The US was poised for a banner year in 2026, celebrating the centenary of Route 66, the 250th anniversary of independence, and co-hosting the FIFA World Cup. But political developments under President Donald Trump are prompting tourists to reconsider travel plans.

Since returning to office in January 2025, Trump’s administration has imposed tariffs on allies, threatened to annex Canada, detained foreign visitors at the border, and launched mass deportations. Plans to screen tourists’ social media accounts have also been floated.

As a result, several nations issued travel warnings, and international visitor spending in the US fell sharply—an estimated $12.5 billion loss in 2025, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Nearly half of travelers surveyed said they were less likely to visit the US because of Trump.

Trump’s recent actions abroad—airstrikes in Caracas, capturing Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, renewed talks over Greenland, and threats to Cuba, Iran, Colombia, and Mexico—are extending travel concerns beyond the US. Prospective visitors to Greenland and Cuba report hesitancy, citing safety concerns and uncertainty about potential conflicts. Tour operators note immediate impacts in Cuba, while bookings to Colombia and Mexico remain largely unaffected.

Travel agencies emphasize the role of official government guidance. British tour operators, for instance, will not send clients to countries flagged as unsafe by the Foreign Office, and travel insurance is often voided if guidelines are ignored.

Some tourism officials see a silver lining. Greenland, for example, could leverage the heightened media attention to raise global awareness of its culture, nature, and history. In Iran, long-standing US policies and perceptions, rather than recent rhetoric, are the main factors affecting tourism.

For now, the travel industry is navigating a climate where perception is key, and the perceived risks of visiting the US or other targeted countries may outweigh the rewards.

With inputs from BBC