International tourism in the United States has experienced a decline of 31.9% in March, amounting to a total of 1.5 million fewer visitors compared to the same month last year, according to data from the public agency Statistics Canada.
The "Trump effect" seems to be impacting this sector directly, as there has been a 9.7% decrease in international tourists in March, with a total decrease of 4.4% in the first quarter overall, according to the International Trade Administration.
President Donald Trump has commented that the decline in visits from foreign tourists may be due to "a bit of nationalism," although he insists that the United States treats tourists very well and is a top-tier tourist destination worldwide.
These concerning data add to media incidents involving foreigners at U.S. borders, where some reported scrutiny on their social media, thus generating fears about the entry procedures into the country.
The Canadian market has opted for a boycott due to threats against its sovereignty from Trump, leading to a significant decrease in tourists coming from Canada, which accounts for nearly a quarter of foreign visitors in the U.S.
Despite efforts to attract tourists, such as the campaign launched by California Governor Gavin Newsom and the reassignment of airline capacities towards Europe, the uncertainty and current climate have created a notable impact on international tourism in the United States.
In New York, although the organization NYC Tourism + Conventions has not detected significant changes in its projections for spring and summer, a particularly notable decline in Canadian tourism has been observed in the last three months, according to the president of the Hotel Association of New York (HANYC), Vijay Dandapani.
