DONALD Trump’s proposal to introduce wider social media disclosures for entry into the United States could cost the country up to US$15.7 billion (A$22.4 billion) in visitor spend, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has warned.
Potential changes could result in a drop of up to 24% in international demand, with the United States potentially seeing 4.7 million fewer international arrivals from ESTA countries in 2026 compared with a business-as-usual baseline.
The findings are based on a multi-country survey of travellers across ESTA-eligible markets, along with a detailed economic impact report assessing potential effects on international arrivals, visitor spending, and wider tourism-related GDP and employment in the United States.
Around one-third of respondents (34%) said they would be somewhat or much less likely to visit the United States in the next two to three years if the changes are introduced, and only 12% said they would be more likely to visit, WTTC’s analysis found.
A large portion of respondents also believe the policy would make the US feel less welcoming for both leisure and business travel, and a majority said it would either have no impact on their personal safety or make them feel less safe while travelling in the country.
“Security at the US border is vital but the planned policy changes will damage job creation, which the US Administration values so much,” WTTC President & chief executive officer Gloria Guevara said.
“Even modest shifts in visitor behaviour, put off by the planned changes, will have real economic consequences for US travel and tourism, particularly in a highly competitive global market.”
The WTTC found that more than 150,000 jobs are at risk if the policy goes ahead.
“WTTC urges US policymakers to carefully assess this policy and its consequences for the economy and jobs,” Guevara added.
The findings coincide with the release of new data from the National Travel and Tourism Office, which shows a 3% YOY decrease in international visitor spend on travel to, and tourism-related activities within the US for Oct 2025.
This marks the fourth month in a row that the country recorded a decline in spend.
