What is causing foreign tourists to avoid the U.S. S.

Jorge Aranda, like many Canadians, ceased visiting the U.S. this year. To Axios, he says, “I don’t want to pretend that everything’s OK.”.

Why it matters: A decline in tourism is hurting local economies as a result of tariffs, the Trump administration’s anti-foreigner rhetoric, and strict immigration enforcement, according to many foreign visitors.

The main picture: Air travel to the United States from abroad. S. . is falling this year: according to an Axios analysis of U, it is down 7% from 2024. S. . information about Customs and Border Protection.

The U. S. could see 8–2% fewer foreign arrivals in 2025, according to a prediction made last month by the travel research firm Tourism Economics. They said that foreign visits would be significantly lower than those in 2019.

Zoom in: According to Tourism Economics, visits from our northern neighbors have decreased by 25% year-to-date, and Canadians in particular are avoiding them.

According to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Canadian carriers have seen an 18 percent drop in flights this year in Las Vegas, where travel is already suffering due to a slowing economy.

The largest source of foreign visitors to the city is Canada.

In Minnesota, which depends significantly on Canadian tourism, a recent survey found that 62% of tourism-related businesses anticipate fewer visitors from their northern neighbor.

The border city of Buffalo started a marketing campaign to entice travelers to return. “Buffalo Loves Canada” is the tagline. “.”.

Yes, but: Other U. S. Cities are experiencing an increase in tourism.

Despite an expected 19 percent drop in Canadian visitors, New York City anticipates a slight increase in tourists this year overall, reaching 64 million visitors, up from 64 million in 2024.

According to Kristen Reynolds, head of Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism division, Chicago is also up year-to-date from 2024 because of tourists from Colombia, Spain, Japan, and Italy.

The number of foreign arrivals at Denver’s airport has increased as a result of new international flights.

and reach the United States from Mexico. S. . remains intact. Mexicans are used to a tense relationship with the United States. A. Sonnet Frisbie, Morning Consult’s deputy head of political intelligence, says.

Tracking this reputation data, Frisbie says, “I think they felt less betrayed.”.

The other side: “Almost $127 billion was spent by foreign tourists in the United States on U.S. A. “President Trump’s efforts to Make America Beautiful and Safe Again for Americans and foreign visitors alike have helped to set a record high for travel and tourism-related goods in the first half of 2025,” a White House spokesperson tells Axios.

As it stands, some prospective tourists are feeling scared after reading news stories about tourists who have been arrested by ICE.

Regarding the president’s proposal to make Canada the 51st state, Canadians are offended.

Some people experience both. Aranda, 48, a Mexican-born Canadian, asks, “I thought we were friends, and you’re talking about annexing us?”.

Aranda usually travels to the United States at least a few times a year, but he is no longer coming. S. He says that it’s partly out of “spite,” echoing remarks made by other Canadians that Axios had heard. He claims that after reading about other travelers being wrongfully detained, he is also concerned for his safety.

This summer, his extended family, which consists of Mexican, American, and Canadian members, was organizing a get-together close to Grand Canyon. In the end, they stayed at an Airbnb in Quebec.

He declined his American employer’s offer to attend an industry conference in Las Vegas this year.

Alayna Alvarez and Carrie Shepherd provided reporting assistance.