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tourism to usa There has been a decline since the beginning of President Trump’s second term In January 2025. In the key month of August 2025, the number of international arrivals declined 8.3 percent compared to the previous year in 2024 – representing about 20,000 people a day away from America’s cities, beaches and the great outdoors.
Even the classiest airlines are struggling to fill their economy seats profitably. For January travel between London Heathrow and Los Angeles, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are selling return flights for under £500; Between Manchester and New York JFK, the going rate is less than £400.
While domestic demand is keeping many accommodation rates high, in areas where the absence of overseas visitors is noticeable, you can find some excellent package deals – such as this one for two people at Orlando’s Balmoral Resort in January for less than £1,000 per person for a week, including Heathrow flights through Virgin Atlantic Holidays.
Demand is expected to increase next summer due to soccer fans traveling to the US to support England and Scotland at the World Cup. But America’s increasingly complicated path has taken a new turn. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that applicants for it will have travel permits They will soon have to provide details of their social media activity In the last five years.
The organization took this step in response to an executive order donald trump Demanding that foreigners should be “checked and screened to the maximum possible level” on arrival. CBP officers may ask to check your phone and assess your social media activity.
There have been some high-profile deportations of travelers deemed not suitable for entry. LGBT+ travelers, as well as those who are politically active, may have particular concerns.
These are the main questions and answers.
Will I be able to get ESTA without any hassles?
Possibly – and even if you have no immediate plans to visit the US, you should consider enrolling for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) as soon as possible to meet the upcoming demand to access your social media accounts.
The ESTA scheme came into effect in 2009. These necessary online permits are usually granted within a few hours. The fee is $40 (£30). The ESTA allows travelers to travel to the United States for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa. If you are refused an ESTA, you will not be told why; Customs and Border Protection says it “can’t tell you why” the authorization was denied due to security/privacy laws.
If you are granted an ESTA it does not guarantee entry; As the Australian government advises its citizens: “You may be refused entry if you provide false information or fail to satisfy the authorities that you are visiting with a legitimate reason.”
What if I’ve been to Cuba – or any other ‘no-go’ country?
For Cuba, it depends on when you were on the island. At the end of his first term, on January 12, 2021, President Trump designated Cuba a “state sponsor of terrorism.” Anyone found to have visited Cuba on or after this date is not eligible for an ESTA and must apply for a visa.
If you have been to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen; Any travel since March 2011 disqualifies you from obtaining an ESTA.
Getting a US visa is a long, cumbersome and expensive process.
Some travelers have not disclosed travel to Cuba, but have instead applied for, and successfully obtained, an ESTA using a new passport with no proof of travel to the island.
Why so much interest in social media?
US Customs and Border Protection says: “Social media may be used to support or verify information on a traveler’s application, which will help facilitate legitimate travel by providing additional means to make decisions on issues related to relevant questions about identity, occupation, previous travel, and other factors. It may also be used to identify potential deception or fraud.”
Furthermore, “social media may help to isolate individuals of additional concern” – people whose political views differ from those of the administration in Washington DC.
What if I am a transgender person?
In an executive order, President Trump directed: “It is the policy of the United States to recognize the two sexes, male and female. These sexes are not mutable and are based on fundamental and undisputed reality. ‘Gender ideology’ replaces the biological category of sex with an ever-changing concept of self-assessed gender identity, which allows the false claim that men can identify and thus become women and vice versa.”
It is widely believed that people must have travel documents corresponding to their birth gender upon arrival. But the Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) says: “An alien traveler’s personal beliefs about the gender and sexuality depicted on his or her passport do not make a person inadmissible.”
How difficult is the arrival process?
Many find it slower (I waited 90 minutes at New York JFK in May 2025) and more intense than before. Officers may ask to see your return ticket or onward ticket from a country that is not Canada, Mexico, or a Caribbean nation, and may ask for proof that you have enough money to support yourself during your stay.
Do I get my phone checked?
“Officers may ask to inspect your electronic devices, emails, text messages and social media activity,” the Foreign Office warns. “If you refuse, they may delay or deny your entry.”
Last year the chance of someone checking your social media history was one in 10,000. This means that one in every 30 widebody aircraft arriving in the US from abroad will have their social media checked. Perhaps the ratio has increased. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says: “Officers may search a traveler’s mobile phone, computer, camera or other electronic devices during the inspection process.
“All passengers are obliged to present their electronic devices and the information contained on the device in a condition that permits inspection of the device and its contents. If the electronic device cannot be inspected because it is protected by a passcode or encryption or other security mechanism, that device may be subject to exclusion, detention, or other appropriate action or disposition.
“Additionally, the traveler may face longer processing times to allow CBP to access the device’s contents.”
According to CBP, there are two levels of search: “A basic search generally involves an officer manually reviewing the contents of a device without the assistance of any external tools.
“Enhanced search is any search in which an officer connects an external device to an electronic device to not only gain access to the device, but also to review, copy, and/or analyze its contents.”
CBP says only 10 percent of device searches are “enhanced.”
Any hacks to make the experience easier?
Travel to America via Ireland. At Dublin and Shannon airports, travelers bound to the US are “pre-cleared” by CBP officers. You check in as usual, go through a universal security check and a separate advanced inspection, and then are effectively screened at the US border.
Any problems can be resolved when you are on Irish soil rather than in a US airport where you risk deportation. If you’re going to be rejected, it better happen before you fly to the other side of the Atlantic.
Most passengers will be passed for boarding, and at the end of the transatlantic flight they will be treated as domestic arrivals – with no wait, unlike the weary masses lining up for CBP checks.
What about the World Cup?
whether you are participating or not The men’s football festival is being jointly organized by the US, Canada and Mexico.Airfares will be impacted With millions of fans coming from all over the world to support their teams, airfares will increase and accommodation in host cities will be at a premium. If you’re not planning on following the football, it’s probably best to avoid June 11 to July 19.
Anything else new for 2026?
Yes: A $100 (£75) surcharge per person will be applied for overseas visitors The 11 most popular US national parks as of January 1, 2026. This is on top of the typical $35 fee per car.
The solution is to pay $80 (£60) for an annual America the Beautiful National Parks pass before the end of this year.