The United States is experiencing a steady decline in foreign visitors, as President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration, trade, and travel restrictions continue to raise concerns among international travelers.
Preliminary government data shows that in July 2025, visits to the U.S. fell by 3 percent compared to the same month last year. This marks the fifth decline in six months since Trump began his second term in January.
“Everyone is afraid, scared – there’s too much politics about immigration,” said Luise Francine, a Brazilian tourist visiting Washington, D.C.
Experts point to a combination of Trump’s hard-line rhetoric and policies. Ryan Bourne, an economist at the Cato Institute, said the decrease was tied to the president’s trade wars and fears of travelers becoming caught up in immigration enforcement. Local officials also note that Trump’s repeated remarks about annexing Canada or Greenland have added to the unease.
Tourism Economics, a leading research firm, predicts international arrivals will fall by 8.2 percent this year—slightly better than its earlier forecast of 9.4 percent but still far below pre-pandemic levels. “The sentiment drag has proven to be severe,” the firm warned, pointing to airline bookings that suggest the slowdown will persist.
While Mexico has shown modest growth in visitors to the U.S., other major markets are shrinking. Travel from Canada has plunged, with one-quarter fewer Canadians visiting this year compared to 2024. Statistics Canada reported that, for the first time in nearly two decades, more Americans drove into Canada than Canadians crossed into the U.S. during June and July.
Elsewhere, China saw a steep 14 percent year-over-year drop in July, while visitors from India fell 5.5 percent. Among the top 10 tourist-generating countries, only Japan and Italy recorded gains.
Analysts note that geopolitical tensions and tariffs have soured relations with countries like India and China, deterring many potential travelers.
Industry experts say the U.S. travel sector is under strain from rising costs, political uncertainty, and global instability. Since January, Trump has revived a travel ban targeting mainly African and Middle Eastern countries, tightened visa approvals, and expanded immigration raids.
Adding to these hurdles, a new $250 “visa integrity fee” will take effect October 1 for travelers from non-visa waiver countries, including Mexico, Argentina, India, Brazil, and China. This raises the cost of a U.S. visitor visa to $442—among the highest in the world.
“Any friction we add to the traveler experience is going to cut volumes,” said Gabe Rizzi, president of Altour, a global travel management firm.
The financial impact is becoming clear. The World Travel & Tourism Council projects international visitor spending in the U.S. will drop to $169 billion in 2025, down from $181 billion last year. It also predicts the U.S. will be the only country among 184 studied to see a decline this year, calling it “a clear indicator that the global appeal of the U.S. is slipping.”
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