U.S. Inbound Travel Declines for Sixth Straight Month

Key Points

• U.S. inbound international travel declined for the sixth consecutive month in October, with overseas visitation down 3.1% year-over-year.
• Regional trends were mixed, with increases from the Middle East, Central America, South Korea, Japan, and Colombia, but declines from Africa, Oceania, Western Europe, and key markets like Germany and France.
• Industry forecasts predict that U.S. inbound tourism will not fully recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2029, with 2025 expected to see the first annual decline since 2020.

Summary

Inbound international travel to the U.S. fell for the sixth month in a row in October, dropping 3.1% compared to the previous year and reaching about 87% of pre-pandemic volume. The decline was driven by continued challenges such as affordability issues, increased travel fees, restrictions, and political factors, with mixed results by region and country—some markets like South Korea and Colombia saw growth, while major sources like Western Europe and Canada declined. Industry forecasts indicate that a full recovery to pre-pandemic inbound travel levels is unlikely before 2029, with 2025 projected to be the first year since 2020 to post an annual decrease.