quick Looks

International arrivals to the U.S. fell 11.6% in March.
Trump’s tariffs and confrontational diplomacy blamed for downturn.
Canadian and European travelers cancel plans in protest.
Tourism Economics now expects a 9.4% decline in 2025 visitors.
Air travel from Mexico down 23% compared to last year.
Booking platforms and airlines report steep drop in demand.
“Trump Slump” coined to describe the political tourism backlash.
$9 billion in lost international tourism revenue projected this year.
Tour operators see 20–50% declines in bookings from key markets.
DEI policy rollbacks and far-right associations cited as deterrents.

Tourists walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Foreign Tourism to U.S. Drops Over Trump Policies

Deep Look

Tourism to the U.S. Falls Off as Trump’s Global Posture Drives Away Visitors

America’s tourism sector is facing a dramatic decline in international travelers just three months into 2025, in what industry insiders and analysts are calling a “Trump Slump.” The downturn follows a surge in global travel in 2024 that had industry leaders hopeful of returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Now, anger over new U.S. tariffs, diplomatic disputes, and growing perceptions that America is less welcoming under President Donald Trump have many would-be travelers heading elsewhere.

Preliminary government figures show that international arrivals to the United States dropped 11.6% in March compared to the same month in 2024. And the damage is expected to deepen. Travel forecasting firm Tourism Economics recently slashed its 2025 projection, predicting a 9.4% year-over-year decline.

Disapproval Abroad Becomes a Travel Deterrent

In Canada, the largest source of foreign visitors to the U.S., the backlash has been swift. Trump’s remarks suggesting Canada could become the “51st state,” coupled with steep tariffs on goods from close allies, have dampened demand. Air Canada has cut spring flights to popular U.S. destinations like Florida and Arizona due to waning interest.

Flight Centre Travel Group reported a 40% drop in Canadian leisure bookings to the U.S. in March. Meanwhile, Tourism Economics says overall travel from Canada could see one of the steepest declines of any country.

Professor Ian Urquhart from Alberta canceled a planned trip to Las Vegas and convinced family members to skip trips to Arizona, calling the tone from Trump toward Canada “disparaging” and “bullying.”

“It’s one of the few ways we could signal how we felt,” Urquhart said of the cancellations.

European and Asian Visitors Also Rethink Plans

Olja Ivanic, CEO of Austria-based Longevity Labs USA, was planning a summer hiking tour with Swedish relatives. That was until Trump berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a February meeting. Her family scrapped the trip immediately.

“The way he treated a democratic leader at war was incomprehensible to them,” Ivanic said.

In Madrid, Pepa Cuevas and her husband were preparing for a monthlong Colorado ski trip over the holidays. They opted for Japan instead, citing Trump’s reelection as a key factor.

“We’ve lost the desire to return to the U.S. — at least for now,” she said.

The ‘Trump Slump’ and the Economic Impact

China, another major travel market, saw a slight 1% decline in visitors to the U.S., but industry leaders say leisure trips to destinations like New York, Hawaii, and Disneyland are falling faster. Wolfgang Arlt of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute calls the current trend the “Trump Slump,” noting Chinese sentiment has turned sharply negative.

Tourism Economics forecasts a $9 billion drop in spending by international tourists this year, a figure that could rise if the global climate continues to sour.

In California, Marco Jahn, CEO of New World Travel, said bookings for U.S. tour packages have dropped by up to 50% from European markets, particularly Scandinavia. Trump’s past threats to “take Greenland” — a territory of NATO ally Denmark — haven’t helped.

“The U.S. is just not perceived as a welcoming destination right now,” Jahn said.

Booking Platforms, Airlines, and Rental Platforms See the Decline

Beyond, a vacation rental data platform, reported a 44% drop in Canadian searches for U.S. properties after Trump announced a now-paused 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico. Florida, Texas, and New York were among the hardest-hit markets.

American Ring Travel, known for carbon-neutral bus tours across the U.S., said bookings from Germany began drying up after Elon Musk publicly backed a far-right party in that country — another factor shaping European sentiment toward American travel.

Currency, Safety, and Values All at Play

In Japan, where the U.S. was historically the top travel destination, more tourists are now opting for nearby locations like South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The weak yen is a key factor, but political climate also plays a role.

Tokyo resident Haruka Atomiya, who visits Los Angeles annually, said rising costs have forced her to scale back her travel plans. Though politically dismayed by Trump, she said she would continue visiting unless she felt personally unsafe.