Is a Tourism Boycott to the U.S. Coming from Europeans?

Flights from Western Europe to the United States dropped by 17% in March, part of a global negative travel trend towards the U.S. since Trump's presidency. This raises the question of whether there is a tourism boycott.

The total number of global visitors arriving in the U.S. via air, sea, and land decreased by 11.6% in March compared to March 2024, marking a particularly negative trend.

While visitor traffic from almost every region in the world decreased last month, Western Europeans saw a decline of 17.2%.

In March, the number of visitors from the UK to the U.S. fell by 45,800 people (a 14.8% drop) compared to the same month last year. Germany experienced a more significant loss, with 52,200 fewer visitors (a 28.5% decrease). Spain saw a 24.5% drop, equating to about 20,000 fewer people.

Together, these three countries accounted for a reduction of more than 118,000 European air travelers in just one month. This has led travel experts to wonder if this trend can be explained by mere seasonal fluctuations.

Why Have Europeans Stopped Traveling to the U.S.?

According to Stefan Gössling, a professor of Business and Economics at Linnaeus University in Sweden, concerns over the new trade policies of the Trump administration and tighter immigration controls may be deterring some potential tourists.

“There is significant evidence that the new government is scrutinizing immigrants, foreign students, and even Green Card holders. Unwanted individuals are being deported. This paints the U.S. in a new light, no longer welcoming, and deterring tourism."

"Many people think the current government has dismantled democracy and treated former allies like enemies, while supporting governments that are viewed as aggressive or autocratic in the West."

"This has already led to a boycott of U.S. products and services in many European countries, and tourism could be considered another way to harm the U.S. economy." Source: Euronews Turkish