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Like any seasoned travel professional, Raj Gyawali understands that occasional cancellations for circumstances like illness are simply part of doing business.
But Gyawali, founder of socialtours, a Kathmandu-based operator that specializes in creating customized, locally focused itineraries, recently experienced a first in his 20-plus year career: An American client backing out of a Nepal trip over his fears of traveling abroad during the current US administration.
“A completely confirmed booking reversed itself when the person felt unsafe to travel,” Gyawali told CNN Travel, adding that he’s noticed an uptick among other American clients expressing similar concerns. “I completely understand the sentiment, because people feel uncomfortable to be coming from a country where they’ll have to defend [themselves] or be apologetic of where it is right now. And I think this is going to affect a lot of countries and a lot of travel, there’s no doubt about it.”
A few months into Donald Trump’s second presidential term, emerging figures show a drop in demand from overseas travelers to the US. According to data from research firm Tourism Economics, visits from international tourists are expected to fall 5.1%, and spending is expected to drop 11%, representing a loss of $18 billion this year. Canadian tour companies in particular are seeing cancellations of up to 30%. Meanwhile, some European countries are advising trans and non-binary citizens to avoid the US.
But the reluctance isn’t just one-way. For some Americans planning trips abroad, or who are already traveling, the impacts of Trump’s second presidency are being deeply felt, as they adjust to new perceptions of America — and Americans — around the globe.
Some are expressing fear or hesitation about traveling abroad because of perceived backlash in response to policies and actions by the current administration, including widespread tariffs, its treatment of ally nations, and threats to annex Canada and Greenland.
Sierra Malone, a public relations and digital marketing specialist, told CNN Travel she felt “more nervous” than usual ahead of an upcoming extended trip to Europe, which kicked off in France this month. For Malone, an experienced traveler who lived in England for three years while earning her bachelor’s degree, the trip marks a new life chapter as a digital nomad.
But trepidation has tempered Malone’s excitement.
“Last time [Trump was in office], it felt embarrassing; this time it feels terrifying,” said Malone, who also writes a travel blog. “I haven’t been out of the country since January, but just knowing that the environment is going to be different, and kind of anticipating that, and just wondering how the world is looking at Americans — yeah, there’s definitely fear there.”
No longer welcome?
Travelers concerned about America’s current reputation on a global level aren’t misinterpreting the prevailing mood around the US administration — especially in Europe.
According to recent data from YouGov, a British market research and data analytics firm, “European favorability of the USA” has dropped considerably across seven major European countries since Trump took office for the second time.
“Comparing our latest quarterly data with the last poll prior to Donald Trump’s re-election, favorable attitudes towards the United States have fallen by between six and 28 percentage points,” the report stated.
It noted that opinion toward the US is lowest in Denmark — little wonder, when Greenland, which Trump has vowed to annex, is an autonomous territory of the country. Just 20% of Danes express a favorable view of the US, plummeting from 48% in August 2024. Only around a third of respondents in Sweden, Germany, France and the UK viewed the US favorably, while Italians and Spaniards came in at 42 percent and 43 percent respectively.
“You would expect the favorability scores to be reflective of current events, and we have done other research which finds people in western Europe are highly critical of the Trump administration’s position on Ukraine,” a YouGov spokesperson told CNN Travel via email.
For travelers like Lisa VanderVeen, a school administrator and avid traveler who spends between five and seven weeks abroad every year, the current administration’s global policies — including its stance on Ukraine, a potential travel ban on those entering the country, and “chaotic” trade policy which included the threat of a 200% tariff on European alcohol before culminating in a 20% tariff on all EU imports, which the bloc is preparing to retaliate against — have indeed cast a noticeably harsher spotlight on Americans traveling internationally compared to Trump’s first term.
“Before, it felt more like he was viewed as a caricature of the US rather than a threat outside the country,” VanderVeen said. “Now it feels like he’s more directly relevant to people living in other countries.”
As a result, some Americans report feeling increasingly conflicted — and occasionally concerned for their safety — while abroad. “I’m torn between not wanting to have a target on me, especially as a solo traveler, but also feeling an obligation or a duty to sort of be an ambassador [for] our country,” VanderVeen said.
She also notes that when the topic of politics does come up and she feels comfortable discussing it, she makes it “very clear” that she has never voted for Trump.
Malone, meanwhile, is wary of “being blamed about what’s going on” and “feeling helpless that I can’t do anything” as she anticipates possible conversations — or confrontations — during her time abroad. “I want to, like, write on my forehead, ‘I’m American, but I’m not that American, or that type of American,’” she said. “But it’s not that simple, either.”
‘Protect tourism in this Trump-affected world’
Eduardo Santander, CEO of the European Travel Commission, told CNN via email that the most recent arrivals data “show no indication that recent political events have affected US travel to Europe,” and that “the American market remains a cornerstone of European tourism.”
But some tourism experts are preparing for changes ahead. For Gyawali, the travel industry as a whole needs to take a more proactive stance in order to adapt to the challenges at hand affecting both travelers and the businesses they fuel. In other words, “Time to strategize how to protect tourism in this Trump-affected world,” as he put it in a recent LinkedIn post about the recent cancellation by his US client.
Ethical Travel Portal Norway, a tour company in which Gyawali is a partner, is also “bracing” for cancellations from American clients, who make up a large portion of the business. As a result, he says, communication with US clients is increasingly focused on projecting a sense of empathy instead of simply glossing over their concerns or fears, which is “not the right way to deal with it,” Gyawali says.
Gyawali has ideas at the industry level, too, such as pulling together tourism experts in a possible “think tank” initiative to collaborate on best practices. “The tourism industry, typically, is reactive,” he says. “They get a crisis, and then they start facing it. I think we need a little bit more pro-action in something like this, where you preempt the issues that come in.”
Travelers, meanwhile, can employ a few strategies of their own, starting with the packing process (hint: this is the time to rethink that US flag shirt, and be sure to leave potentially offensive or political-leaning clothing or accessories at home). Nick Leighton, a Manhattan-based etiquette expert and co-founder of the podcast “Were You Raised by Wolves?”, says he’s noticed a recent increase in questions from listeners about how best to “blend in” while traveling abroad.
Leighton notes that Americans should resist the urge to say they’re from Canada in an attempt to avoid an uncomfortable situation (a popular social media topic). “Unless there’s a truly compelling reason to hide one’s nationality, honesty is always the best policy,’’ he says. “Indeed, it’s important for people around the world to meet as many different types of Americans as possible and see that we all represent more than just our passports.”
That travel can offer an opportunity for cross-cultural connection in tumultuous times is a key motivation for VanderVeen while interacting with locals abroad. “People understand that we’re just human beings too, and certainly not all of us voted for what’s happening in our country right now — and especially as it relates to our country’s perceived lack of welcome or unfriendliness to other people in this world,” she said.
Jessica Flores, chief experience officer at Tourism Cares, a leading nonprofit focused on sustainability in the travel industry, also reminds travelers that “empathy goes a long way” if they encounter a heated situation. “Try to understand the underlying concerns and adjust your behavior if necessary,” Flores said. “Often, simply being kind, patient and curious can defuse tense situations and help forge connections.”