Demand for transatlantic travel has fallen sharply within the United States. Unfortunately, this drop has caused panic among some sectors of the travel and hospitality industries. Elements shaping this decline range from the political climate, grassroots boycott movements, and shifting attitudes towards Americans among European travelers. August 9, Virgin Atlantic announced a marked slowdown in demand for travel to the US. At the same time, multiple indicators show sharp drops in international visitation.
As of February, the Canada-US land border automobile daily traveler counts have decreased by 15% on average. Cross-border air travel from Canada to the US dropped by 2%. These numbers tell part of the story behind a nationwide trend of waning interest in U.S. travel by foreign visitors. In fact, recent National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) projections are calling for a 7% increase in total international arrivals to the U.S. this year. That’s a lot of tourists — we can expect a whopping 77.1 million visitors! This optimism is in stark opposition to today’s booking trends.
European Sentiments and Boycott Movements
The grassroots boycott movement has caught on in Canada and is spreading like wildfire across Europe. The “boycott USA” page on Facebook, started in Denmark, has over 95,000 followers. This movement has gained momentum in Germany, Italy, France, the UK, Norway and Sweden. We know that a lot of European travelers to the U.S. are frustrated by the new political environment here. Some of them have even announced that they will not invest a single dollar in the U.S. economy in these conditions.
Author and UK-based traveler Farah Mendlesohn expressed her reluctance to travel to the U.S. As you might expect given her political views, she has decided she doesn’t want to travel to America, or support the American economy at this time. This feeling rings a familiar tune throughout Europe, particularly among Europeans who feel that they have been marginalized by U.S. policy and behavior.
Didier Arino, the general director of Protourisme, pointed to an unprecedented drop in demand for travel to the U.S. He largely credits this trend, unremarkably, to the sweeping anti-Trump wave. He shouted, “No one expected this level of turnaround! He underscored that it’s hard to think of such a dramatic change happening outside of wartime or pandemic.
Impact on Hospitality and Travel Industries
More broadly, the hospitality industry is beginning to hurt from diminished European travel to the U.S. Hotel reservations this summer for Accor-owned hotels like Fairmont, Ibis, Novotel, Mercure and Raffles are down by over 90%. As of earlier this year, they are down 25% from historic monthly averages. This decline is symptomatic of larger forces at play impacting the travel sector as consumer sentiments continue to redefine travel.
Jacob Bøll, a representative involved in tourism discussions, emphasized the implications of these changes: “You vote with your feet when you’re a consumer.” If this trend continues, hotels and airlines will be looking at years of suppressed demand as travelers re-think their trips.
Despite the NTTO’s optimistic forecast projecting nearly a 3% increase in Canadian tourist arrivals by 2025 and a 10% rise for the World Cup in 2026, immediate concerns loom over current travel patterns. The EU Commission has gone so far as to call upon their citizens to stockpile necessities for potential crises amid increasing volatility. Peace and stability are essential to the European project. Europe is now confronted with an unprecedented reality, characterized by increasing uncertainty and heightened risks,” said an EU Commission spokesperson.
Political Tensions and Public Perception
Adding to the divide, rising political tensions between Europe and the U.S. are driving down anti-American sentiment. A leaked Signal thread from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed his disdain for European travelers, stating, “I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC.” Comments like these do nothing but deepen bad impressions among European citizens about traveling to the U.S.
Travelers are making it known that they increasingly do not approve of American policies and government actions. Robert Christiansen from Norway articulated his distrust: “I cannot trust the government of the United States.” This pessimism is part of a larger trend in skepticism towards U.S. governance and its effects on global diplomacy.
At home, and travelers who continue to cherish American culture but who feel unable unsafeto travel to the U.S. David Pereira from France remarked on this complex relationship: “Like many French people, we are immersed in American culture. So we love it. But it’s just unbelievable now.”
