As 2025 progresses, Arizona finds itself in the middle of a significant downturn in international tourism, paralleling trends in Texas, Florida, California, and New York.
Once a winter paradise for Canadian travelers, Arizona is now grappling with a sharp decline in visitors from Canada.
This dramatic shift has seen bookings from Canada to Arizona plummet by more than 70% between April and September 2025 compared to the previous year.
The recent implementation of new immigration rules requiring extended-stay Canadians to register with U.S. authorities has been largely blamed for this drop.
Many view these regulations as intrusive and unnecessary, contributing to a growing sentiment among Canadian travelers that the U.S. has become less welcoming.
Cities such as Phoenix have experienced the brunt of this downturn.
Recent airport data shows that Sky Harbor Airport saw an 18% decline in international arrivals during March alone, negating gains from earlier months in the year.
Local businesses, including those in Scottsdale and Sedona, are now reporting a surge in cancellations and a significant decrease in seasonal income.
In 2023, over 820,000 Canadians visited Arizona, contributing nearly $775 million to the state’s economy, making the current downturn particularly alarming.
Furthermore, growing diplomatic tensions and increased scrutiny at the U.S.-Canada border have fostered a climate of resentment.
Suggestive comments regarding ‘annexation’ of Canada have fueled a boycott movement across Canadian provinces, complicating the situation for tourism-dependent economies.
Texas is facing similar challenges as international travel figures continue to fall.
In Houston, there was a 5% decline in international arrivals as of February 2025.
Key markets like Mexico and the United Kingdom are pulling back, hampered by worries over stringent border checks and negative media narratives about U.S. immigration enforcement.
Cities such as El Paso and Laredo are witnessing sharp drops in hotel bookings and cross-border shopping.
In San Antonio, officials have begun to notice a softening interest from foreign travelers, all while hoping domestic tourism can alleviate some of these losses.
Florida, which heavily leans on international visitors, is also affected.
Traditionally, Canadian tourists flock to Florida’s beach resorts and rental homes, especially in winter, but agents in Quebec and Ontario report a 60% drop in bookings to the Sunshine State from February to March.
Increasing scrutiny at the U.S. borders has incited resentment that resonates with Canadian tourists, pushing many toward Mexico, the Caribbean, and even Europe.
The impact of this trend looms large over Florida’s tourism sector, which is heavily reliant on Canadian vacationers.
Meanwhile, California has also registered a worrying trend, with Los Angeles seeing a staggering 30% drop in international arrivals for 2025 so far.
Similar declines are reflected in San Francisco, where travelers from Europe and Asia cite visa processing delays and a diminishing perception of the U.S. as factors for canceling trips.
To combat these trends, California’s tourism board has initiated aggressive marketing campaigns, yet the ongoing losses may have already caused irreparable damage to convention centers, luxury hotels, and tour companies.
New York is bracing for perhaps the most severe economic repercussions of this tourism downturn.
Officials estimate that the state will see 800,000 fewer international visitors in 2025, equating to a staggering $4 billion loss in tourism revenue.
This decline extends beyond urban centers like Manhattan, hitting destinations such as Niagara Falls and the Adirondacks that rely on Canadian tourists.
Alarming trends in New York come after a period of growth in the tourism sector, leading to concerns over the state’s future economic resilience.
Multiple factors are contributing to the widespread avoidance of U.S. destinations in 2025.
Stricter immigration rules for countries like Canada, lengthy visa application backlogs, and negative media portrayals of U.S. border policies all play a role.
Additionally, organized boycott movements among Canadian consumers indicate that feelings of unwelcomeness have reached a tipping point.
The sobering conclusion drawn from these trends indicates that the U.S. is losing its status as a desired destination for many international travelers.
Tourism boards across states are attempting to respond through diplomacy, advertising, and selective policy changes.
However, as long as negative narratives surrounding immigration and travel safety persist, U.S. tourist attractiveness may continue to wane.
The USA may face a prolonged downturn unless a comprehensive and coordinated effort is made to rebuild trust among travelers, particularly in Canadian, European, and Asian markets.
Without such intervention, the drastic tourism declines of 2025 could set a troubling precedent for the future.
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