John Fugelsang: The World's Tourists Are Swiping Left on Trump's America

[highplainsdem]

https://johnfugelsang.substack.com/p/the-worlds-tourists-are-swiping-left

-snip-

Instead? In 2026 the US has somehow become the only country on Earth losing tourists during a global travel boom.

That’s right. The world is traveling more than ever; and America’s tourism sales pitch is: “No thanks, we’re doing fascism this year.”

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, global tourism spending went UP nearly 7 percent. Europe is packed, Japan is packed. Spain is so packed they’re asking people to stop coming.

Meanwhile, the U.S. posted a 6 percent drop in foreign visitors and a 7 percent drop in spending.

-snip-

Uses of boldface and italics above are Fugelsang's.

Much more at the link. No paywall.

In 2026 the US has become the only country on Earth losing tourists during a global travel boom. johnfugelsang.substack.com/p/the-worlds...

— John Fugelsang (@johnfugelsang.bsky.social) 2026-01-18T17:27:52.192Z

[Justice matters.]

1. Yeah, like who wants to risk getting disappeared in concentration camps

for no reason whatsoever?

[Hugin]

4. Only to see the world's largest ball of twine...

I can understand a hard pass.

[TheRickles]

2. A global boycott may be what it takes.

Ticket sales for the soccer World Cup are already way down, and if some teams refuse to put their players in jeopardy by coming to America, it could become a very powerful movement.

[gab13by13]

5. Is Krasnov going to allow all the team members in?

If he doesn't, could it spark a boycott by other teams?

[ForeGoneLegsBirne]

16. What's Wrong ..Don't Ferreners Want to Visit 'Merca?

[Tadpole Raisin]

3. Only 6%? I can only understand that if people took a chance

because they had to come or couldn’t cancel their trip without losing what they had already paid.

2026 - 25%?

[Jarqui]

6. Who wants to spend their vacation

getting kidnapped by ICE and wind up in a prison in El Salvador or wherever?

or get charged in a country where the rule of law is so unreliable if you're not a Trumper?

you have to submit social media from the last five years for a VISA?
what if you criticize Trump's authoritarianism in your social media?

It is probably going to get worse before it gets better - particularly if Trump annexes

[Joinfortmill]

7. That's because 'dumb as bricks' is President.

[OMGWTF]

8. I traveled in Canada and Mexico last year and didn't want to come home to the US.

[liberalla]

9. I don't blame them! I wouldn't want to come here for a visit or a job either. Not until things calm down and stabilize.

This (downturn) is to be expected.

[peppertree]

10. There is ONE other country losing tourism: Milei's Argentina

Tourist arrivals are down 22% in Jan-Nov 2025, compared to Jan-Nov-2023 - the 11 months before he took office.

Yes - a lot of it has to do with his chest-thumping - and absurd - policy of keeping an overvalued peso (with Trump's help, of course).

But some of it has to do with this:

[czarjak]

11. Tourists?

We don't need no stinking tourists?

[BurnDoubt]

12. Everything Deplorable I and Pee Wee German touch...

turns to shit.
Undeniable Eternal Truth.

[Warpy]

13. NM is a big tourism state but I haven't read any local figures

so I don't know how many people are avoiding the ski resorts in the winter or the state's stark beauty in the summer. All I've seen so far are articles citing first a return to pre pandemic levels then to record breaking high levels during the Biden administration.

I imagine that the longer the dumpster fire in Washington continues, the fewer happy talk articles we'll see around here. I imagine buyers will swoop into Santa Fe for the Spanish and Indian markets and then swoop out to tourist destinations in Canada and points south. I certainly won't blame them for that.

[Johonny]

14. Only down 6 percent,

Given how awful our foreign policies are, it's amazing it is only down 6 percent. It goes to show the world's rich are Teflon.

[mikewv]

15. I bet it is more than that. nm

nm

[Grokenstein]

17. Only 6%? Wow.

I guess it's still "early" yet. It just feels like an eternity.