Trump discusses decline in foreign tourism to the US with businesses
US President Donald Trump met in Washington with executives of major travel companies to discuss ways to halt the decline in the number of foreign visitors to the country. Representatives of American Airlines, Marriott, MGM Resorts and Carnival took part in the meeting, The Japan Times reports.
The temporary effect of the World Cup
Hosting the FIFA World Cup this summer temporarily supported the US tourism industry. In June, travel spending rose by 6.2% year-on-year to $122.1 billion. This was the highest monthly figure in a year, while FIFA reported record attendance at the tournament.
Trump called the competition a significant economic boost for US host cities. At the same time, according to the US Department of Commerce, the number of overseas visitors in January-July 2026 was 4.7% lower, despite the June rebound.
Target of 100 million visitors
U.S. Travel Association President Geoff Freeman said the association aims to increase the annual number of foreign visitors to 100 million. In 2025, 68 million foreign visitors came to the United States, 5.5% fewer than a year earlier. By comparison, France welcomed a record 102 million foreign tourists in 2025.
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Representatives of the tourism industry link the decline in international travel to the US to long waits for visa interviews, higher airfares, stricter immigration policy, tariffs and travel restrictions to the US for citizens of certain countries.
Visitor bonds
Freeman also criticized the Trump administration's introduction of bonds for visitors from 50 countries. According to him, this led to an 80% decline in arrivals from those countries. The number of visitors from Canada fell by 20% last year, while the number of tourists in Las Vegas decreased by 7.5% in 2025.
The White House said it had simplified airport screening procedures: passengers were allowed not to remove their shoes, and separate screening lanes for families were introduced at some airports. The administration also plans to expand biometric fast lanes for US citizens returning to the country and speed up transfers from international to domestic flights.
