Dissatisfaction with the Donald Trump administration is rising in the U.S. tourism industry. They claim that the industry's revenue has sharply declined due to the Trump administration's misguided policies, such as tariff policies and increased immigrant enforcement.
On the 31st of last month (local time), CNN reported, "Many Canadians have been refusing to travel to the U.S. and purchase American products since spring," adding, "Not only Canadians but also other overseas travelers are leaving the U.S. due to tariff and immigration-related policies."
Canadians accounted for about 28% of foreign tourists who visited the U.S. last year, effectively supporting the U.S. tourism industry. However, President Trump has repeatedly made remarks suggesting that Canada should become the "51st state" of the U.S. Prior to taking office, he imposed and postponed a 25% tariff, fueling anti-American sentiment in Canada.
According to tourism analytics firm Tourism Economics, the number of overseas tourists visiting the U.S. this year is expected to decrease by 8.2% compared to the previous year. Late last year, the firm projected that the number of overseas tourists visiting the U.S. would increase by 9%, but it has revised this forecast downward as the number of Canadians visiting the U.S. from January to July this year has decreased by about a quarter compared to last year.
Joe Koenen, who sells walking tour packages in Seattle, told CNN that he has seen a 30% drop in customers this year, causing significant difficulties for his business. He is barely able to pay his staff and stated that this is the first time since acquiring the company in 2021 that he has had to invest his own money to keep it afloat. Koenen noted, "Canadians have called to cancel tours, citing President Trump's policies and actions as reasons."
John Brink, who operates a gourmet travel company in Seattle, also reported that the number of Canadian clients has decreased by 50% this year. He mentioned that thanks to American cruise passengers visiting this city, he has been able to somewhat offset the losses caused by the decrease in foreign tourists, but added, "If it weren't for unnecessary things like (President Trump's) tariffs or political rhetoric, I think we all would have generated much more revenue this year."
The U.S. West Coast is no exception. Adam Dupord, president of Surf City Tours, based in Santa Monica, California, said, "We had no customers during spring break and Memorial Day (Decoration Day)." He noted that his revenue has dropped by 49% this year, pointing to misinformation related to the LA wildfires that occurred earlier this year and protests against immigrant enforcement as major causes. The Orlando Visitor Bureau stated that the number of flights from Canada to Orlando significantly decreased in May, and hotel bookings have noticeably dropped since April.
Foreign tourists are turning to more tourist-friendly countries instead of the U.S. A couple from the UK, Rob Hawkins and his wife, had planned a 20-day trip to the U.S. next spring but changed their minds to visit Korea and Japan instead. Hawkins cited the deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles (LA) and Washington D.C. for immigration enforcement by the Trump administration as a reason.
The U.S. tourism industry is expected to struggle to recover from its slump for the time being. According to the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) under the U.S. Department of Commerce, the number of overseas tourists last year was 72.4 million, just 91% of the pre-pandemic level in 2019. Tourism Economics predicts that the U.S. tourism industry's recovery to pre-pandemic levels will be delayed until 2029, three years later than initially expected.
Julia Simpson, president of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), stated, "The world's largest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not due to a lack of demand but because of failure to take appropriate action," adding, "While other countries are signaling welcome to tourists, the U.S. government is putting up a 'closed' sign."