The “Trump effect” on travel to the US once centred on trade tensions and travellers wary of his immigration policies.
Now, it’s hitting cities more directly: Washington, DC, is grappling with a federal takeover of its police department, while Chicago is reeling from Trump’s “hellhole” label and threats to deploy the National Guard.
Both cities are battling negative perceptions, making it even harder to draw international visitors.
In DC, one month into Trump’s unprecedented deployment of federal officers and National Guard troops, crime is down—violent incidents have dropped 10% and property crimes 25%, according to city data.
The optics, however, are anything but reassuring.
“The visuals are checkpoints, police everywhere and tanks rolling down the street—which is not our reality,” Elliott Ferguson, CEO of Destination DC, the nonprofit that promotes tourism in DC, told CNN. “We have been dealing with concerns from the leisure market about the atmosphere in DC. That has been the biggest issue.”
Planet Word museum reported a 22% year-over-year visitor drop this past August, while OpenTable shows restaurant bookings have flatlined after nearly a year of steady growth. That’s a troubling drop for a city that welcomed a record 27.2 million visitors in 2024, generated $11.4 billion in spending and $2.3 billion in tax revenue.
International arrivals are already forecast to fall 5.1% in 2025, and now that decline could be higher.
Destination DC is fighting back to counter the idea that Washington is a city under siege.
Its Love Letter to DC social campaign—already over 1.3 million impressions—aims to separate rhetoric from reality, while the new We the People DC series builds on the award-winning Only One DC brand by spotlighting local residents. Creative assets were developed over several months in partnership with a local, minority- and woman-owned production company, Zuri Productions. The marketing push coincides with major opportunities, including America’s 250th anniversary and a wave of new or re-opened attractions, such as an immersive museum beneath the Lincoln Memorial and the renovated Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
While DC manages the fallout, Chicago is doubling down on positive messaging.
After Trump labelled the city a “hellhole” and floated National Guard involvement, Choose Chicago launched its All for the Love of Chicago campaign, inviting locals and visitors to share authentic stories, photos and videos showcasing the city’s lakefront, dining scene and diverse neighbourhoods.
“People have this perception of this city. Like any city, we have our issues, but it’s far from what the media can sometimes frame it as,” says Lisa Nucci, Chief Marketing Officer for Choose Chicago. “The statistics say the city isn’t what the media makes it out to be. We are humble and proud of Chicago, so we want to hear from you.”
