The current US tourism decline has sent shockwaves through the American hospitality sector, with international visitors actively avoiding the United States ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Driven by soaring costs, stringent visa barriers, and geopolitical tensions under President Donald Trump, the North American nation experienced a drop of four million overseas visitors in 2025.
Now, with the flagship football tournament just weeks away, anticipated tourism booms are quickly fizzling into vacant hotel rooms.
This startling US tourism decline comes as global travel actually expands. As reported, 2025 saw the steepest annual drop in US international tourism in nearly two decades. Visitors from massive markets like Canada and Germany are steering clear, citing hardline political rhetoric and international trade tensions.
The 2026 World Cup was supposed to provide a much-needed economic lift, but hotel reservations are tracking well below forecasts. Recent reports reveal that 65% of surveyed hoteliers in host cities cited visa barriers and broader geopolitical concerns as the primary issues suppressing demand.
Additionally, BBC Sport last week noted that the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) accused FIFA of block-booking rooms, which manufactured “artificial demand” and hiked early prices before a wave of sudden cancellations left a vacuum of availability.
Is the US tourism decline impacting South Africa?
While America struggles to attract guests, South Africa’s tourism sector has experienced a fascinating and contradictory dynamic with US travellers. In 2025, American tourists flocked to the “polite” shores of South Africa, completely defying the widely discredited “white genocide” narrative peddled by Trump. The US solidified its position as South Africa’s second-largest overseas source market, bringing 391 939 tourists to the country that year.
However, the international landscape shifted dramatically recently. According to Statistics South Africa, the US slipped from its traditional second-place ranking in March 2026, officially overtaken by Germany. While the US supplied 31 268 tourists that month – a 12.6% year-on-year decrease – a surging Germany claimed the silver medal behind the United Kingdom.
This mirrors a broader geopolitical reshuffle; Germany recently replaced the US as Pretoria’s second-largest bilateral trade partner following the severe impact of American import tariffs.
World Cup fans to boost numbers?
Despite the gloomy American hospitality outlook, South African football fans are still gearing up for the global showpiece. President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to host a formal farewell dinner in Pretoria for coach Hugo Broos and the Bafana Bafana squad before they head to North America to face co-hosts Mexico on 11 June 2026.
In a last-ditch bid to salvage the situation and attract working-class fans, the US recently dropped a controversial $15 000 (about R246 094) visa deposit for supporters with valid match tickets. Whether this will be enough to entice fans back to expensive hotels remains to be seen.
