As tourism to the United States plummets due to perceived risk, some travelers are reconsidering whether it’s safe to visit destinations recently threatened by President Trump.
This year was supposed to be a big year for tourists to the United States. In 2026, the country will not only celebrate the 100th anniversary of the iconic Route 66 highway and 250 years of independence, but will also co-host the FIFA World Cup. In any other year, an event like this would bring big smiles to American hotel owners and airline executives. But the past 12 months have been anything but ordinary.
Since retaking office in January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have imposed tariffs on longtime allies, repeatedly threatened to annex Canada, detained foreign tourists at the border, carried out mass deportations, and may soon roll out a program to scrutinize foreign tourists’ social media profiles before entering the country.
As a result, more countries are issuing travel warnings for the United States, with many calling for an outright boycott of travel to the United States, and some even calling the United States a “hostile nation.” The US is predicted to lose a staggering $12.5bn (£9.35bn) in international tourist spending in 2025, according to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Of the 184 countries analyzed by WTTC and Oxford Economics, only the United States was predicted to see a decline in international travel spending last year.
Getty Images“Once a dream come true, for many people, traveling to America now feels like both a political act, an act of immigration hubris, and a financial burden,” Sarah Kopit writes on the tourism industry website Skift. The site also reported that 46% of travelers surveyed last year said President Trump made them less likely to visit the United States.
