The United States is seeing a worrying trend in international tourism. According to the latest data from the National Travel & Tourism Office (NTTO), overseas travel to the U.S. declined by 11.6% in March 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. For the year to date, inbound visitation is down 3.3%, signaling broader challenges ahead for the country’s tourism industry.

The most affected source markets include Western Europe (-17.2%), the Middle East (-17.7%), South America (-10.4%), and Central America (-23.9%). Meanwhile, air arrivals from Mexico fell sharply by 23.2% in March, and 7.2% overall for the year. Notably, these figures exclude land crossings from Mexico and all Canadian arrivals, for which updated statistics are still pending.

These developments come just as Tourism Economics revised its forecast for U.S. inbound travel, projecting a 5.1% decline in 2025, reversing its earlier estimate of 8.8% growth. Additionally, China issued a travel advisory warning its citizens about travel to the U.S., citing diplomatic tensions — a move with potential implications, given that Chinese travelers were the top-spending overseas visitors before the pandemic.

Industry Concern and Calls for Action

During a congressional hearing on April 8, U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman urged lawmakers to act decisively. “We'd like to see that clear message right now, that Canadians, Europeans, all travelers, are encouraged to come to the United States,” Freeman stated. “That message could be sent more loudly right now.”

Freeman emphasized the importance of updating travel infrastructure and streamlining visa processing as key steps toward reversing the decline.

What Agencies Are Reporting

Despite the overall decline, feedback from international travel agencies paints a mixed picture. A recent poll by Serandipians, a Switzerland-based luxury travel consortium, surveyed 250 agencies outside the U.S. and found:

• 55% reported no change in demand for U.S. travel
• 35% saw a decline
• 10% reported an increase in demand

Among those noting a drop in interest, 33% experienced decreases of over 51%, citing reasons such as visa difficulties, political concerns, price sensitivity, and a growing appeal of other luxury destinations.

On a more optimistic note, Jacqueline Dobson, president of Internova Leisure Group, which includes the UK’s Barrhead Travel, said the UK market remains “extremely resilient.” “We’ve seen a stable picture in terms of new bookings,” Dobson stated, crediting expanded airlift to U.S. regional destinations as a factor.

She acknowledged that industry players are closely monitoring global economic conditions but expressed confidence in the tourism sector’s ability to weather upcoming challenges.