Many Europeans are changing their travel plans to the United States, largely because of political events and the behavior of former President Donald Trump. For example, a Danish traveler named Kennet Brask decided not to visit Florida again after watching a heated meeting between Trump and the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Brask felt Trump’s behavior was rude, so he chose to vacation in Mexico instead.
Travel agents in Europe have noticed a decline in interest in trips to the U.S. As of February, visitors from Western Europe dropped by 1% compared to last year, after a rise of 14% in the same month last year. The biggest declines came from Slovenia, Switzerland, and Belgium. Many Danes are particularly upset about Trump’s comments related to Greenland, which has affected their willingness to visit the U.S. For instance, another Dane, Kim Kugel Sorenson, cancelled a trip to California and even changed a tattoo to avoid appearing pro-American.
Travel searches for flights to the U.S. have also fallen sharply this month in France, Italy, and Spain. However, Britain’s interest remains strong. Some Germans are now considering vacations in Canada instead, where they feel solidarity, as opposed to the U.S. Travel agencies say they are no longer spending money on advertising trips to the U.S. because clients are not interested.
In contrast, travel company TUI believes that the U.S. vacation market will still do well, especially for city trips and camper rentals. Despite a 9% drop in German visits to the U.S. in February, TUI expects more Germans will travel to the U.S. in 2024.
As countries like Germany and Britain are updating travel advice for citizens going to the U.S., concerns about U.S. immigration policies are rising. Immigration lawyer Maria del Carmen Ramos warns that people entering the U.S. may face increased checks at the border, meaning things can be unpredictable.
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