Trump Seems To Be Driving Tourists Away

The United States is one of the top three most visited countries in the world.

- ROSS BENNETT-COOK

The big draw cards — cities such as San Francisco, New York and Chicago and national parks such as Yosemite — have attracted international tourists for decades. This combined with its role as a global business powerhouse meant it had 66.5 million visitors in 2023 — and the 2024 figure is expected to be higher still.

But a lot has changed in recent months, and 2025's figures may not be as strong. The 2024 reelection of Donald Trump as the president of the United States and the consequential changes in foreign diplomacy and relations, alongside internal cultural shifts, are starting to change global attitudes towards the US — attitudes that appear to be affecting tourists' desire to visit the US.

In a recent report by research firm Tourism Economics, inbound travel to the US is now projected to decline by 5.5 per cent this year, instead of growing by nearly 9 per cent as had previously been forecast. A further escalation in tariff and trade wars could result in further reductions in international tourism, which could amount to a US$18 billion annual reduction in tourist spending in 2025.

There is already some evidence of travel cancellations. Since Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on many Canadian goods, the number of Canadians driving across the border at some crossings has fallen by up to 45 per cent, on some days, when compared to last year. Canada is the biggest source of international tourists to the US. Air Canada has announced it is reducing flights to some US holiday destinations, including Las Vegas, from March, as demand reduces.