{"id":444468,"date":"2026-05-25T14:19:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T14:19:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/444468\/"},"modified":"2026-05-25T14:19:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T14:19:15","slug":"tourism-to-the-us-dropped-the-impact-of-how-the-world-perceives-america-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/444468\/","title":{"rendered":"Tourism to the US dropped: The impact of how the world perceives America right now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/p>\n

Foreign tourism to the US fell by 4 million visitors in 2025, costing the economy more than $8 billion.
\n Presidential rhetoric and policy confusion drove the steepest decline in two decades outside of the pandemic.
\n Experts warn the drop weakens America’s soft power as the world absorbs a narrative of dysfunction rather than democratic leadership.<\/p>\n

\n AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.<\/p>\n

\n There\u2019s no sugarcoating it. The complete 2025 data is in, and the message is clear: International visitors stayed away from the US in the first real year-over-year decline since the Covid-19 pandemic. The drop in visitors was larger than during the global recession of 2008.\n <\/p>\n

\n This time, it wasn\u2019t a pandemic or a collapse of the market \u2014 it was human error. Travelers cite presidential rhetoric and policies manifesting in highly public wars \u2014 both figurative and literal \u2014 as some of the reasons for staying away.\n <\/p>\n

\n Four million fewer foreign visitors came to the US in 2025 compared to 2024, with total spending decreasing by more than $8 billion.\n <\/p>\n

\"Tourists<\/p>\n

\n That\u2019s not just bad for those working in the service and tourism industries. The impact of a self-inflicted decrease in international visitors of this magnitude has implications on America\u2019s standing in the world, its soft power diplomacy and the economy as a whole.\n <\/p>\n

\n CNN first reported worrying trends last August<\/a> that have manifested in a 5.5% drop in international tourism in 2025. It\u2019s the worst single-year decline in two decades, with the exception of the 2020 pandemic.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe used to be a country that others wanted to emulate. That narrative no longer exists,\u201d said Juliette Kayyem, faculty chair of the Homeland Security Project at the Harvard Kennedy School and CNN senior national security analyst.\n <\/p>\n

\n Kayyem explained that \u201csoft power,\u201d where America\u2019s strength is reflected in more than its military powers, is weakening with a filtered story being told to those outside the country: \u201cIf you\u2019re a foreigner now, what you\u2019re absorbing about the United States is a dysfunctional government, ICE raids, Americans being killed, crime everywhere.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n With significantly fewer people coming here, she said, \u201cthe long-term harm is that the world will not know America \u2026 the narrative of the United States is now a country that is at best, not to be respected, and at worst, a democracy that is floundering.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Perceptions aside, there are recent practical barriers of visiting too: hesitation around a proposed $250 visa integrity fee<\/a>, war-induced spikes in jet fuel prices<\/a>, and the defunding of Brand USA<\/a> \u2014 the only American organization that markets US tourism to international audiences. (Bills were introduced in the House and Senate to restore funding but neither has moved forward.)\n <\/p>\n

\n Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics, a travel data analytics company, said proposing extra fees to visit the US and tariff wars are examples of \u201cpennywise and pound foolish\u201d policies that seem to bring in more money in principle but end up costing the US much more.\n <\/p>\n

\n This action from Washington has caused enough confusion, or even ill will, that Brand USA recently launched a campaign<\/a> to \u201cbuild traveler confidence\u201d and clear up misinformation, including clarifying that the visa integrity fee is not yet being collected, and that a Trump administration proposal to collect five years of social media history from certain visitors is not current policy.\n <\/p>\n

\n Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has also publicly floated<\/a> an idea to restrict customs processing operations at airports in sanctuary cities. But the administration has so far not moved forward with it.\n <\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

\n Those who did visit the US in 2025 spent more per person. But because of the significant decline in visitor numbers, the total spending was $8.4 billion less (adjusted for inflation and exchange rates), compared to the year before, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. Tourism Economics estimates that the loss is even worse (up to $25 billion less) when comparing with what was forecasted to have been spent in the US, had tourism stayed on its expected growth track.\n <\/p>\n

\n And the United States\u2019 downturn is an outlier. Eighty million more people travelled internationally in 2025 compared with the year before, \u201cyet they chose other destinations,\u201d wrote the World Travel and Tourism Council in its April<\/a> press release.\n <\/p>\n

\n While there were noticeable drops in visitors from Germany, India, France, Chile, Australia and China, for example, the vast majority of the drop in visitors was due to Canadians not crossing the border. There were some increases in foreign visitors too, particularly from Mexico, by an additional 1 million people in 2025 over 2024.\n <\/p>\n

\n John Stewart of Golden Lake, Ontario, was supposed to be at the Indy 500 this Memorial Day weekend. But not this year.\n <\/p>\n

