The US tourism sector is witnessing increasing challenges this year, with a noticeable decline in the numbers of foreign visitors, which threatens to shrink one of the most prominent sources of trade surplus in the United States services sector, according to a report published by Bloomberg today.
According to the data of the American International Trade Department, the number of non -citizens expatriates in flights decreased by 9.7% in March 2025 compared to the same month of 2024, to reach 4.5 million visitors.
This decrease coincided with the spread of media reports of harsh detention cases at US airports, which included travelers from countries such as France and Germany.
Tourism sector is a source of concern
In 2024, the expenses of foreign tourists inside the United States reached a record number of $ 254 billion, which is almost equivalent to the value of American imports from South Korea and Taiwan together, according to international trade administration data. But Bloomberg indicates that this number will decrease a sharp decline in 2025.
The Bloomberg Analysis Unit expected to be about 20 billion dollars in foreign tourism spending at the danger of this year.
Goldman Sachs also warned in a report last month that the broader economic impact of the decline in foreign tourism and potential provinces may reach 0.3% of US GDP, equivalent to $ 90 billion of potential economic losses.
Economists Joseph Brigz and Meghan Peters of Goldman Sachs wrote: “This negative factor represents an additional reason – along with the negative direct effects of customs duties and the restrictions imposed on exports due to retaliatory measures – to expect less than expected US economic growth in 2025 ″,” Economists Joseph Brigz and Meghan Peters of Goldman Sachs wrote:
Causes of retreat … policies and political discourse
Part of this slope is attributed to the negative image associated with President Donald Trump’s policies, which often criticizes sharp criticism of foreign countries for the trade balance deficit.
The Bloomberg report revealed that the Canadian Retirement Fund “Alberta for Investment Management” had directed its employees to reduce unnecessary flights to the United States, in a move that reflects the increasing caution of travel to business to American territory.
Additional threat to service excess
Although the United States records a huge commercial deficit in goods worth $ 1.21 trillion, it has achieved a major surplus in the service sector of $ 293 billion, the spending of foreign tourists is a pivotal part of it.
In light of these developments, economic observers show their fear that the United States will lose a competitive advantage in one of the few sectors to which it achieves a commercial surplus, especially with the escalation of negative global reactions to American protectionist policies, and the existence of indications of a decline in foreign demand for American bonds, which may exacerbate economic pressures in the Mediterranean.
Bloomberg concluded its report by noting that these variables in the tourism and travel sector may become one of the invisible engines of the expected American economic slowdown during 2025, unless the reasons for decline in wider diplomacy and more balanced trade policies are addressed.
