Meanwhile, other visitors from other countries aren’t so enthusiastic. The number of Canadians visiting the US – the biggest country’s biggest market for international visitors – has plummeted more than 14 per cent, according to the US International Trade Administration, with almost a million fewer Canadians so far in 2025 compared to last year. Visitors from other countries, such as China, South Korea and Germany, have also declined.
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As for the Trump administration, they don’t seem to give a hoot whether foreign tourists come or not. How else to explain the gutting of the country’s peak tourism body, Brand USA? Created through funds generated largely out of ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) visitor entry fees, Trump’s “big beautiful bill” cut the organisation’s funding by 80 per cent, from $US100 million ($153 million) to just $US20 million. Trump had already sacked five of Brand USA’s 11 board members prior to the budget cut. That suggests the administration has little interest in promoting the US as a tourist destination.
And speaking of ESTAs, that same bill contains a plan to almost double the cost of the entry fee, from $US21 to $US40. And if you’re someone that actually needs a visa to visit, you might face an additional $US250 “Visa Integrity Fee” (reportedly refundable if you leave the country immediately after the visa expires).
It’s ironic that a president whose name was previously synonymous with hotels seems to show little regard for the tourism industry.
But if we feel like president Trump doesn’t care about how his administration’s policies might impact perceptions of prospective visitors to the US, perhaps he’s looking at the number of visitors from Australia. Because it seems we don’t care too much, either.
The top 10 destinations for Australians in May 2025
- Indonesia
- New Zealand
- Japan
- USA
- China
- Thailand
- UK
- Vietnam
- India
- Fiji
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
