It’s a trend that could prove costly for the US: the decline in foreign tourism, a key contributor to the US economy since the end of COVID-related restrictions triggered a recovery in international travel. This trend affects Italy with significantly lower figures: last month, just over 80,000 Italians departed for the "States," a decrease of only 3.4% compared to the same month the previous year, versus a 17.2% drop in tourists from across Europe.

Extending the comparison to the first quarter of 2025, the number of Italian travelers to the U.S. remained unchanged compared to the January-March 2024 period (+0.3%). Geopolitical tensions and an aggressive (if not outright hostile, with travelers being arrested at the airport) approach to border checks are contributing to pushing many potential travelers toward other destinations.

In March, the decline from Germany was 28.3%, from Spain 24.6%, from the United Kingdom (the largest tourist market after Canada) 14.6%, and from France 8%. Cancellation rates for U.S. bookings rose by 16% in the first quarter, with the United Kingdom, Germany, and France reaching 40%.

In 2024, 1.404 million Italians traveled to the U.S. (+5.9% compared to 2023), spending 3.182 billion dollars (+0.25% compared to the previous year).

The negative trend for the U.S. market in March can be inferred from some summer forecast data: summer bookings for the U.S., for example, have decreased by 25% among European tourists at hotels in the French Accor group.