Travel

Why Foreign Tourism to the U.S. Is Declining Under Trump

A combination of travel restrictions and anti-American sentiment has led to a decrease in international tourism during Trump's second term.

Eric Boehm | From the August/September 2026 issue

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America is celebrating its 250th birthday and hosting the world's biggest sporting event this year. But these days, we are welcoming fewer guests to the party.

Foreign tourism to the United States has slumped since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025. The administration's eagerness to raise barriers to people entering the country—even when they just want to come here temporarily to spend some money and then go home—is one likely reason why. That, in turn, is contributing to growing anti-American sentiment among travelers who might have otherwise vacationed in the United States.

That latter issue seems to be particularly salient for would-be travelers from America's northern neighbor. Canadian government data show a 25 percent decline in trips across the border into America in 2024 and 2025. The actual decrease might be even bigger. In May, the University of Toronto School of Cities published a report, based on cellphone data, that found Canadians made 42 percent fewer trips to the U.S. last year than they did in 2024.

Declining travel is a material indicator of a dynamic that pollsters have identified: Canadians are pretty........

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