America is facing an unprecedented tourism crisis.

The US tourism industry will suffer heavy losses this year from the policies of the current administration - Photo: AFP

The US is expected to lose $12.5 billion in tourism revenue by 2025, according to new data from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Tourist spending is estimated to fall below $169 billion by the end of the year, down about 7% from last year and down as much as 22% from its peak in 2019, when tourism was at its peak in the United States.

This makes the US a special case. Of the 184 global economies analyzed by WTTC in collaboration with Oxford Economics, the US is the only country expected to lose tourism revenue this year.

"Other countries are really rolling out the red carpet for tourists, but the United States is like putting a closed sign on its door," said Julia Simpson, president and CEO of WTTC.

Why international visitors are leaving the US

This condition is not caused by a sudden factor, but is the result of years of accumulated problems.

Starting in the post-pandemic era, the US maintained strict entry requirements longer than most other countries, leading to a decline in arrivals.

The strong dollar then continued to make the US an expensive destination, especially for tourists from Japan and Europe.

"Japanese people used to travel to the US in large numbers, but the strong dollar made it too expensive. Europeans are in the same situation," Ms. Simpson said.

But in the current situation, she believes that the change in tourists' perception is turning the cracks in the US tourism industry into chasms.

International travelers have begun to change their behavior because of "America First" messages and the policies of the current Washington administration.

The latest statistics in March show that the number of tourists coming from key US markets all decreased sharply compared to the same period last year.

Specifically, the number of tourists from the UK decreased by 15%, from Germany by 28%, and from South Korea by 15%.

Other markets such as Spain, Ireland and the Dominican Republic also recorded significant declines, ranging from 24-33%.

“We are seeing a very sad shift in sentiment,” said Ms. Simpson.

“Lawmakers should not confuse tourism with illegal immigration. A smart system can handle both without making America a place no one wants to go.”

Falling behind the world

New York will be one of the states most seriously affected as international visitors hesitate to come to the US - Photo: AFP

The economic damage from this decline will not be evenly distributed across the U.S., with major gateway cities like New York and regions bordering Canada being hit hardest, according to WTTC.

The New York City Tourism Authority, for example, recently revised its previously optimistic forecast. Instead of fully recovering from the pandemic as hoped, the city now expects to see 400,000 fewer visitors and lose about $4 billion in tourism revenue compared to 2024.

While domestic visitors are expected to increase by 400,000, international visitors - who typically stay longer and spend more - are expected to fall by 800,000.

By 2024, international visitors contributed half of the city's $51 billion in total tourism revenue.

The situation has even spread to upstate New York, where 66% of businesses in the northern region — bordering Ottawa and Montreal in Canada — have seen a “significant decline” in bookings from Canadian visitors for 2025, according to Governor Kathy Hochul.

Ms. Hochul said the cause came from the tone of "America's 51st state" - a phrase President Trump used to refer to Canada - and the impact of tariff policies.

Among businesses in this area, 26% have had to adjust staff due to a drop in customers.

WTTC predicts that the US tourism industry will have to wait until at least 2030 to recover to pre-pandemic levels.

“India and the Middle East are growing, China is accelerating, Europe is still doing very well,” Ms. Simpson said. “It’s just the Americans who are being left behind and missing out.”

HA DAO

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nuoc-my-dang-phai-doi-mat-voi-khung-hoang-du-lich-chua-tung-co-20250514142154447.htm