The aggressive rhetoric of Donald Trump regarding immigration, the increase in bureaucratic hurdles to obtain visas, and even a sense of aversion to US trade policies last year had a direct impact on the local tourism industry.
UN Tourism, the United Nations agency dedicated to the sector, announced this week that international tourist arrivals — overnight visitors — grew 4% globally in 2025, with most destinations around the world posting solid results. The US, however, was one of the exceptions.
UN data compiled through October show a 5.4% decline compared to the same period in 2024, while the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) full-year tally reports a 6% drop over 12 months. Officially, the U.S. Department of Commerce acknowledges a 2.5% contraction, according to preliminary data.
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Interim President and CEO of WTTC, Gloria Guevara, told Reuters that concerns about anti-immigration policies in the US led travelers to European countries such as Spain and France, as well as Japan. She also stated that Latin Americans, including Colombians and Mexicans, traveled less to the US last year, while Mexicans opted for shorter stays.
Furthermore, the Council disclosed that, as foreign tourism in the US fell, the world’s third-most-visited country saw foreign visitors spend 7% less in the year — with negative highlights coming from visitors from Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
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Global Numbers Improve
This picture diverged from the overall tourism behavior in 2025. UN Tourism estimates that 1.52 billion international tourists were recorded worldwide in 2025, nearly 60 million more than in 2024. It also notes that the number surpassed the 2019 pre-pandemic level, with 1.47 billion tourists.
The results were driven by strong demand, robust performance in other major global markets, and the continued strong recovery of destinations in Asia and the Pacific.
Europe, the world’s largest destination region, registered 793 million international tourists in 2025, up 4% from 2024 and 6% higher than 2019. The Americas (with 218 million) recorded 1% growth last year, with the US decline dragging down the overall figure.
South America, for example, grew 7%, while Central America advanced 5%, even as some Caribbean destinations were negatively affected by Hurricane Melissa in the final quarter of the year.
Brazil reported a 37% increase in arrivals of foreign tourists over 12 months, said the UN agency.
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Africa (81 milhões) registered an 8% increase in arrivals in 2025, with particularly strong results in North Africa. The Middle East grew by 3% in 2025, equivalent to 39% above pre-pandemic levels, the results considered stronger than in 2019.
Arrivals in Asia and the Pacific (331 million) rose 6% last year, reaching 91% of pre-pandemic levels.
Monthly data show strong spending by visitors throughout 2025, with preliminary estimates pointing to US$1.9 trillion in international receipts from global tourism, a 5% increase over 2024.
Total tourism export receipts (including receipts and passenger transport) are estimated at US$2.2 trillion last year, based on available data.
Projections for 2026
International tourism is expected to grow by 3% to 4% in 2026 versus 2025, assuming Asia and the Pacific continue to recover, global economic conditions remain favorable, the inflation of tourism services continues to fall, and geopolitical conflicts do not intensify.
This positive outlook is confirmed by the latest UN Confidence Index in Tourism and by the survey conducted by the Expert Panel. On a scale from 0 to 200, experts rated 2026 at 126, indicating expectations for another strong year for tourism, though slightly less optimistic than their assessment of 2025 (129).
However, geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts continue to pose significant risks to tourism in 2026. About half of respondents pointed to economic factors, high travel costs, and geopolitical risks as the main challenges that international tourism may face in 2026.
“While positive prospects for the global economy and lower oil prices could favor tourism performance in 2026, the uncertainty derived from geopolitical risks and ongoing conflicts, trade tensions, and weather events may weigh on travel confidence,” says the UN agency.
