For a few hopeful weeks this summer, a bright billboard on the major highway linking Toronto to New York greeted Canadian drivers with a simple message: \u201cBuffalo Loves Canada.\u201d The marketing campaign, which included a $500 gift card giveaway, was meant to show Buffalo\u2019s northern neighbors they were welcome, wanted and missed.<\/p>\n
At first, it seemed like it might work, said Patrick Kaler, CEO of the local tourism organization Visit Buffalo Niagara. More than 1,000 people entered the giveaway. But by the end of July, it was clear the city\u2019s reliable summer wave of Canadian visitors would not arrive this year.<\/p>\n
Buffalo\u2019s struggle reflects a broader downturn in international tourism to the U.S. that travel analysts warn could persist well into the future. From northern border towns to major hot spots such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles, popular travel destinations reported hosting fewer foreign visitors this summer.<\/p>\n
Experts and some local officials attribute the trend that first emerged in February to President Donald Trump\u2019s return to the White House. They say his tariffs, immigration crackdown and statements about the U.S. acquiring Canada and Greenland alienated travelers from other parts of the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo see the traffic drop off so significantly, especially because of rhetoric that can be changed, is so disheartening,\u201d Kaler said.<\/p>\n
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 \u201ca clear indicator that the global appeal of the U.S. is slipping,\u201d the global industry association said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe world\u2019s biggest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction,\u201d Julia Simpson, the council\u2019s president and CEO, said. \u201cWhile other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the \u2018closed\u2019 sign.\u201d<\/p>\n
Related<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sentiment drag has proven to be severe,\u201d the firm said, noting that airline bookings indicate \u201cthe sharp inbound travel slowdown\u201d of May, June and July would likely persist in the months ahead.<\/p>\n
Organizers of an international swing dancing competition said an impression of America\u2019s hostility to foreigners led them to postpone the event, which had been scheduled to take place this month in the Harlem area of New York City.<\/p>\n
About three months into Trump\u2019s second term, international competitors began pulling out of the world finals of the International Lindy Hop Championships, saying they felt unwelcome, event co-producer Tena Morales said. About half of attendees each year come from outside the U.S., primarily from Canada and France, she said.<\/p>\n
Contest organizers are considering whether to host the annual competition in another country until Trump\u2019s presidency ends, Morales said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe climate is still the same and what we\u2019re hearing is still the same, that [dancers] don\u2019t want to come here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The nation\u2019s capital, where the Trump administration in recent weeks deployed National Guard members and took over management of Union Station, also has noticed an impact.<\/p>\n
Local tourism officials have projected a 5.1% dip in international visitors for the year. Marketing organization Destination DC said last week it planned to \u201ccounter negative rhetoric\u201d about the city with a campaign that would feature residents and highlight the \u201cmore personal side\u201d of Washington.<\/p>\n
U.S. government data confirms an overall drop-off in international arrivals during the first seven months of the year. The number of overseas visitors, a category that doesn\u2019t include travelers from Mexico or Canada, declined by more than 3 million, or 1.6%, compared with the same period a year earlier, according to preliminary figures from the National Travel and Tourism Office.<\/p>\n
Not all U.S. destinations reported sluggish summers for tourism.<\/p>\n
On eastern Wisconsin\u2019s Door Peninsula, which straddles Lake Michigan and Green Bay, a steady stream of loyal Midwest visitors helped deliver a strong summer for local businesses, according to Jon Jarosh, a spokesperson for Destination Door County.<\/p>\n
Many business owners reported a noticeable uptick in foot traffic after a quieter start to the season, Jarosh said, and sidewalks were bustling and restaurants were packed by midsummer.<\/p>\n
Executives from the major U.S. airlines said last month that American passengers booking premium airfares helped fill their international flights and that demand for domestic flights was picking up after a weaker than expected showing in the first half of 2025.<\/p>\n
The Federal Aviation Administration said it was gearing up for what is expected to be the busiest Labor Day weekend in 15 years. Bookings for U.S. airlines were up about 2% compared with 2024 for the long holiday weekend that started Thursday, aviation analytics firm Cirium said.<\/p>\n
As the summer winds down, though, the absence of foreign visitors in Buffalo was still visible, according to Kaler, the head of Visit Buffalo Niagara.<\/p>\n
Canada sent over 20.2 million visitors to the U.S. last year, more than any other country, U.S. government data showed. But this year, residents of Canada have been among the most reluctant to visit.<\/p>\n
In a major U-turn, more U.S. residents drove into Canada in June and July than Canadians making the reverse trip, according to Canada\u2019s national statistical agency. Statistics Canada said it was the first time that happened in nearly two decades with the exception of two months during the pandemic.<\/p>\n
In July alone, the number of Canadian residents returning from the U.S. by car was down 37% from the year before and return trips by plane fell 26%, the agency said.<\/p>\n
As a result, Visit Buffalo Niagara shifted its marketing efforts this summer to cities such as Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago. Amateur children\u2019s sporting events also helped fill the void left by Canadian tourists.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will always welcome Canadians back when the time is right,\u201d Kaler said. \u201cI don\u2019t want Canadians to feel like we see them as just dollar signs or a transaction at our cash registers. They mean more to us that that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The decline in international tourism to the U.S. is a complex issue with multiple factors at play. While some destinations have reported strong summers, others have struggled to attract foreign visitors. The U.S. travel industry faces significant challenges, including rising travel costs, political uncertainty, and ongoing geopolitical tensions.<\/p>\n
As the industry looks to the future, it is clear that a new approach is needed to attract international visitors and restore the U.S. as a premier tourist destination. This may involve shifting marketing efforts to new markets, investing in infrastructure and amenities, and addressing the concerns of potential visitors.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the success of the U.S. travel industry will depend on its ability to adapt to changing global trends and to provide a welcoming and inclusive experience for visitors from around the world.<\/p>\n
Q: What is the current state of international tourism to the U.S.?<\/p>\n
US Tourism Industry Faces Challenges For a few hopeful weeks this summer, a bright billboard on the major highway linking Toronto to New York greeted Canadian drivers with a simple message: \u201cBuffalo Loves Canada.\u201d The marketing campaign, which included a $500 gift card giveaway, was meant to show Buffalo\u2019s northern neighbors they were welcome, wanted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":12337,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-12335","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/dmn-dallas-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com\/resizer\/v2\/3G4KCLV2HBEZ7IYKT6EZSEF3HI.jpg?auth=ac4884fb5b35898c94165cb72e4c930fd7f9eb8ee2f5d68eb15030c2fcedf3ab&quality=80&width=1200&height=630&smart=true","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12335"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12335"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12338,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12335\/revisions\/12338"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}