Log In
Several new reports indicate trouble ahead for inbound U.S. travel.
The mood that was pervasive during a webinar hosted by the Society of Independent Show Organizers Members (SISO) on May 13 — “Tariffs, Travel & Events: What Small Business Event Producers Need to Know Now” — can best be summed up in one word: concerned.
During the hourlong briefing — which covered the latest developments related to tariffs, travel restrictions, and cross-border logistics — participants and speakers from the meetings industry shared how policy changes and market disruptions are affecting their upcoming events. Multiple participants said they’ve heard of Canadian companies issuing mandates to their employees to avoid attending events in the U.S. or engage with U.S. companies while exhibiting at events. Others reported drop-offs in exhibitor numbers — like a planner in the American film industry who said her event later this year has one-third fewer exhibitors than compared with previous years.
“Some companies that would send, say, four people may send one,” she said. Although she acknowledged that some of that could be attributed to struggles unique to the film industry, she also noted that “some of that is due to travel restrictions … and people not wanting to come into the U.S. as much.”
In addition, she said, on-and-off tariffs imposed by the current administration seem to be provoking companies — especially those “tied to the stock exchange” — to “freeze” their marketing budgets. This is not uncommon, according to Tommy Goodwin, EVP of the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance and the webinar host, who said that there are “exhibitors who are sitting on the sidelines right now waiting until things shake out, which is of course detrimental to those who are running [shows] soon.”
Several new reports corroborate what these webinar attendees are experiencing firsthand. Here’s a brief compilation of the latest research.
Big Dips
According to a recent industry sentiment poll of global business travel professionals by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), conducted between March 31 and April 8, one out of five respondents said their organization have considered canceling — or have canceled — a U.S.-based meeting, or have pulled out of sending employees to U.S.-based meetings, due to the recent actions of the U.S. Government.
And a new report from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), released May 13, shows that the U.S. is poised to lose $12.5 billion in international travel spending in 2025 — a 22- percent decline compared to the previous peak. What’s more, the U.S. is the only country among the 184 tracked by the WTTC forecasted to see a forecasted decline in international visitor spending. WTCC president and CEO Julia Simpson called these latest numbers a “a wake-up call for the U.S. government.”
“The world’s biggest travel and tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not because of a lack of demand, but because of a failure to act,” she said in a statement. “While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign.”
Some of the sharpest declines come from the United States’ closest neighbors, Canada and Mexico, showing that the current administration’s new policies around immigration and tariffs are taking a financial toll. The SISO webinar shared that in March 2025, the number of Canadians returning from land visits to the U.S. dropped by nearly 32 percent compared with March 2024, and 13 percent for those traveling by air.
Overall, travel to the U.S. has declined by 9 percent, according to March 2025 data from Tourism Economics, which also attributes the drop mostly to the actions of the current U.S. administration but also to the timing of the Easter holiday, which was relatively late this year (April 20 vs. March 31 in 2024). And those same sources say that a rebound may take years — it may not be until 2029, in fact, that visitor numbers return to levels similar to 2024’s highs.
“Not Prepared”
Right now, visa delays rank as a top concern for many organizers with international attendees. Next year, the U.S. is expected to see an influx in foreign travelers for two major events: the FIFA World Cup, which will be held in 11 U.S. cities, and America’s 250th anniversary. On May 9, Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concerns that the Department of State is “not prepared” to host these events. For travelers from countries in South America or Southeast Asia, wait times can take months or longer to get an appointment for apply for a visa.
“Based on publicly available federal data,” the letter read, “the wait time at some U.S. embassies abroad already eclipses the number of days until next year’s events. In the absence of intensive efforts to reduce visa wait times, international visitors will be unable to visit Virginia and other states for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, and soccer fans from several likely FIFA World Cup qualifiers will be unable to obtain visas to see their national teams play in the United States.”
It’s not just concerns around securing a visa that are stopping travelers; many also are worried about what will happen at the port of entry. During the SISO webinar, one participant asked: “What do you make of the (seemingly) alarmist stories about phones being searched or asked to be searched at U.S. border entry points? I’ve got foreign attendees and exhibitors asking about this.”
Some events are helping by getting ahead of their attendees’ questions. For example, in anticipation of its IPW event in Chicago, June 14–18, the U.S. Travel Association has included a FAQ section on its site to answer common questions about entry into the U.S. for international partners and attendees, including what questions to expect from CBP officers and tips for a smooth entry.
More hurdles may be on the way. President Trump is also expected to issue an executive order restricting citizens from 43 countries from traveling to the U.S. Citizens from 11 of those countries would be completely barred from entering, while visas would be restricted or require 60 days to address concerns for the remaining countries.
However, if enacted, Goodwin does not expect the to have a significant impact on travel for business or events to the U.S., as, altogether, travelers from those countries make up less than 1.5 percent of inbound visits last year. Nevertheless, he added, it could further deteriorate international interest in traveling to the U.S.
Jennifer N. Dienst is senior editor at Convene.