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| According to CNN Travel, the decline of the American tourism sector is mainly due to the unexpected erosion of its cultural influence by domestic and foreign policies. (Source: CNN) |
CNN Travel predicts that 2025 will mark a worrying turning point for the US tourism industry, as for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of international visitors to the United States will decline year over year, and this decline will be even more pronounced than during the recession World Financial Report of 2008.
It should be noted that this decline does not result from objective shocks such as pandemics or economic crises, but mainly from political factors and policies implemented by the United States itself.
In 2025, the number of foreign visitors to the United States is expected to decrease by about 4 million compared to 2024, leading to a drop in spending of more than $8 billion. This situation will not only harm the service and tourism sectors, but will also have significant repercussions on Washington’s international influence, its diplomatic influence and the economy as a whole.
For a long time, the United States has been a model for the world. However, their cultural influence is weakening considerably, their image abroad being far from positive. The number of international visitors to the United States is expected to fall by 5.5% in 2025, the largest decline in twenty years, excluding 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Domestic policy has a direct impact on tourism.
In addition to cognitive obstacles, practical difficulties encountered by tourists are increasing, including concerns over the proposed “visa guarantee” fee of up to $250, rising airline ticket prices due to conflict in the Middle East, and budget cuts affecting Brand USA, the sole agency charged with promoting American tourism internationally. Although the US Congress has passed bills to restore this funding, no concrete progress has been seen to date.
Proposing additional taxes and waging trade wars are policies that “appear to save money, but actually cause much greater damage to the United States” because these actions in Washington create considerable confusion and even resentment.
The ambiguity of the policies put in place and the general discontent forced Brand USA to launch a campaign aimed at restoring visitor confidence and correcting erroneous information.
One of the campaign’s goals was to clarify that visa guarantee fees had not been collected, and to propose that the Trump administration not require travelers to provide their social media history for the past five years.
Although average spending per tourist is expected to increase in 2025, the sharp decline in tourist numbers means total spending will still be $8.4 billion lower than the previous year (after adjusting for inflation and exchange rates), according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.
Furthermore, Tourism Economics even estimates that losses could reach $25 billion compared to the initial growth scenario.
It is worth noting that this decline in the United States is part of a global trend where, although 80 million more people are expected to travel abroad in 2025 compared to the previous year, they have chosen destinations other than the United States.
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| Tourists take photos on the Staten Island Ferry in New York, USA. (Source: Bloomberg) |
Canada is turning its back, national businesses are suffering the consequences.
Canada is the country that best illustrates this trend.
Although the number of visitors from Germany, India, France, Chile, Australia and China has also declined, the overall decline is mainly due to Canadians no longer crossing the U.S. border. A rare bright spot was the increase of around one million Mexican visitors compared to 2024.
The personal story of a resident of Ontario, Canada, perfectly illustrates this sentiment. After more than 35 years of regular trips to the United States every spring, he decided to put an end to it, having reached his ideological limits, particularly following developments linked to foreign policy and tensions with Iran.
The tourism sector is also hard hit. According to a Cuebiq data analysis, the number of Canadians visiting major U.S. cities has decreased by nearly 42% over the past year. In Seattle and Santa Monica, many travel agencies have been forced to reduce their staff or operations.
Florida, a popular destination for international tourists, has seen an even more marked decline. Even Disney World saw a decline in out-of-state visitors, leading to lower hotel occupancy and park attendance.
Although some signs of recovery are starting to appear, particularly among Canadian land travelers, the outlook for recovery remains considered slow. Many travelers indicated that they have opted for other destinations such as Japan and Europe, and who no longer consider the United States as a destination of choice.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) believes that the United States is at a turning point. The opportunity to boost international tourism spending is real, but the question is whether U.S. officials are ready to seize it.
To reverse this trend, Washington must start with fundamental measures such as fully restoring funding for Brand USA, de-escalating divisive rhetoric, particularly with its allies, and removing self-imposed obstacles. The question is not whether the United States will overcome these challenges, but when Washington will.
Source : https://baoquocte.vn/du-lich-my-lao-doc-khi-suc-manh-mem-bat-ngo-bi-bao-mon-boi-chinh-sach-doi-noi-va-doi-ngoai-398285.html
