The 2026 World Cup promises a $30.5 billion economic boost, yet it faces significant headwinds from a tourism sector currently contracting, with inbound volumes down and continued political and trade tensions.
The U.S. travel industry can’t afford to lose Canadian visitors if it wants to have a strong 2025 — but data shows the ongoing slide is still deep and unlikely to reverse substantially anytime soon.
It’s getting more costly to visit the U.S. after three new fees on international travelers went into effect, with another significant fee hike in the pipeline. Some worry the new fees could curb visitation rates for 2026 events like the FIFA World Cup.
The U.S. travel sector is slowing down due to a drop in international visitors, especially from Canada, while Canada's industry is surging because of a boom in domestic tourism.