Sharp’s change in plans reflects a larger trend of international travelers rethinking where they are spending their travel budgets and pulling back on visits to the U.S.
Another executive order, which says the federal government recognizes only two sexes, male and female, prompted several countries, including Denmark, Finland and Germany, to issue official cautions for LGBTQ+ travelers visiting the U.S., particularly transgender travelers.
Research from Arival Travel shows that LGBTQ+ travelers are more likely to be affluent, with a household income of over $150,000, compared with other travelers.
John Tanzella, CEO of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, said his organization is already sensing a pullback in international LGBTQ+ travel to the U.S.
However, Tanzella, of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, said he heard numbers for WorldPride were down this year.
Getty Images | Lightrocket | Erik McGregor.
For his friend’s milestone birthday in July, Canadian Robert Sharp intended to travel to Provincetown, Massachusetts, which is among the world’s most LGBTQ+-friendly communities.
However, against the backdrop of persistent trade tensions brought on by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ policies and rhetoric in the U.S. A. He claimed that his plans had changed.
Sharp questioned, “Do we want to support our own country or do we want to have that stress before going on vacation?”.
He stated that his intended travel group had canceled the trip and would now be visiting Montreal instead.
This year, Sharp and his companion had also planned a separate trip to Chicago or Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but they changed their plans to take a road trip in Canada between Calgary and Vancouver.
“We have been severely impacted by tariffs in Canada, and there is a strong sense of patriotism in this region. In order to boost our economy, we finally made the decision to travel home, visit the Rockies, and spend money domestically,” Sharp stated.
A broader trend of foreign tourists reconsidering where they spend their travel funds and reducing their trips to the United States is reflected in Sharp’s altered plans. S. .
How many foreigners visit the United States? S. by air fell 10% in March compared to the same month last year, the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration reported. Inbound travelers to the United States, including land border crossings. S. . According to the industry group, it dropped 14% in March compared to the same time last year.
Spending by foreign visitors to the United States is estimated by Oxford Economics. S. will drop by $8–5 billion this year due to unfavorable opinions of the U. A. linked to immigration and trade policies drive tourists to other locations.
Reservations for LGBTQ+-friendly housing and accommodations in the U.S. S. Comparing February to April to the same period last year, misterbandb, an LGBTQ+ travel platform, saw a 66 percent decrease among Canadian users and a 32 percent decline among European users.
The company reported that during that time, bookings in blue states increased by 22% while bookings in red states decreased by 9%. Cities in red states like Austin, Texas, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City also saw declines.
Global bookings on the platform are rising, according to Matthieu Jost, CEO of Misterb&B. According to Jost, LGBTQ+ people seem to be taking more vacations, but they’re going to different places.
According to the company’s survey, the majority of travelers who use misterb&b this year support inclusive economies and destinations by using their travel budget as a form of activism.
Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images | Arun Nevader.
The rainbow dollar.
Sharp is not the only one who has altered his travel itinerary; he also owns the LGBTQ-friendly travel agency Out Adventures.
The LGBTQ+ advocacy group Egale Canada said in a statement in February that its members would not attend conferences or events in the United States in person. S. . this year, such as WorldPride, which was held in Washington, D.C., at the start of June. C.
Helen Kennedy, executive director of Egale Canada, stated that the decision was made primarily to ensure the safety of individuals.
During his second term, Trump has issued a number of executive orders that target transgender individuals, such as prohibiting them from openly serving in the military and attempting to discourage transgender athletes from participating in women’s and girls’ sports.
Several nations, including Denmark, Finland, and Germany, have issued official warnings for LGBTQ+ visitors to the United States in response to another executive order that states the federal government recognizes only two sexes: male and female. A. especially transgender tourists. Additionally, Canada has added special warnings for travelers whose passports indicate the gender “X” to its updated travel advice.
Kennedy gave yet another explanation for the decision to skip the U.S. S. was to resist what she considers to be “economic warfare” carried out by the U.S. A. with Canada in mind.
