Traveller numbers to the USA “tell a concerning story” and the country’s travel industry has got to work harder to send a clear message that visitors are welcome.
This was the warning from senior tourism officials at IPW in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, last week.
Last year, the U.S. was the only country in the world to see a decline in international travel and an industry that once returned a $150 billion travel trade surplus is now wrestling with a $70 billion deficit.
Whereas global travel grew by more than 10%, travel to the U.S. declined by 5% (although the country still welcomed 68 million travellers in 2025).
Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association (U.S. Travel), said the county is putting in place several measures to confront concerns “that need to be tackled head on”.
Misperceptions about visa requirements, entry procedures, screening policies and national park pricing, amongst others, have created confusion among some international travellers, he said.
“Among the concerns that I often hear is travellers are worried that when they come through U.S. customs they will be pulled over or have their device searched. We have all seen the horror stories in the media,” he said.
“And yet the percentage of people that have a device looked at or who are asked to do a secondary screening when they enter the U.S. today is exactly same under the Trump Administration as it was under the Biden Administration. This is an example of the misperceptions that we’re confronting. But the truth is, the perception becomes someone’s reality, and we’ve got to work harder to set a clear message that visitors are welcome.”
To reassure those nervous about travelling to the U.S., Brand USA launched a new initiative at IPW, Get Facts. Get Going, which provide real-time information on visa and entry policies, fees and more.
“Get Facts. Get Going serves as a single source of information to address lingering concerns head-on. We want international visitors to know that we are open for business and will warmly welcome them,” said Fred Dixon, Brand USA’s President and CEO.
“With the byline Travel with Confidence to the USA, the initiative addresses a range of misperceptions circulating on social media and in international markets, including outdated or incomplete information. In each case, the facts tell a far more welcoming story than what travellers are hearing – which is why we have a full set of facts, (available at visittheusa.com/entry),” added Dixon.
The USTA’s Freeman said several little-reported but positive steps have been introduced under the Trump administration to help smooth the arrival process for visitors.
These include the deployment of 5,000 new Customs officers at airports around the country to reduce lines and waiting times, investing $500 million to create a biometric exit system for travellers leaving the country (“the gateway to expanding the Visa Waiver programme”, he said), and securing more than 12 billion dollars to modernise the air traffic control system.
In addition, technological improvements, including Mobile Passport Control (MCP) and expanded Trusted Traveller programmes like Global Entry, ease the entry process for visitors.
“New USTA research showed that more than four out of five travellers that come to the U.S. feel safe, secure and welcome, and go home and telling their friends and family that they have had a positive experience,” added Freeman.
“We know that travellers leave with a better impression of the U.S.; they leave as our brand ambassadors around the world”.
Freeman said that the U.S. was in “a once in a generation moment”, with the FIFA World Cup kicking off on June 12, America’s 250th birthday celebrations across the country this year, the Summer Olympics coming to Los Angele, and Oklahoma City in 2028, the Rugby World Cup in 2031 and the Winter Olympics in 2024.
