Date: 28 January 2026
One-third of international travellers say they are less likely to visit the U.S. if changes are introduced, showing a strong reaction to potential policy change.
New research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) warns that proposed changes to the U.S. ESTA programme, requiring wider social media disclosures, could directly reduce international travel demand and materially weaken the U.S. Travel & Tourism economy, with up to 157,000 jobs lost – wiping out the same number usually created in one quarter in the U.S.
The findings are based on a multi-country survey of travellers across ESTA-eligible markets, combined with detailed economic impact modelling assessing potential effects on international arrivals, visitor spending and wider tourism-related GDP and employment in the United States.
WTTC’s analysis, in partnership with GSIQ and Oxford Economics, shows that awareness of the proposed policy change is already high, with two-thirds (66%) of respondents saying they are familiar with the potential change. This suggests impacts on travel sentiment and behaviour will be felt quickly if implemented.
Around one-third of respondents (34%) say they would be somewhat or much less likely to visit the U.S. in the next two to three years if the changes are introduced. Only 12% say they would be more likely to visit, resulting in a clear and significant net decline in travel intent.
Beyond travel plans, the research highlights broader perception challenges. While a minority of respondents view the policy as a signal of strength, a larger share say it would make the U.S. feel less welcoming and less attractive for both leisure and business travel. More respondents believe the policy would harm U.S. economic prosperity rather than strengthen it, and a majority say it would either have no impact on their personal safety or make them feel less safe while travelling in the country.
Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC, said “Security at the U.S. border is vital but the planned policy changes will damage job creation, which the U.S. Administration values so much. Our research finds that over 150,000 jobs could be lost if this policy goes ahead, the same number usually created each quarter in the U.S. Even modest shifts in
visitor behaviour, put off by the planned changes, will have real economic consequences for U.S. Travel & Tourism, particularly in a highly competitive global market.”
When benchmarked against other major destinations, this particular U.S. entry policy is perceived as significantly more intrusive than those of key competitors, including the UK, Japan, Canada and Western Europe, placing the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage in the global tourism market. WTTC’s economic modelling suggests these shifts in sentiment could translate into substantial and measurable economic losses. Under a high-impact scenario the U.S. could receive approximately 4.7 million fewer international arrivals, representing a reduction of 23.7% from ESTA countries in 2026 compared with a business-as-usual baseline.
Corresponding losses in visitor spending are estimated at up to USD $15.7 billion, with wider Travel & Tourism GDP losses of USD $21.5 billion. The employment impact could affect as many as 157,000 U.S. jobs, three times the average number of jobs actually created in the U.S. each month in 2025 (50,000 jobs were created on average each month in the US last year). These changes would have the effect of lowering U.S. exports for the Travel sector and further weakening inbound prospects for a market that has already seen a loss of 11 million visitors between 2019 and 2025.
The findings underscore a clear conclusion, that the proposed policy carries a high risk of reducing travel demand and weakening the U.S.’s competitive standing in a fiercely contested global tourism market.
Gloria Guevara continued: “WTTC urges U.S. policymakers to carefully assess this policy and its consequences for the economy and jobs. Travel & Tourism is a critical driver of the American economy, job creation and international connectivity, with one in three jobs in the world created by the sector.”
ENDS
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About WTTC:
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is the global, private-sector voice of the Travel & Tourism industry. Its members include the Chairmen/women, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world’s leading travel and tourism companies, spanning airlines, hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, technology firms and more. Through this unified
membership, WTTC works with governments and international institutions to drive sustainable growth, support exports, create jobs, and deliver prosperity globally.
For more than three decades, WTTC has championed the economic and social contribution of Travel & Tourism. Its rigorous, data-driven research quantifies the sector’s impact — on GDP, employment, exports and wider societal benefits — helping shape policies, raise awareness, and foster public-private collaboration.
Notes to Editors:
Methodology – Survey
The research is based on online surveys with 4,563 international travellers across Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Around 500 interviews were conducted per country between 23 December 2025 and 2 January 2026. All respondents have travelled outside their geographical region in the past five years, with data weighted to reflect population size by market.
Methodology – Economic Impact
WTTC modelled low and high impact scenarios using historical declines in arrivals following changes in geopolitical and trade conditions, adjusted by survey findings and social media usage by market. Impacts are assessed for 2026 relative to a baseline business-as-usual forecast and cover arrivals, visitor spending, Travel & Tourism GDP and employment.