Key facts
- President Donald Trump met with travel industry executives on Wednesday.
- The meeting focused on a decline in international visitors to the U.S.
- Travel spending in June rose 6.2% year over year to $122.1 billion.
- International arrivals to the U.S. fell 5.5% in 2025 and 4.7% through July 2026.
- Factors cited for the decline include visa wait times, higher ticket prices, and stricter immigration policies.
U.S. President Donald Trump convened a meeting with executives from major travel companies, including American Airlines, Marriott, MGM Resorts, and Carnival, to address a significant decline in international visitors. The gathering also aimed to acknowledge the successes of a strong summer travel season and its positive impact on local economies.
Despite a boost from the FIFA World Cup, which saw travel spending rise 6.2% in June to $122.1 billion and record attendance at the tournament, overall international arrivals have fallen. In 2025, arrivals decreased by 5.5%, with further declines of 4.7% reported through July 2026. Factors contributing to this downturn include lengthy visa interview wait times, increased airline ticket prices, stricter immigration policies, tariffs, and specific travel restrictions for certain countries. Visitors from Canada, a key market, dropped by 20% last year, impacting destinations like Las Vegas, which saw a 7.5% decrease in tourists in 2025.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was also slated to attend the meeting, which included representatives from Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock International, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Venetian, and Raffles & Fairmont, all members of the U.S. Travel Association. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers highlighted the meeting's purpose as celebrating achievements that led to a "historic summer travel season" and supported local economies and small businesses.
The administration pointed to initiatives such as simplified airport screening procedures, the reintroduction of family screening lanes at some airports, and plans for biometric fast lanes for returning U.S. citizens to facilitate quicker international connections. The travel industry had previously faced disruptions from partial government shutdowns that affected airport security and flights. Earlier in the year, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin had threatened to halt border processing at Newark and other airports in "sanctuary cities," a move travel groups warned could cause significant disruption.