White House insists Trump has 'done more for American tourism than anyone' after drop in global visitors

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Independent

Friday 17 April 2026 15:18 EDT


The number of overseas visitors to the U.S. dropped by several million in 2025 compared to 2024, with the World Travel & Tourism Council advising America to make itself welcoming again. However, the White House sees the picture differently, insisting that President Donald Trump has “done more for American tourism than anyone.”

The rebuttal came after research by the council revealed that while global travel had a bumper year in 2025, with the number of international travelers up by 80 million, international visitor spending in the U.S. fell 4.6 percent to $176 billion and foreign tourist visits slid by 5.5 percent.

While some overseas markets grew by 1.7 million visits, this was outweighed by arrivals from other countries shrinking by 5.7 million, leading to an overall decline of around four million.

The council believes that the U.S. “is now at a crossroads in its tourism development,” with a tainted image as a destination and in danger of losing its crown as the world’s biggest travel and tourism market to China.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/travel/news-and-advice/white-house-donald-trump-tourism-b2960098.html

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Link to World Travel & Tourism Council REPORT - U.S. Remains World's Largest Travel & Tourism Market But WTTC Warns That the Country is at a Crossroads

[Solly Mack]

1. What the fuck are these people ingesting?

[hvn_nbr_2]

13. They're running on MAGA epistemology

Epistemology: the branch of philosophy that deals with how we know truth and reality.

MAGA epistemology: If they want to believe it, it's true. If they don't want to believe it, it's fake news. Facts, information, logic, evidence, statistics all have nothing whatsoever to do with what they believe.

[Solly Mack]

14. Excellent point.

[Aussie105]

21. Truer words have never been spoken!

MAGAt words don't reflect reality, but they think their words create reality.

Trump is an expert at that.

Stupidly delusional!

[Roy Rolling]

2. Believe him...this is twice

insisting that President Donald Trump has “done more for American tourism than anyone.”

First time, American tourism was closed in 2020 because he mishandled the Covid pandemic

Second time, American tourism is crippled because fewer people want to visit a fascist country run by a maniacal dictator

He’s done more for tourism is right—he’s made it the worst self-inflicted tourism crisis America has faced. Twice.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. That was my take.

[BonnieJW]

6. They forgot to change one word

He has done more TO the American tourist industry than anyone else

[raccoon]

4. Well, anything the White House proclaims, you can pretty much believe the opposite.

[BlueWavePsych]

5. Ya, right!

https://www.boycottusa2026.org/

[tanyev]

7. True! No other person has ever done more damage to American tourism than Donald Trump.

*sigh*

[QueerDuck]

8. Part of me is thinking "Good!" ... it's a shame that people are suffering as a result, BUT...

... in this case, I think the suffering is part of learning a lesson and paying the price.

[chouchou]

9. Look up in the Sky! It's..it's Propaganda Man! Blowing lies out-of-his-ass.

The worst of the Anti-Heros..

[louis-t]

10. "....in the history of the world!!!"

"Like we've never seen!!!!" People aren't buying it anymore, especially the ones who rely on tourism for their existence.

[Rebl2]

11. Yes he has

. Yes sireee, he’s done everything to drive visitors away.

[City Lights]

12. Every day is opposite day with this bunch of criminals. nt

[yardwork]

15. 2026 will be even worse.

A lot of people traveling to the U.S. from other countries may have give ahead with their plans in 2025 because they'd paid deposits and made plans they didn't want to change on short notice.

I suspect that many of those people planned trips to other countries for 2026.

[BradBo]

16. DEI just hired 12,000 new officer to bust heads. Tourism will keep going down.

[Vinca]

17. Up is down, down is up. Don't forget gas prices aren't high either according to Trump.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

18. Sure he has

It's easier getting a hotel reservation due to the lack of demand.

[Klondike Kat]

19. "More for"?

"More to" would be more appropriate.

[Aussie105]

20. ICE, guns, gun happy police, school shootings, civil unrest . . .

What sane tourist would want to visit such an unstable third world country?

Some say Bali and the Mediterranean coastal towns are safer places to visit.

If you can get a flight there and afford the plane ticket of course.