Will a 'Trump slump' continue to hit US tourism in 2026 − and even keep World Cup fans away?

[marmar]

Will a ‘Trump slump’ continue to hit US tourism in 2026 − and even keep World Cup fans away?
Published: February 6, 2026 8:39am EST

Frédéric Dimanche
Professor and former Director (2015-2025), Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Toronto Metropolitan University
Kelley A. McClinchey
Teaching Faculty, Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University


(The Conversation) With an upcoming FIFA World Cup being staged across the nation, 2026 was supposed to be a bumper year for tourism to the United States, driven in part by hordes of arriving soccer fans.

And yet, the U.S. tourism industry is worried. While the rest of the world saw a travel bump in 2025, with global international arrivals up 4%, the U.S. saw a downturn. The number of foreign tourists who came to the United States fell by 5.4% during the year – a sharper decline than the one experienced in 2017-18, the last time, outside the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, that the industry was gripped by fears of a travel slump.

Policy stances from the Trump administration on everything from immigration to tariffs, along with currency swings and stricter border controls, have seemingly proved a turnoff to travelers from other countries, especially Canadians – the single largest source of foreign tourists for the United States. Canadian travel to the U.S. fell by close to 30% in 2025. But it is not just visitors from Canada who are choosing to avoid the United States. Travel from Australia, India and Western Europe, among others, has also shrunk.

....(snip)....

Economic and safety concerns

Economic policies pursued by the Trump administration appear to be among the main reasons visitors are staying away from the U.S. Multiple tariff announcements – pushing tariffs to the highest levels since 1935 – along with tougher border-related rhetoric and an aggressive foreign policy have contributed to a negative perception of the U.S. among would-be tourists. ........................(more)

https://theconversation.com/will-a-trump-slump-continue-to-hit-us-tourism-in-2026-and-even-keep-world-cup-fans-away-274244

[SamKnause]

1. I hope so.

The U.S. is not safe for visitors or citizens.

The rule of law no longer exists in the U.S.

[tinrobot]

2. The last big slump was in 2017? Gee, what heppend then?

The man is toxic and needs to go.

[Easterncedar]

3. Tourists are being required to surrender personal data

A friend with family in Germany is really shocked and upset. She just heard from them that they have been told that they will soon need a visa to travel here, and to get that they must provide 5 years of social media history, ten years of phone numbers, DNA and iris scans, among other things. It all sounds kinda fashy, doesn't it? My friend, a naturalized US citizen, sure thinks so.

When or if or whether this is true, people from everywhere are cancelling travel plans.

It's all so heartbreaking, ugly and unnecessary.

[Historic NY]

4. TRump and Ice....

along with visa requirements,,

[Jersey Devil]

5. Just check hotel bookings at Wildwood and the Jersey shore

In the summer the beach rentals in the Wildwoods, Cape May and other parts of the southern Jersey shore are gobbled up by Canadians to the point where you'd think you were in Montreal or Toronto. I think the rental industry down there is going to be hurting badly this summer. By the way, that part of NJ is usually safe Republican.

[2naSalit]

6. Probably going to be worse...

This year as the requirements for getting in are far worse now than early last year. Nobody should want to come here anymore.

[justaprogressive]

7. Absolutely! Who'd Want to Come Here!??

[dem4decades]

8. FIFA should have moved the matches from the US, not give the boy king a fake peace medal.

[Easterncedar]

9. FIFA's corruption runs deep