New visa fee looms as inbound travel slides for sixth month, with steep declines from India and Europe raising fresh concerns for the tourism industry
Sep 18, 2025
U.S. government data shows international visits to the country dropped again in August, marking six declines in the past seven months. While arrivals from some markets grew, steep drops from others — particularly India — highlight ongoing weakness in inbound tourism.
Key takeaways
- Overall decline: Overseas visits fell 2.9% year over year in August, reaching only 86% of 2019 levels.
- India slump: Arrivals from India dropped 14.8%, the sharpest fall among top markets.
- Mixed market performance: Half of the U.S.’s top 10 overseas markets grew (e.g., UK +4.7%, Japan +10.5%) while the other half declined (e.g., Germany -9.4%, China -8.3%).
- Canadian travel weakness: Separate data showed Canadians returning by car from the U.S. fell 34%, the eighth consecutive monthly decline.
- Policy headwind: A new $250 “visa integrity fee,” effective October 1, may further deter non-visa waiver travelers and add to the cost burden of visiting the U.S.
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