Why US tourism industry is concerned about social media vetting for visas

Fall in foreign arrivals

The Donald Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration has already reduced the number of arrivals into the US. According to data from the National Travel and Tourism Office, foreign arrivals to the US were down by 2.5% in 2025 (till October) compared to the same period in 2024; 1.7% fewer tourist visas were issued in this period.

There was a particularly sharp 21.3% decline in arrivals from Canada. Many Canadians reportedly boycotted plans to travel to the US after Trump criticised the country for high tariffs and threatened to annex it.

A report released by a Congressional standing committee on Tuesday said that the decline in tourists from Canada, who brought $20.5 billion to the US economy in 2024, could hurt American businesses. With border crossings down by 20%, northern states, including New York, Washington and Idaho, have reported less footfall and lower sales between January and October 2025.

In May, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) called the Canadian fallout a “wake-up call”, warning that the US economy stood to lose a staggering $12.5 billion in international spending this year. Besides Canada, the report flagged a drop in inbound travelers from key market sources such as the UK, Germany and South Korea. It added that the US was the “only country among 184 economies” that was forecast to see a decline in international visitor spending in 2025.

The prediction is worrying given that the travel and tourism sector makes up 7% of all exports and nearly 3% of the United States’ GDP, supporting 9.5 million jobs in the process. According to the US Travel Association, a 1% drop in international visitor spending would mean a loss of $1.8 billion in export revenue annually.

The growing restrictions

WTTC CEO Julia Simpson has attributed the decline in tourists to a strong dollar, which makes US vacations expensive, with “politics and worries about crossing the border also weighing on US visitation figures,” Reuters quoted Simpson as saying.

A report by the Congressional Research Service states that the Trump administration’s “continued focus on immigration enforcement” may have also dampened travel to the US. Notably, the Trump administration has been restricting foreign entry since his first term. In 2019, it changed non-immigration visa application forms to mandatorily collect “social media identifiers”, citing a 2017 Presidential memo for “enhanced” screening and vetting for applicants in the interest of national security.

The CRS report also stated that the detention of tourists and noncitizens, including those who entered legally, in the US may have contributed to a decline in tourist arrivals.

Moreover, the US has introduced a non-refundable “visa integrity fee” of $250, making the process expensive. In India, the average visa cost for the US has risen to well over Rs 40,000.

As many as 21 travel associations, including Airlines For America, American Hotel and Lodging Association, and US Travel Association, had written a letter to the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security in November, stating that the additional fee “risks discouraging millions of prospective visitors”. The letter flagged that cost was “a top deterrent” to US travel.

What’s next?

Upcoming events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America250 (a celebration of 250 years of American independence) and the 2028 Summer Olympics present an opportunity for the resurgence of overseas travelers to the US. The FIFA president expects up to 10 million visitors to come to the US to watch the games.

However, experts warn that invasion of privacy (with social media reviews) and fear of deportation could keep travelers away. Geoff Freeman, the chief executive of the US Travel Association, told The New York Times that it was “concerning” that the administration had not done anything to counter the fear.

The Trump administration has announced that it will fast-track visa appointments for those with tickets to the FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Brand USA, a partially government-funded non-profit that markets the US as a travel destination, has said that it will launch a global tourism campaign in 2026. The organisation’s CEO, Fed Dixon, said that the campaign’s message was clear: “the USA is open for business and ready to welcome legitimate international travelers”.