Australians are defying a global downturn in travel to the United States, with new figures showing a rise in visitor numbers, despite Donald Trump’s tough new border controls and concerns about detentions and deportations.<\/p>\n
Nearly 70,000 Australians travelled to the United States in May \u2014 up almost 8 per cent on the same time last year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Year-on-year, travel from Australia to the US rose 4.8 per cent.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, US government figures show there was a 3.4 per cent drop in overall international visits to the US this year.<\/p>\n
Tourism researcher Professor Sara Dolnicar, from the University of Queensland, said the figures showed Australians remained curious and open-minded travellers, even when politics got prickly.<\/p>\n
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Professor Sara Dolcinar from the University of Queensland says Aussies are travelling to the US due to strong cultural ties. (\u00a0Supplied: University of Queensland)<\/p>\n
“Australians don’t necessarily feel an acute fear or danger entering the US, unlike some other countries that have reacted strongly to announcements by the current US administration,” Ms Dolnicar said.<\/p>\n
“There’s a strong cultural tie between the US and Australia.<\/p>\n
“Australians don’t feel like they’re not welcomed by Americans.”<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has upgraded its travel advice for the US multiple times in 2025 amid a tougher approach at the border.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While the US remains at DFAT’s lowest warning level, Australians are now urged to carry identification at all times and warned they could be detained on arrival.<\/p>\n
Anxiety at border<\/p>\n
Melbourne woman Laura Hall booked her family’s three-week US holiday more than a year ago \u2014 well before the tough US border stance and before Australian writer Alistair Kitchen was denied entry.<\/a><\/p>\n By the time the family boarded the plane earlier this month, Ms Hall said she was nervous.<\/p>\n “I thought they’d go through my socials or grill us,” she said.<\/p>\n The Hall family recently travelled to the United States with no problems. (Supplied: Laura Hall)<\/p>\n “But it was seamless, the officer even recommended restaurants.”<\/p>\n Ms Hall used the free Mobile Passport Control app, which lets Australians with an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) pre-submit customs details. She said it helped the family skip the long immigration queue.<\/p>\n But not every traveller feels so relaxed.<\/p>\n Professor Dolnicar said while many Australians still view the US as a bucket-list destination, concerns are bubbling beneath the surface, particularly around privacy and how border officials exercise their powers.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n