The number of UK residents visiting the United States fell by 14.3% in March compared with the same month last year, according to official figures. Analysts attribute the decline to Donald Trump’s rhetoric and policies, including claims that other countries are ‘cheating’ Americans and reports of deportations of foreign visitors.
David Edwards, founder of travel consultancy Scattered Clouds, suggested the drop may signal a bigger fall in summer bookings. ‘Once we get into July, August, September, most of those trips will have been booked,’ he said. He added that business travel could be hit more swiftly if uncertainty persists. The US National Travel and Tourism Office data shows an even larger 16% decline compared with March 2019.
Visitors from other western European countries also avoided the US in March, with German numbers down 28.2% and Spanish down 24.6%. Overall global travel to the US fell 11.6%. A poll by travel industry magazine TTG found two-thirds of travel agents reported a downturn in bookings.
Jan Freitag, national director of hospitality analytics at CoStar, noted that the strong dollar had already reduced visitors by 8% in 2024. ‘I’m super worried that we’re going to continue to see travel numbers below 2019,’ he said, citing the ‘not very welcoming’ rhetoric. Following high-profile deportations of tourists from Germany and Australia, the UK and German governments have updated their travel advice to warn citizens of the risks.
The incidents may also affect major events such as the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Clare Collins of CT Business Travel expects a decline in summer leisure travel, but has not yet seen an impact on business trips. ‘Long-term, people will choose to spend their money elsewhere,’ she said. Edwards warned that airlines may start cutting routes if the downturn deepens, potentially affecting the UK economy.
