Inbound Travel to US in Steep Decline

As rhetoric sharpens and tariffs mount, international perceptions of the US have taken a hit—at a time when we had expected to build on post-pandemic momentum.

Official data releases for March 2025 show international travel to the US in decline. The drops are attributable to the global fallout from the intensified “America First” stance, although later Easter timing also contributed. The March data reflect foreign visitor patterns before the April 2 “Liberation Day” tariff announcement, which may draw further backlash.

• Canadians returning from visits to the US by land plunged 31.9% year-over-year in March, while air arrivals fell 13.5%. Overseas visitor arrivals to the US in March contracted 11.6%, with particularly sharp declines from Germany and the UK. Air visitors from Mexico fell 23.0% in March.

• Policies and pronouncements from the Trump administration have contributed to a growing wave of negative sentiment toward the US among potential international travelers. Heightened border security measures and visible immigration enforcement actions are amplifying concerns. These factors, combined with a strong US dollar, are creating additional barriers for those considering travel to the US.