European travelers are scaling back summer trips to the United States, with bookings declining 10% year-on-year amid growing dissatisfaction with Trump administration policies, according to a Bloomberg report citing data from British tourism analysts. Canadian visitors are retreating even faster, with May-July flight bookings plummeting 33%.
Tourism Economics, a research firm under Oxford Economics, revealed international arrivals to the U.S. could drop 8.7% in 2025, translating to $8.5 billion in lost visitor spending. The trend reverses post-pandemic recovery expectations, with April data showing 9.5% fewer May bookings and double-digit declines for June and July.
Analysts attribute the shift to multiple factors, including Trump's tariff disputes with traditional allies, highly publicized border security incidents, and international travel advisories about U.S. visit risks. 'These declines mark a stark contrast to our prior expectations,' the firm stated, highlighting how geopolitical tensions are reshaping global travel patterns.
The development presents challenges for U.S. tourism operators while raising questions about how political climate impacts international perceptions of destinations. Industry watchers suggest travelers may be redirecting budgets to Asian markets or European domestic tourism as alternatives.