“Canada and the U.S. are discussed. A. being excellent neighbors for a long time. “Yes, we do, but that’s usually driven by economic interests,” Kennedy stated. “You think, ‘Well, okay, why would I go there?’ when you combine that human element with the economic element.”.
In order to attend a conference or event, Kennedy said Egale Canada members who are active in nongovernmental organizations typically spend between $3,000 and $5,000 per person. She estimated that business travelers typically spend at least $5,000.
“We do spend a fair chunk of change in hotels,” she stated. “We go on trips, rent bikes, and engage in all the activities that everyone else does. “..”.
The travel market for LGBTQ+ individuals is substantial. A 2022 study by the market research firm Pride Co-Op estimates that LGBTQ+ consumers’ total purchasing power is $1.04 trillion.
The global LGBTQ+ tourism market was valued at $296.8 billion in 2023, and according to Market, it is projected to more than double in the next ten years, reaching $634.9 billion in 2033. America.
When compared to other travelers, LGBTQ+ travelers are more likely to be wealthy, with a household income of over $150,000, according to research from Arival Travel.
According to the Arival research, LGBTQ people plan more tours and activities and spend more money on them when they travel than people in other groups.
International LGBTQ+ travel to the United States is already declining, according to John Tanzella, CEO of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association. A. International members have expressed reluctance to attend the organization’s global convention in Palm Springs, California, in October, he said.
Tanzella asked, “They don’t feel welcome here, so why come and spend their money here?”.
“On the surface, it impacts hotels and airlines. However, a closer look reveals that it does have an impact on other businesses, including restaurants, bars, spas, and barbershops. Many communities depend on visitors to spend their money there,” he continued.
Photo by Kayla Bartkowski via Getty Images.
Pride is still celebrated.
In spite of worries about declining numbers of LGBTQ+ tourists from abroad and some declines in corporate support for Pride events, Pride organizations throughout the U.S. S. claimed that a large number of people attended Pride Month events, which are typically held on the final weekend of June.
However, a number of organizations stated that since many Pride events are free and accessible to the public, it is still too early to obtain official attendance figures or to make an educated guess.
In keeping with its usual attendance figures, NYC Pride’s associate director of partnerships, Matt Şenız-Cheng, stated that the organization anticipates 22.5 million people to attend its Pride events this past weekend.
He said the economy, tariffs, and backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion caused NYC Pride to lose about 25% of its corporate sponsorships at the beginning of this year. However, he projected that there would be more participants and contingents at this year’s Pride march than in years past.
The Capital Pride Alliance, which organized WorldPride this year, said its executive director, Ryan Bos, was “pleasantly surprised” that despite the Trump administration’s policies, people continued to attend.
Bos stated that he had received requests to postpone this year’s event because of political unrest in Washington.
Bos asked, “If we had retreated, what message would that have sent to all the other Prides who are also facing similar difficulties?”.
Bos stated that he thinks the turnout was good, even though WorldPride has not yet released official attendance figures. But according to Tanzella of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, he has heard that WorldPride attendance is lower this year.
The pride celebrations in red state cities have also persisted.
Phoenix Pride’s annual Rainbows Festival in April drew 33,000 attendees, up from roughly 28,000 the previous year, according to a statement from Executive Director Michael Fornelli to CNBC. Because of the summer heat, its pride parade will take place in October.
According to Bonnie O’Brien, festival director, SLC Pride’s celebration last weekend drew an estimated 17,000 people, which is more than the 10,000 it saw the year before.
O’Brien remarked, “We are in a little bit of a blue bubble here in Salt Lake.”. “We don’t anticipate visitors from large cities or other nations. Yes, but will we have people from Wyoming? Yes, we will have people from rural Idaho and Utah. “.”.
“Travel isn’t the point. “Red and blue aren’t important,” she stated. It concerns where they can find a sense of community the closest. And that they are aware that, even for a weekend, they are safe. “.
