Sharp Decline in US Tourism as International Visitors Dwindle
Foreign tourism to the United States is witnessing a worrying downward trend. International visitor arrivals have seen a drop of 3% in July 2025 compared to the same period in the previous year. The decline has been notably severe among Canadian visitors, with a year-to-date decrease of 25.2%. The month of July alone saw a staggering 37% year-over-year drop in arrivals by car.
According to travel research firm Tourism Economics, the US is predicted to see 8.2% fewer international arrivals in 2025. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) projects that international visitor spending will fall below $169 billion this year, a significant decrease from $181 billion in 2024. The WTTC also pointed out that the US would be the only country among the 184 it studied where foreign visitor spending would fall in 2025.
Experts attribute this downturn to a combination of factors. These include political policies, visa processing delays, and the introduction of a new $250 “visa integrity fee” set to take effect on October 1, 2025.
Tourism hotspots ranging from Buffalo to Las Vegas are reporting fewer foreign visitors. In response, some cities have launched campaigns to win back international travelers.
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Source: Al Jazeera