\n Every spring for about 35 years, he has traveled to Indianapolis to meet up with his American relatives, enjoy the lead-up of race morning, soak in the pomp and circumstance, and talk to people with a beer in hand. He\u2019s been known to easily spend $10,000 on these annual weeklong trips.\n <\/p>\n

\n But Stewart said he has reached an \u201cideological breakpoint.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Unlike some Canadians who have already been boycotting all things USA, Stewart had not wanted to hurt regular American jobs, when it\u2019s the man in charge he takes issue with.\n <\/p>\n

\"Canadian<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n But recent conversations with Trump-supporting American colleagues are ultimately what made him think twice about spending vacation time arguing with people in the US: \u201cI just don\u2019t want to put myself in that position on a holiday where I know I\u2019m going to be normally just having beers and watching racing\u2026 I just think I wouldn\u2019t enjoy some of the conversations,\u201d he said.\n <\/p>\n

\n While Trump\u2019s chaotic salvo of tariffs levied on Canada and his rhetoric of calling for Canada to become the 51st state were bothersome, it has been the launch of the war in Iran that put Stewart over the edge.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt\u2019s really not Canadian [versus] American, it\u2019s just what\u2019s right and wrong,\u201d he said. For now, he\u2019s pausing all personal trips to the US.\n <\/p>\n

\n Recent analysis of cell phone activity by Cuebiq<\/a> shows as much as a 42% drop in the past year in Canadian visits to US metropolitan areas, a significantly higher number than the official 25% drop in estimated border crossings<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n

\n Joe Koenen, who runs Seattle Free Walking Tours, feels this acutely. CNN talked to him last summer when he saw Canadians disappear from Seattle.\n <\/p>\n

\n Koenen said things are even tougher this year. He\u2019s put more money into marketing and online advertising than ever, but the bookings are still down from last year.\n <\/p>\n

\n CNN had also spoken to Adam Duford last year, who runs Surf City Tours in Santa Monica, California. He says \u201cCanadian spring break\u201d simply didn\u2019t happen in 2025.\n <\/p>\n

\"Adam<\/p>\n

\n Duford does see more international tourists trickling back this year, but it\u2019s too late. In October, Duford had to let go of all seven of his employees.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt was terrible,\u201d Duford said. \u201cThey were so surprised and taken off guard. I was surprised they were surprised, so that made it almost worse.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Duford first took over the tour company in 2019, thinking, \u201cI guess sunshine and tourism in Santa Monica, California, it was never going to go away. That\u2019s a pretty good investment.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n He not only faced a pandemic shutdown, but also battled misinformation about where the 2025 Los Angeles fires had spread. He said people also mistakenly believed that protests over ICE presence had spread through the whole city (when it was mainly downtown<\/a>), a notion which kept some people away last year.\n <\/p>\n

\n In the end, his 2025 revenue was less than half of what it was in years before.\n <\/p>\n

\n Duford is now running one tour bus to Malibu by himself, while starting another business called Santa Monica Surf Tours, where he guides people on the water in different surf spots and sets up beach lunches for them. Duford is still trying to pay off a Covid-era loan for his first business.\n <\/p>\n

\"Smoke<\/p>\n

\n Duford needs about two guests per day to break even, which he thinks is feasible, given that he\u2019s seen more international customers this year so far.\n <\/p>\n

\n Another warm vacation spot, Florida, experienced the brunt of overall loss in international tourists, Sacks said. The Sunshine State is a favorite destination for snowbirds avoiding harsh winters.\n <\/p>\n

\n Walt Disney World, in central Florida, for example, sees a large swath of international guests each year, and even some diehard fans from abroad have hesitated to return<\/a> to that tourism behemoth.\n <\/p>\n

\n During Disney\u2019s latest quarterly earnings call, executives reported that domestic theme park attendance dropped 1% compared to the same quarter last year, \u201creflecting, in part, continued softness in international visitation.\u201d Disney\u2019s domestic hotel occupancy was also down from 92% a year ago to 89% in the company\u2019s second quarter of 2026, which ended on March 28.\n <\/p>\n

\n The report also noted that these same pressures were already present in the same quarter last year, creating a lower comparison base.\n <\/p>\n

\n Canadian travel to the US may now be entering a rebound phase with visits by car increasing 5.8% in April compared to the same month last year \u2014 the first month showing an increase in more than a year. Visits by air are still down, according to Statistics Canada.\n <\/p>\n

\n But recovery may be slow. People like Ray Caesar, of Toronto, aren\u2019t returning anytime soon.\n <\/p>\n

