The effects of President Trump’s stricter border controls, immigration, and even censorship policies may have had a direct impact on the nation’s tourism sector, as many Europeans are opting for other shores during the spring holiday period.
According to National Travel and Tourism Office data from the first quarter of 2025, multiple metrics demonstrate a not-insignificant shift in arrivals to the country compared to the same period in 2024. Travelers from Western Europe—including both tourists and business visitors—fell by roughly 17% in March, and by 7% overall since January.
The trend is even greater in countries like Ireland (24%), Germany (28%), and Spain (26%), despite all three being eligible for the US’s Visa Waiver Program.
Fear and Frustration at the Border
Immigration lawyers, data scientists, and travel economists suggest that Trump’s strict border control policies, but also his unexpected assault on freedom of speech in the United States over his first 100 days have soured the country as a potential tourist destination.
An article by ABC News Australia cited reports “of Australians being held for several hours at US airports before being sent home,” and of visiting academics “cancelling trips to major US conferences over concerns of being detained”. This isn’t Syria or Russia that’s being discussed, but Australia, one of America’s closest allies.
While even the opponents of the President’s immigration policies may have been reluctant to go so far as to accuse him of tanking the tourism industry, his Day 1 immigration executive order mentions “enhanced vetting and screening for all foreign nationals intending to enter, or already present in, the United States”.
Border Control: A Growing Concern
Melissa Vincenty, managing director of Worldwide Migration Partners, told ABC that while each case is different, and while US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have always been able to conduct searches including of electronic items, “the hype is real”. She claimed that CBP use AI-powered programs that will search phones for keywords, potentially pulling up emails and messages saved on your phone over, say, a private conversation you had with a friend regarding the state of Israel.
“It’s not a court of law, you do not have any way to dispute it,” Ms, Vincenty said, adding earlier in a different comment that there aren’t many rights a non-citizen of the US can exercise, and that CBP officers have overwhelming power to permit or refuse entry into the country, including arbitrarily. In fact, Vincenty recommended Australian visitors to the US bring a “burner phone” not because she imagines they have something to hide, “but do you want a border official to have access to basically your whole life?”
Digital Privacy and Travel Guidelines
She wasn’t the only one suggesting the use of a burner phone. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) provided SCMP with a list of guidelines for protecting data, rights, and devices whilst traveling internationally, and with a special focus on the United States where stories of extensive digital searches and seizures are becoming worryingly common for a traveler’s perspective.
EFF also recommended bringing a secondary travel phone or computer, but even warned that a completely wiped or clean device might appear “suspicious”. EFF recommends using strong encryption to make it difficult for CBP programs to access saved or cloud data, backing up anything you care to lose, and preparing to answer questions about certain kinds of data. Delete social media accounts if necessary, and calmly assert your right, as a citizen, not to undergo a search without a warrant if there is a threat of confiscation. Be ready, though, for officials to confiscate those devices.
‘Unpredictable Landscapes’
“We say everyone should have a plan before travel,” said Sophia Cope, senior lawyer with the EFF. “The traveler has to know what they’re going to do in that moment. Either they’re going to comply or they’re not going to comply”.
Vincenty also suggested to be prepared, and to think of ways to make the CBP interview more expedient, such as by printing out paper copies of hotel reservations and plane tickets. If kept all on the traveler’s phone, and the traveler unlocks it willingly, the CBP officer may just say “‘well, we’ll just take a look’”.
Growing Uncertainty for Travelers Under Trump’s Policies
“Travelers to the United States are facing a more unpredictable landscape under President Trump’s second term,” Paul Mutter, Global Coverage Manager at Riskline, told WaL. “Ramped-up enforcement efforts [are ongoing] to remove or deny entry to travelers and long-term residents for minor criminal convictions or entry violations, such as failing to fully declare prohibited items or disclose social media accounts”.
“Even travelers with valid visas or ESTA waivers have been denied entry or detained over minor infractions. At US entry points, particularly along the US-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders, secondary screenings have increased, resulting in long delays and invasive searches,” said Mutter.
“Rapid policy changes, sometimes triggered by administrative errors, have also led to individuals being forced to leave the country, even when they do not meet the criteria for self-deportation. Travelers should not expect a quick resolution to legal challenges against such measures; detainment may last for weeks before release or deportation”.
A Barrier for LGBTQ+ and Gender-Diverse Travelers
It seems a difficult pill to swallow for the European, since the citizens of the US are able to travel largely anywhere in Europe without any form of additional documentation—of the kind required under the ESTA program, which costs $60 per person—and sometimes even enjoy their own special passport control lines, such as in Milano Malpensa Airport.
“In January, the US government stopped recognizing gender-neutral passports, creating uncertainty for travelers with this type of document,” Mutter added.
Germany is one such nation, and the President’s decision goes some way perhaps in explaining the large drop in German visitors—the highest of any large country in Europe over that period, according to Statista. However, a large section of nations that are almost certain to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held that year in conjunction with Canada, also recognize these passports. These include Germany, Australia, Canada, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico. Norway and Costa Rica could also be in with a chance at qualification as well. Officially, fans with an X in the field marked ‘sex’ will not be able to enter the US to see the matches.
Advice for Travelers to the US
“Before departure, travelers should review current legal entry requirements, consider obtaining a temporary prepaid mobile device, and keep relevant consular contact information accessible in case of detention by US,” Mutter concluded.
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