By Olivier Acuña Barba •
Published: 10 Jun 2025 • 22:10
• 2 minutes read
New York has been in recent months Spaniards’ preferred US destination for tourism | Credits: Shutterstock
Spanish tourism to the United States has staged an impressive recovery in spring 2025, despite lingering concerns tied to US immigration policies, the Trump administration’s deportation campaign, and international tensions.
In April, Euro Weekly News wrote how “harrowing stories” of deportations caused a 12 per cent drop in US tourism from Europe. An example of two German women, Charlotte Pohi, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, was shared. Their dream holiday was transformed into a nightmare upon landing in Honolulu, where they were strip-searched and body scanned, before being deported out of the US.
Lucas Sielaff, 25, a German national travelling with his American fiancée, was detained for 16 days after allegedly violating the terms of his tourist permit.
1.8% more Spaniards visited the US in March
However, after a steep 32.5 per cent drop in March—likely driven by the timing of the Easter holidays and lingering geopolitical unease—arrivals surged by a remarkable 47.7 per cent in April.
That rebound helped push the cumulative growth for the year’s first four months into positive territory. Spaniards visiting the US grew by 1.2 per cent, and when combined with students and business travellers, the rise nudges up to 1.8 per cent
From January to April, a total of 260,354 Spanish nationals travelled to the US—210,887 tourists, 37,804 business travellers, and 11,663 students.
New York was their preferred destination
Their chosen destinations reflected classic American favourites: New York captured over 75,000 visitors, Florida attracted 62,000, and California drew another 23,000.
The average Spanish visitor is 40 years old, and they’re clearly not deterred by headlines—they’re flying across the Atlantic once again.
But the broader picture doesn’t look as sunny for the US travel industry. Overall visitor numbers from non-NAFTA countries decreased by 0.2 per cent from January through April, and international tourism spending is expected to decline by approximately $12.5 billion compared to 2024.
The World Travel & Tourism Council warns that without decisive measures, recovering pre-pandemic visitor spending could take years.
America’s challenges range from political rhetoric and travel restrictions to trade tensions and isolated border incidents. These factors are discouraging tourists from countries like Canada, whose arrival numbers have dropped significantly, as well as from Germany and France.
But Spaniards aren’t immune to US policy
A notable exception is Spain, where travellers appear to be steadily returning, perhaps drawn by enduring cultural ties, ease of travel, and curiosity about rediscovering the US.
That said, Spain isn’t immune to US policy pressures. Earlier reports suggested that Spanish tourists were cancelling their trips due to tariff fears and concerns about America’s immigration stance.
Now, though, the rebound shows resilience—and perhaps signals that Spain’s appetite for US travel is simply too strong to deter.
For hospitality businesses, this is a nuanced picture. The US must tread carefully—balance diplomacy with a warm welcome, not just for Spain, but for travellers from Canada, Germany, France, and beyond.
Otherwise, the US risks losing its leading role in international tourism—or at least ceding ground to destinations that feel more inviting.