\"Ray<\/p>\n

\n \u201cCanada is not a subordinate state or a vassal of the United States,\u201d Caesar wrote to CNN in an email. \u201cThreats about \u2018destroying\u2019 our economy or diminishing our sovereignty strike many Canadians as profoundly disrespectful toward a country that has historically been one of America\u2019s closest allies, most stable neighbours, and most dependable trading partners.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Caesar and his wife, Jane Nagai, recently spent tens of thousands of dollars on a trip to Japan, instead of taking a trip to New York. He said they have plans to go back to Japan and will also be going to Vienna and Italy in the near future.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe reality is that there are many extraordinary places in the world to visit, and for us, the United States is simply no longer one of them. We have largely made peace with the idea that we may never return.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\"Jane<\/p>\n

\"Jane<\/p>\n

\n He\u2019s not frustrated with Americans themselves \u2014 but is disappointed with the people who have enabled this political direction or failed to resist it.\n <\/p>\n

\n Canadians aren\u2019t alone in these feelings; other would-be foreign visitors have balked at the talk over the US annexing Greenland, questioning the NATO alliance, and the handling of tariffs or wars.\n <\/p>\n

\n Sadness is the overwhelming reaction for Karin Williams, as she visits Massachusetts this month without the large, extended family that was supposed to be going with her.\n <\/p>\n

\n Williams, a dual citizen of the United States and Sweden, came to the US to see her son graduate from college. But she\u2019s there with only her husband and not the six other relatives from Scandinavia, who spent years saving up for this trip.\n <\/p>\n

\n Instead, the extended family canceled after seeing how federal agents<\/a> interacted with immigrants and US citizens in Minneapolis.\n <\/p>\n

\n Williams, who is chair of the Democrats Abroad Sk\u00e5ne (a region in Sweden) chapter, said she did not try to persuade her relatives to change their minds.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt\u2019s just sad to see a country with such potential, sort of being blundered in some way,\u201d she said, noting that it\u2019s many actions that add up. \u201cBetween the \u2018Bunker Ballroom\u2019 and ripping down the pool and putting his likeness up on buildings,\u201d Williams said Trump\u2019s actions are disturbing for Europeans who still live with the memories of World War II.\n <\/p>\n

\n Sacks said that overseas travel to the US (which excludes trips from Canada and Mexico) is \u201cdown another 4.3% through April. And while we still expect the beginnings of recovery in the second half of the year, it won\u2019t offset the substantial losses we\u2019ve experienced over the past year.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n The slower-than-expected recovery has to do with the war in Iran.\n <\/p>\n

\n Sentiments about the US and high jet fuel prices aside, simply flying from India to the US now, for example, has been significantly hampered by restricted air space in the Middle East. Visitor numbers from India are expected to dip more than 4% this year compared to last year.\n <\/p>\n

\n The World Travel and Tourism Council says the US is \u201cat a crossroads<\/a>.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n There is a \u201csignificant opportunity to restore international visitor spending,\u201d particularly as competition intensifies from countries in Asia, the organization states.\n <\/p>\n

\n But the question is whether US leaders will seize that opportunity.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cA big policy goal right now at the federal level is to improve the US trade balance,\u201d said Sacks. \u201cAnd the irony here is that historically, the US has had a trade balance in only one significant area, and that is in travel.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n But not in 2025. Americans now spend more traveling abroad than what foreign visitors spend visiting the US.\n <\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

\n And the National Travel and Tourism office projects international arrivals to the US won\u2019t exceed pre-pandemic levels until 2029, a full decade later.\n <\/p>\n

\n The World Cup is one bright spot. Games are supposed to bring about 1 million visitors to the US this year, Sacks said, so the benefit to host cities will be substantial, though hotel block sales aren\u2019t as robust as those cities had hoped.\n <\/p>\n

\n Sacks said FIFA had anticipated 100 Super Bowls\u2019 worth of visitors, but it will turn out to be more like 10 Super Bowls, which won\u2019t be nearly enough to make up for 2025 losses.\n <\/p>\n

\n Kayyem said she is starting to see more of a counter push in narrative that focuses on bringing people together and embracing diversity, especially at the local level from mayors and governors who will be hosting World Cup games.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cBut it\u2019s not going to change easily,\u201d Kayyem said, referring to a perception by the outside world that the US is a divided society at war, instead of a shining beacon of democracy. \u201cYou wonder if this is a generational shift.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n To start clawing out of this hole, Sacks said US leaders need to start by fully funding Brand USA, toning down the rhetoric particularly against our allies, and \u201cget[ting] out of our own way.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe will make it through this as well,\u201d Sacks said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a question of, how long does it take?\u201d\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Summary Foreign tourism to the US fell by 4 million visitors in 2025, costing the economy more than…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":444469,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[138,219,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-444468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy","tag-business","tag-economy","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444468"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444468\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/444469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}