Augusta Saraiva on the likely decline of international tourists visiting the U.S.

International travelers spent a record $254 billion in the US last year, according to ITA figures. Coming into 2025, the outlook was positive: The ITA projected in early March that the US would welcome 77 million visitors this year, just shy of the 2019 record, before pushing to a new high in 2026.

But those estimates came out just before stories of harsh detentions at US airports, ensnaring travelers from countries like France and Germany, started making headlines. Canadians, meanwhile – the largest group of foreign tourists in the US – are choosing to stay put as Trump ramps up attacks on the country’s economy and sovereignty.

Almost $20 billion in retail spending from international tourists in the US may be at risk, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence analysis.

~ Augusta Saraiva, "US economy is set to lose billions as foreign tourists stay away," The Economic Times, April 14, 2025