The United States hospitality sector is hoping that the upcoming FIFA World Cup will help revive tourism after a significant decline in international visitors in recent years, a downturn that industry players partly attribute to policies and rhetoric associated with President Donald Trump’s administration.
Hotel operators across major American cities say reduced inbound travel has hurt business, particularly because foreign tourists typically stay longer and spend more than domestic travelers. Meade Atkeson, who manages three hotels under the Sonesta group—two in Washington and one in Miami Beach—said the slowdown in international tourism has had a noticeable financial impact. According to him, foreign visitors usually make up nearly a quarter of the business at these properties, making their absence difficult for the sector to absorb.
Official data highlights the scale of the problem. In the first eleven months of 2025, inbound travel to the United States declined by 5.4 percent, making it the only major global tourist destination to record a drop in foreign arrivals during that period. The fall was particularly pronounced among Canadian tourists, whose travel to the US plunged by 21.7 percent compared to 2024—equivalent to roughly four million fewer visitors. Travel from France also declined by nearly seven percent during the same timeframe.
Industry professionals say the reasons behind the slump are complex but often linked to the broader political environment. Policies such as sweeping tariffs on foreign goods, stricter immigration rules and critical rhetoric toward other countries have created an impression among some potential visitors that the United States has become less welcoming. These factors have reportedly influenced travel decisions, even if many hospitality industry representatives hesitate to speak openly about the political dimension of the downturn.
Some tourism professionals say Canadians, traditionally one of the largest groups of visitors to the United States, have chosen to avoid travel south of the border in response to political tensions. Atkeson noted that certain comments suggesting Canada could become the “51st state” had sparked resentment among some travelers, prompting them to rethink holiday plans in the US. For some Canadians, he said, the decision not to travel was driven by principle or personal convictions.
Despite the current challenges, the hospitality sector is optimistic that the 2026 FIFA World Cup—set to be hosted across North America—will provide a major boost to tourism. Organizers expect the tournament to attract millions of spectators, with an estimated seven million fans attending matches in stadiums and an additional 20 to 30 million tourists visiting host cities and surrounding areas during the event.
Hotels, restaurants and local businesses in host cities are preparing for a surge in demand as football fans from around the world travel to the United States. Tourism authorities believe the global appeal of the tournament could help offset the recent dip in international arrivals and generate significant economic activity for the hospitality sector.
With the World Cup drawing closer, industry leaders remain hopeful that the global sporting spectacle will restore momentum to the country’s tourism industry, bringing back international visitors and providing much-needed relief for hotels that have struggled amid declining foreign travel.
