Travellers lined up at a security checkpoint Friday at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport as they prepared to board international flights. The Associated Press
A bright billboard greeted Canadians driving south this summer. It read: “Buffalo Loves Canada.” The campaign even offered a $500 gift card. More than 1,000 people entered. But by late July, Buffalo’s usual wave of Canadian visitors never arrived.
Patrick Kaler, CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara, said the drop was painful. “To see the traffic drop off so significantly, especially because of rhetoric that can be changed, is so disheartening,” he said.
National Decline in Tourism
Buffalo’s struggles mirror a larger trend across the U.S. International tourism dropped noticeably this summer. Cities like Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York all reported fewer foreign visitors.
Experts blame the downturn on several factors. They point to Donald Trump’s return to the White House, his new tariffs, stricter immigration rules, and harsh comments about other nations.
The World Travel & Tourism Council predicted earlier this year that the U.S. would be the only country among 184 studied where foreign spending would decline in 2025. “The world’s biggest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction,” said Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the council.
Fewer Arrivals
Tourism Economics predicted an 8.2% drop in international arrivals this year, slightly better than its earlier forecast but still far below pre-pandemic levels. Airline bookings show the slowdown from May through July will likely continue.
Deborah Friedland, managing director at Eisner Advisory Group, said the industry faces high costs, political uncertainty, and global tensions. “Perception is reality,” she said.
The effects reach beyond vacations. Organizers of the International Lindy Hop Championships postponed the world finals in New York after many foreign dancers withdrew. Some said they no longer felt welcome. Half the competition’s usual crowd comes from abroad, mainly Canada and France.
Capital and Beyond
Washington, D.C. also felt the dip. Destination DC forecasted a 5.1% drop in international visitors this year. It launched a campaign to highlight local residents and push back against negative views.
U.S. data confirmed the downturn. In the first seven months of 2025, overseas visitors dropped by more than three million, down 1.6% compared to last year.
Visitors from Europe fell sharply. Travel from Denmark dropped 19%, Germany 10%, and France 6.6%. Asian arrivals also declined, with steep drops from Hong Kong, Indonesia, and the Philippines. African visitor numbers fell as well. Still, arrivals from Argentina, Brazil, Italy, and Japan increased.
Canadians Stay Home
The change was most striking along the northern border. Canada sent 20.2 million visitors to the U.S. last year, more than any other nation. This year, Canadians stayed away.
Statistics Canada reported that more U.S. residents crossed into Canada in June and July than Canadians going south. It marked the first such shift in nearly 20 years, aside from two pandemic months.
In July, Canadians returning from the U.S. by car fell 37% from the year before. Return trips by plane dropped 26%.
Visit Buffalo Niagara shifted its focus to U.S. cities like Boston and Chicago. Children’s sporting events helped fill hotel rooms and restaurants.
Still, Kaler hopes Canadians return soon. “We will always welcome Canadians back when the time is right,” he said.
