Downturn in international travel to the US may last beyond summer, experts warn

Forecasts show US losing foreign travelers

The World Travel & Tourism Council projected ahead of Memorial Day that the U.S. would be the only country among the 184 it studied where foreign visitor spending would fall in 2025. The finding was "a clear indicator that the global appeal of the U.S. is slipping," the global industry association said.

"The world's biggest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction," Julia Simpson, the council's president and CEO, said. "While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the 'closed' sign."

Travel research firm Tourism Economics, meanwhile, predicted this month that the U.S. would see 8.2% fewer international arrivals in 2025, an improvement from its earlier forecast of a 9.4% decline but well below the numbers of foreign visitors to the country before the COVID-19 pandemic.