A family from London has canceled a planned $16,000 vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida, citing concerns over the current political climate in the United States and recent incidents that deeply upset their children. The decision underscores a growing trend of international travelers reconsidering U.S. Destinations amid heightened political tensions and safety concerns.
Michelle Cowley, a communications expert, and her husband had spent nearly two years planning the trip for their children, ages seven and eleven. However, the family’s plans were derailed following the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis. “We have decided that it really is not the place we want to be at the moment,” Cowley said.
The decision also followed statements made by President Donald Trump in January, including discussion of annexing Greenland and criticism of British military efforts in Afghanistan, further solidifying the family’s reluctance to travel to the U.S.
When 11 million visitors international don’t show up, that’s billions of dollars in economic loss to the tourism industry.
Erik Hansen, vice president of the US Travel Association
The Cowley family’s experience reflects a broader decline in international tourism to the U.S. Last year, while global tourism grew the United States was the only major destination to see a decrease in foreign visitors – a 6% drop, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). That trend continued into January, with a further 4.8% decline in international tourists compared to January 2025.
The number of visitors from Canada, traditionally the second-largest source of travelers to the U.S. After Mexico, fell 28% in January compared to the same month in 2024. Germany and France also experienced significant declines, while the United Kingdom, a key long-haul market for U.S. Tourism, saw only marginal growth of 0.5% year-over-year.
Visa Fees and Social Media Checks
The Trump administration has implemented policies that have made it more demanding for some travelers to enter the U.S., including a ban on visitors from more than a dozen countries and a $250 “visa integrity fee” for non-immigrants traveling for tourism or business. Travelers are also facing increased scrutiny at the border, with more frequent searches of electronic devices, some resulting in detentions and denied entry.
Citizens of countries that currently require only electronic travel authorization may soon be required to provide up to five years of social media history to gain entry, a measure that the WTTC estimates could result in a loss of up to $15.7 billion in tourist spending.
“These are the measures you’d expect from China or Middle Eastern countries, not the United States,” said Felicity Morgan, a 49-year-old British commercial auditor who splits her time between Amsterdam and London. She referenced airport detentions related to analysis of social media content deemed critical of the government or a security risk. Morgan canceled a trip to Miami last month for her 50th birthday, unwilling to risk losing thousands of dollars if denied entry.
Hotels, restaurants and shops on Ocean Drive in Miami Foto: Scott Baker/NYT
With the U.S. Set to host the FIFA World Cup this summer and major events planned around the country’s 250th anniversary and the Route 66 centennial, 2026 has the potential to reverse the negative trend, according to Hansen. Initial projections from Oxford Economics forecast a 3.9% increase in inbound international travel, a modest gain that would not fully offset the decline since the start of the second Trump term.
“Continued political uncertainty and the enforcement actions of the Trump administration will likely limit gains, leaving the U.S. At risk of underperforming other international markets again this year,” the firm stated.
Headwinds in Florida
Given the number of international tourists interested in visiting Florida, the state serves as a key indicator of foreign visitor flow to the U.S. State estimates indicate a 14.7% decline in Canadian visitors last winter. WestJet has reduced summer flights to U.S. Destinations, including Orlando, Florida, and Air Transat, based in Montréal, announced last week it will discontinue flights to the state this summer.
While 2025 data on total international travel to Florida is not yet available, the total number of visitors, including those from Mexico and Canada, as well as other destinations, decreased by 1.2%, falling from 12.35 million to 12.2 million people, according to Visit Florida, the state’s official tourism marketing corporation.
However, when questioned about the data, the organization highlighted growth in the number of international visitors, excluding Canada, stating there was a 4% increase compared to 2024 and that the group expects 2025 to be a record year for tourism. “Florida is eager to be a hub for travelers coming to the United States for the World Cup,” said Bryan Griffin, president and CEO of the group, in an email.
Disneyland Paris has become an alternative for some fans Foto: Adobe Stock
During a financial results conference call this month, Disney cautioned about “softness in international visitation” at its U.S. Parks. The company declined to specify the reasons for the decline. Chris French, a Florida-based Disney travel planner, said the number of clients seeking to book Disney destinations in Paris and Tokyo instead of Walt Disney World has tripled. Many of these clients, he said, are Canadian fans “who have a fondness for the theme park but don’t fancy relaxing in Florida at the moment.”
Outlook for the American Summer
Whereas it is still early in the year, an analysis of airline bookings by flight data company Cirium, published this month, showed a 14.2% decrease in July bookings from Europe compared to last year. The data was compiled from third-party sources and online travel agencies between October 7, 2025, and January 31, 2026, and does not include flights booked directly with airlines.
Key markets, including Germany and France, are also showing a continued decline in travel agency bookings. In January, Germany updated its travel advisory for the United States, warning of increased risks of political violence, demonstrations, and immigration enforcement in cities like Minneapolis. Kerstin Heinen, a spokesperson for the German Travel Association, said she does not know why bookings continue to decline, but that the reasons “may range from political and social factors to entry requirements and price levels.”
Destinations in regions like Asia are gaining preference among some travelers Foto: alexzeer/Adobe Stock
In France, sales of tour packages for travelers destined for the United States fell nearly 40% in January compared to the same month last year, according to L’Echo Touristique, a trade publication specializing in tourism.
The United Kingdom has remained stable amid the decline in visitors from Western Europe, but this stagnation is concerning some travel agents regarding future demand. Bon Voyage Travel & Tours, a British company specializing in travel to the United States and Canada since 1979, is shifting its focus to destinations in Asia, South America, and the Middle East.
Alan Wilson, the company’s managing director, said the changes are a precautionary measure after “a period of 40 years of great success,” from 1980 to 2020, when the United States was seen as a very welcoming country for foreign visitors, with exciting attractions at competitive prices that could not be found anywhere else. “Gradually, this has been deteriorating,” he said. “Prices have skyrocketed in the last five years; the country is seen as unwelcoming, You’ll see new barriers to entry, and politically, it is uncertain what will happen next.”
Prices have skyrocketed in the last five years; the country is seen as unwelcoming, there are new barriers to entry and, politically, it is uncertain what will happen next
Alan Wilson, director of Bon Voyage
But Harry Hastings, co-founder of Ocean Holidays, a British tour operator specializing in Florida vacations, remained optimistic, citing strong bookings for 2026 and 2027. He said that while some customers have raised questions about the political climate in the United States, demand is historically driven by prices. “While politics may influence perception somewhat, exchange rates and overall value have historically been far more determining factors in booking behavior in the UK market.”
But for Timothee Elias, a dentist from London, lower prices have their limits. He had planned a trip to Universal Studios Florida with his family in 2024, but postponed it due to the appreciation of the dollar. With the U.S. Currency falling against the pound in recent months, he began looking for flights for April, but delayed booking because of what he described as a “sudden impact” caused by Trump’s policies. “It’s one shocking headline after another, and even if you don’t pay much attention, you naturally experience inclined to stay away,” Elias said.
