Is the United States Turning Into a “Shithole” Country? The Decline in Foreign Tourism
Foreign tourism in the United States has declined sharply in the months since Donald Trump was elected. While Donald Trump might say he is making America great again, it looks like people living outside the country feel otherwise. In the five months since it peaked in December, real spending by foreign tourists in the United States fell 9.0 percent. This is a 20.1 percent annual rate of decline.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Table 2.4.6U, Line 339.
It looks like foreigners are voting with their feet against Donald Trump’s America. This sharp decline comes despite the fact that the dollar has fallen considerably against the euro and other major currencies, making visits to the United States cheaper for people living in other countries.
The drop in foreign tourism also comes after a rising post-pandemic trend. Real spending in December of 2024 was 7.6 percent higher than the December 2023 level. Trump and his loyal followers might think America is now great, but the rest of the world doesn’t seem to agree.
The difference in infrastructure coming into LAX from Tokyo would make any traveler think the US is a shithole country. Our lack of public transportation alone shouts, “We don’t care!” to any visitor. And that was before Noemi’s Gestapo started grabbing people off the street.
Horror stories from overseas AND Canadian visitors caught up in CBP intensive interrogations — including mobile and tablet searches -— during customs clearing procedures have added to the disincentives of travel to the US...also, visa applicants are being asked for past SM username data to screen out "anti-American" naughtiness. Who needs this shite for tourist visits anyway?