International Travel Through PHL Plummets as Global Anti-American Sentiment Grows

Travel from abroad to Philadelphia has significantly decreased this year, with prospective visitors hesitating due to
President Donald Trump’s tariff battle
And hostile remarks aimed at traditional allies such as Canada and the European Union.

The number of non-U.S. citizens arriving at Philadelphia International Airport has decreased by 10.5% since the beginning of the year, as reported by data collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Local tourism authorities, primarily relying on hearsay, have already done so.
cautioned that Philadelphia’s economy might face negative impacts
From growing anti-American sentiments abroad, the fresh statistics seem to lend credence to these worries.

The
data show
As of April 27, approximately 88,000 non-U.S. citizens were handled by the CBP. This figure represents 9,237 fewer individuals compared to the corresponding timeframe from the previous year. Additionally, the processing of U.S. citizens by Philadelphia-based CBP officers increased by 9%.

The decrease in international travel has also affected other American cities. In March, the number of arriving foreign tourists to the U.S. dropped by 12% when compared to the prior year.
based on data from the research company Tourism Economics
The number of Canadians coming back home from visits to the U.S. via land routes dropped by 32% during this period, and air traffic likewise decreased.

“The decrease can be linked to the worldwide impact of the heightened ‘America First’ approach,” the company stated in their April 11 report.

Trump,
inquired about the trend due to reporters
at the White House earlier last week,
said
There seems to be a hint of nationalism, maybe. It’s really not significant.

I can envision this also applies when we do not wish to visit specific countries,” he said. “However, that should be resolved quite simply.

The Inquirer examined three years of CBP data and discovered that the count of international visitors arriving in Philadelphia increased during 2024 but began declining after October. Generally, the total number of travelers handled by the CBP in Philadelphia has followed nationwide patterns, increasing as the nation progresses further away from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, international tourists contributed approximately $1.2 billion to Philadelphia’s economy last year.

It is yet to be determined if the decreased enthusiasm for traveling internationally to the U.S. will continue. Following instability in financial markets, Trump has moderated some of his highest taxes on imports and recently stated that his 145% minimum tariffs on Chinese products might be adjusted.
come down “substantially.”