With several changes coming from the Trump administration, the American tourism industry may soon see a steep decline as other countries issue travel advisories to those coming to the U.S.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism in America is a trillion-dollar industry, contributing $2.36 trillion to the country’s GDP in 2023. It also has a major impact on the nation’s jobs report, making up around 11%.
However, experts like Jukka Laitamaki, a professor of international hospitality and tourism at New York University, shared with Newsweek that a drop in tourism from other countries could carry an economic impact “anywhere between $60 to $120 billion USD in 2025.”
So, which countries have issued travel advisories?
Our neighbors to the north continue to boycott U.S. goods and Canadian snowbirds, those who travel to southern states for the winter, are beginning to look elsewhere. Much of the animosity between the U.S. and Canada comes as President Trump continues to say he’s going to make the country the “51st state.”
Canada’s travel advisory warns its citizens of updates to those who spend more than 30 days in the U.S., as they are now required to register for stays that are longer.
Still, traffic from Canada is down dramatically, as the number of Canadians returning to the U.S. via car dropped by 23% in February compared to the year prior, according to Statistics Canada. On top of that, flights fell by 13.1%.
Across the pond, similar travel advisories have been issued by the U.K., France, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and Germany, as the countries warn their citizens of the danger of staying in the U.S. long-term without proper registration.
“You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules,” guidance from the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says.
Several countries have warned their citizens about possible detentions and entry refusals following reports of foreign nationals being held by U.S. immigration authorities.
Because of the new advisories from these countries, Laitamaki said that the U.S. tourism industry is set to feel an impact, as many will opt not to come here.
“The Canadian, German, and U.K. travel advisories will have a significant impact on the U.S. tourism economy. Together with Mexico, these three countries counted for 56% of the 77.7 million international tourist arrivals in 2024,” he said.
“Due to the ‘detained tourists’ effect, the impact of these travel advisories will accelerate spread across the European Union and other countries,” he added.