The World Travel & Tourism Council warns that proposed US ESTA changes could further damage inbound tourism, adding to the impact of Trump-era travel policies. The World Tourism Network says entry bans, higher visa fees, and security deposits are deterring visitors and harming the US meetings and incentive travel industry.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has warned that proposed changes to the United States’ Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) could significantly reduce international travel demand, adding to what industry leaders describe as already severe damage to inbound tourism caused by recent US government policies.
According to new WTTC research reported by The Business Travel Magazine, a survey of more than 4,500 travelers from key Visa Waiver Program markets—including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and South Korea—shows growing reluctance to visit the United States. The research was conducted between 23 December 2025 and 2 January 2026.
The survey found that 34% of respondents would be somewhat or much less likely to visit the US over the next two to three years if the proposed ESTA changes are implemented. Only 12% said the changes would make them more likely to travel. Two-thirds of respondents were already aware of the proposals, indicating that policy signals alone are already affecting travel sentiment.
The proposed ESTA revisions, under consideration by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, would expand the amount of personal data required from travelers, potentially including broader disclosure of social media identifiers and additional personal information. WTTC warns that these measures risk making the US appear less welcoming at a time when global competition for visitors is intensifying.
The World Tourism Network (WTN) responded, noting that WTTC’s findings reflect a broader crisis affecting inbound US tourism.
“WTTC is taking the necessary steps to react to Trump’s policies that are literally destroying incoming tourism to the United States, especially from Europe,” the World Tourism Network said. “However, what WTTC left out in this study are the countries that the Trump administration has outright banned from entering the country, as well as the additional visa fees and, for some nationalities, security deposits of up to US$15,000 now required to obtain entry clearance.”
WTN emphasized that these measures disproportionately affect emerging and long-haul markets, further shrinking the US visitor base beyond Visa Waiver Program countries included in the WTTC survey.
WTTC’s broader economic modeling, conducted with Oxford Economics, estimates that in a high-impact scenario, the US could lose up to 4.7 million international arrivals in 2026, a decline of nearly 24% compared with baseline forecasts. This would translate into more than 150,000 job losses across the travel and tourism sector and billions of dollars in lost visitor spending.
Industry groups warn that the damage extends beyond leisure travel. According to the World Tourism Network, the US Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector is also suffering, as international associations and corporate planners increasingly choose destinations with fewer political and entry-related risks.
“Major congresses, incentive programs, and international meetings are being redirected to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East,” WTN noted, “because the United States is no longer perceived as an easy, neutral, or predictable destination for global events.”
Survey respondents echoed these concerns, with many saying the proposed ESTA changes would not improve their sense of personal safety and would instead reinforce the perception that the US is becoming less open to international visitors.
WTTC and World Tourism Network leaders are calling on US policymakers to reassess current entry policies and engage more closely with the global travel industry. They warn that continued tightening of entry rules—combined with bans, higher visa costs, and security deposits—risks long-term reputational damage that could take years to reverse.
As global tourism continues its post-pandemic recovery, industry leaders caution that the United States may be surrendering market share to competitor destinations at a critical moment for economic growth, job creation, and international engagement.
