International tourists concerned about President Donald Trump’s trade policies and bellicose rhetoric have been canceling trips to the United States, depriving the US tourism industry of billions of dollars at a time when the economy is reeling.
Canadians are avoiding trips to Disney World and music festivals. Europeans are avoiding US national parks, and Chinese travelers are vacationing in Australia instead.
International travel to the United States is expected to decline 5% this year, contributing to a $64 billion deficit for the tourism sector, according to Tourism Economics. The research firm had initially forecast a 9% increase in outbound travel but revised its estimate late last month to reflect the Trump administration’s polarizing policies and rhetoric.
“There has been a dramatic shift in our outlook,” said Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics. “We’re facing a much weaker economic engine than it would have been otherwise, not only because of the tariffs, but also because of the rhetoric and condescending tone surrounding them.”
According to government data, the number of foreign visitors to the United States fell 2.4% in February compared to a year earlier, with the largest declines among travelers from Africa (down 9%), Asia (down 7%), and Central America (down 6%). Meanwhile, travel from China, a frequent target of the president’s ire, is down 11%.
Pinelope Poole, a resident of the Philippines, has canceled plans for a family cruise in Florida with her 90-year-old mother. Instead, she and nearly 30 relatives are headed to a lakeside resort in Canada.
“My siblings and I decided that, given the initial volatility and hostility of this administration, we couldn’t take the risk,” said the 66-year-old, adding that some relatives would be traveling from Indonesia and Mexico. “We were increasingly concerned about our personal safety.”
