市場洞察

European Tourists Shift Focus Away from U.S. in Response to Trump

Amos Simanungkalit · 24 Mar 202567.3K 閱讀

Image Credit: Reuters

Danish traveler Kennet Brask, who had fond memories of his fishing trip to Florida two years ago, canceled his planned return this year after watching U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House. Brask was so upset by Trump's "rude" behavior that he decided never to visit the U.S. again while Trump remains president. Instead, Brask will travel to Mexico.

He is not alone in reconsidering U.S. travel plans. Many Europeans, particularly Danes and Germans, are following suit, with travel agents across the continent reporting similar sentiments. In just two months, Trump has caused major disruptions in U.S.-European relations, from suggesting the annexation of Greenland to imposing stricter border policies and initiating a global trade war.

Europeans spent $155 billion on U.S. travel in 2023, with transatlantic travel being a key revenue source for airlines like British Airways. However, U.S. visits from Western Europe dropped by 1% in February, reversing a 14% increase the previous year. Notably, Slovenia saw a 26% drop in travelers, followed by declines from Switzerland and Belgium.

Trump's remarks about Greenland have particularly stung Danes, with some canceling trips to the U.S. or distancing themselves from American symbols. One Dane, Kim Kugel Sorenson, even altered a tattoo to avoid appearing pro-American.

In February, U.S. arrivals from Denmark fell by 6%, in contrast to a 7% increase the year before. Travel agencies across Europe are also noticing reduced interest in U.S. trips, prompting some to focus marketing on alternative destinations. Steen Albrechtsen from Albatros Travel in Copenhagen confirmed that his company has decided not to promote U.S. tours due to declining client interest and political tensions surrounding Denmark and Greenland.

Foreign visitors to the U.S. spend significantly more than domestic tourists, which makes the decline in European travel more impactful. The weaker U.S. dollar, which had risen during Trump's inauguration but has since declined, coupled with a sluggish European economy, may also be contributing to the dip in U.S. travel, though political unrest is seen as the primary deterrent.

In response to this shift, German travelers are increasingly turning their attention to Canada, which is experiencing a tourism boom. Travel agents believe that Canada's growing popularity is partly due to European solidarity in light of Trump’s threats to make Canada the 51st U.S. state. In fact, Canadian tourism in Europe has also surged, with a 32% year-over-year increase in vacation rental bookings from June to August, according to Key Data.

Despite these trends, some European companies, such as TUI, expect U.S. travel to hold steady, particularly for city breaks and camper tours. Nonetheless, U.S. visits from Germany were down 9% in February, compared to an 18% increase the year before. Meanwhile, Britain and Germany have updated their travel advisories to warn citizens about the U.S.'s entry rules, with concerns over increased scrutiny at the border. Immigration attorney Maria del Carmen Ramos said that U.S. border agents now have more discretion, making the process unpredictable.