While the rest of the world saw an average increase of 4% in international tourism in 2025, the United States experienced a worrisome decrease of 5.4% over the year.
This decline, referred to as the “Trump slump,” can be attributed to stricter immigration policies, unfriendly changes to passports for LGBTQ+ individuals, enhanced border security, and currency fluctuations.
All eyes are now on the FIFA World Cup, with matches scheduled to take place in June and July across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The event was expected to draw a large number of football fans to the United States, but proposed changes to the ESTA system and increased scrutiny of social networks could potentially lower attendance below expectations.
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The decline in international tourism in the United States has been linked to various factors, including policy changes, security concerns, and negative perceptions of the country’s social and political climate.
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The “Trump slump” refers to a decrease in international visitors to the United States during a specific period characterized by certain policies and events.
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The tourism industry in the United States was hopeful that the FIFA World Cup would boost international travel despite existing challenges affecting visitor numbers.
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Concerns have been raised about the potential impact of new travel restrictions and security measures on travelers to the United States.
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The tourism sector in the United States is closely monitoring the effects of recent policies and events on international visitor numbers.
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The United States has seen a decline in foreign visitors across the board. The most significant drop involves Canadian tourism, which fell by 28% in January 2025 compared to the previous year.
Although there was a slight increase in visitors from the UK by 0.5%, arrivals from France and Germany continued to decline.
This trend appears to be continuing into 2026, with European travelers down by 5.2% in January compared to the previous year.
The unpredictability of foreign policy projects and tensions on the ground—such as threats of Greenland annexation and incidents involving ICE agents—have made foreign visitors more hesitant.
Strict border controls also deter visitors, especially after reports of Europeans and Canadians being held and interrogated by authorities last year.
In addition, the U.S. has imposed a travel ban on dozens of countries, including four nations qualified for the World Cup—Iran, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Haiti. They have also introduced a $250 “visa integrity fee” for non-immigrant tourist and business visas.
LGBTQ+ travelers are also reconsidering visits to the U.S. following federal recognition of only two biological sexes by President Trump in January last year.
The decision raises concerns about travel to a country where local laws and social climate can lead to challenging situations.
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The steep drop in tourism from Canada and the decline in European visitors suggest ongoing challenges for the tourism sector in the United States.
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The mix of security measures, political tensions, and policy changes has raised doubts about the attractiveness of the United States as a tourist destination.
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The upcoming FIFA World Cup was expected to significantly boost tourism in the United States.
In November, Tourism Economics released a report predicting that the event would trigger a strong rebound in international travel, filling hotels and showcasing the economic impact of such mega-events.
Tourism Economics projected that the U.S. would host 1.24 million international visitors for the World Cup, with 742,000 (60%) being additional visitors—trips that would not have occurred otherwise.
After a challenging 2025 for international stays in the United States (down by 6.3%), a 3.7% rebound in arrivals is expected in 2026, with a third of this growth attributed to the tournament, according to the report.
Fact Check:
Expectations of an increase in international visitors for the FIFA World Cup have raised hopes for the tourism industry in the United States.
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However, recent data suggests that these hopes may have been too optimistic.
In February, the U.S. ended nine consecutive months of tourism decline with a mere 0.8% increase, following a 4.2% drop in January, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office.
More concerning, flight reservations between Europe and the U.S. for this summer are down over 14% year-on-year, as reported by Forbes, citing data from aviation analysis company Cirium.
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Concerns have been raised about the potential impact of declining flight reservations and stricter travel requirements on tourism in the United States.
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A new “travel obstacle” could come into effect, as a proposal from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection would require future travelers to publicly provide their last five years of social media history when applying for ESTA travel authorization.
The ECTAA, the European Travel Agents and Tour Operators Association, believes that these proposals could make travel to the United States “more complicated, intrusive, and less accessible,” possibly even discouraging travel altogether.
Despite the expected increase in tourist numbers due to the World Cup, the realization of what could have been achieved might leave a bitter taste.
Fact Check:
New travel regulations, including stricter social media checks, could create barriers for travelers to the United States, affecting tourism numbers in the country.
