The United States has long attracted tourists from all over the world charmed by the bright lights in Times Square or luxury shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California.

However, last year the US registered a 6 percent drop in foreign visitors, despite global arrivals being up by 4 percent in most other tourist destinations, the World Travel and Tourism Council found.

The downturn continued into the start of this year, as the number of tourists who visited the US in January fell by 4.8 percent year-on-year, according to the US Commerce Department's National Travel and Tourism Office.

Industry experts said some travelers may have been turned off by extra restrictions recently put in place, or weary of visa denials, long visa processing times or extra fees.

From Oct 1 last year, travelers from China, Mexico, Brazil and India who needed to obtain a non-immigrant visa may have to pay a $250 "visa integrity fee", outlined in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Erik Hansen, senior vice-president of government relations at the US Travel Association, said the fee was "hiking upfront costs of visiting the US by 130 percent".

The refundable fee — which some travelers reported was not yet fully in effect — cannot be waived, and, if fully implemented, is for tourists, business travelers and international students who want to enter the country.

Tourists from countries eligible for the visa waiver program can avoid paying the fee altogether.

However, Hansen said any extra costs for travelers come "as we prepare to welcome millions of international travelers for major global events including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America's 250th birthday and 2028 Summer Olympics, making the US one of the most expensive countries to visit with a visa".

From Jan 1, the US administration paused issuing immigrant visas to nationals from 39 countries because of national security concerns, ESPN reported.

The latest travel ban includes people from Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire, Iran and Haiti — all countries whose soccer teams have qualified for the World Cup.

Under the "Presidential Proclamation 10998", all players will be granted visas, along with their immediate family members and team officials. But ordinary soccer fans from countries on the travel ban list may miss out on seeing their teams play, according to ESPN.

Arrivals from Asia to the US were also down 7.5 percent in 2025 compared with 2024, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Travelers from western Europe such as Germany and France also stayed away last year. But visits from Britain grew by 0.5 percent year-on-year, The New York Times reported.

Canadian visitors fell by 28 percent in January 2025 year-on-year, according to industry magazine Travel and Tour World.

In total, the US travel and tourism industry supported more than 15 million jobs, generated $1.3 trillion in travel spending and produced an economic output of $2.9 trillion in 2024, the US Travel Association found.

The sector accounts for 2.5 percent of the country's GDP.

Chinese tourists have been among the biggest spenders when traveling worldwide for years, the European Travel Commission and the US Travel Association said.

However, a trend toward more "stay-cations" and trips at home in China or neighboring countries in Asia has become popular in recent years along with trips to international destinations.

Some of the most popular spots for Chinese tourists in Asia are Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea and Malaysia, Travel and Tour World reported earlier this month.

belindarobinson@chinadailyusa.com