US sees drop in foreign visitors in 2025

The United States recorded a 6% fall in foreign visitors in 2025, even as global tourism continued to expand and spending rose worldwide, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. The decline came as international travel spending grew 6.7% from the previous year, driven by strong demand in Europe and Asia. More than 1.5 billion tourists spent $11.7 trillion on hotels, cruises and flights globally in 2025, WTTC data showed. Tourism accounted for 10.3% of global gross domestic product, with spending growing at twice the pace of overall economic growth. Europe and Japan gain as US arrivals dip WTTC interim President and CEO Gloria Guevara said travel demand remained strong, particularly among younger travellers who are taking trips more frequently. However, concerns including US anti-immigration policies pushed some tourists toward destinations such as Spain, France and Japan. Latin American travellers, including Colombians and Mexicans, travelled less to the United States. Guevara said Mexicans who did visit the US tended to make shorter trips. As a result, foreign tourist spending in the US fell 7% as arrivals from Canada, Mexico and Europe declined. Domestic travel cushions US tourism Despite the drop in international visitors, domestic tourism spending helped offset the decline. The US remains the world’s largest travel and tourism economy, according to the WTTC. Guevara said the industry continued to grow despite concerns raised by residents in popular destinations. “We have not seen the impact of overtourism, and the best example is precisely where overtourism has been generated, particularly in Europe and Japan, where we are seeing another record,” she said. Global growth to continue in 2026 The WTTC expects global tourism to grow by 4.5% in 2026, again outpacing overall economic growth. France received an estimated 105 million visitors in 2025, while Spain welcomed more than 96.5 million tourists. Both figures were well above the 68 million visitors recorded by the United States last year.