U.S. International Visitor Arrivals Fall 6.1% Despite World Cup Travel Boost

In Brief: New federal tourist information reveal that 10.3 million global visitors gotten here in the United States by air in the 2nd quarter of 2026, while the FIFA World Cup drew an approximated 471,000 worldwide air tourists.

International air arrivals to the United States decreased 6.1 %year over year in the 2nd quarter of 2026, in spite of an increase of visitors going to the FIFA World Cup, according to freshly launched information from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO).

The findings highlight continued weak point in worldwide incoming travel throughout a duration when the World Cup was anticipated to create extra need for U.S. hotels, airline companies, and tourist companies.

The NTTO’s Survey of International Air Travelers (SIAT) taped 10.3 million global air visitors throughout April– June, compared to about 11 million in the very same quarter of 2025.

The decrease was especially noticable amongst visitors from abroad markets, where arrivals fell 8.0%. Canadian air arrivals reduced 0.9%, while arrivals from Mexico decreased 0.5%.

For the U.S. hospitality market, the outcomes highlight the value of comparing need created by significant worldwide occasions and wider patterns in global travel.

World Cup Attracts Nearly Half a Million International Air Visitors

The FIFA World Cup, hosted collectively by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, produced an approximated 471,000 global air visitors to the United States throughout the 2nd quarter.

According to NTTO quotes, these visitors consisted of:

• 341,000 from abroad markets
• 91,000 from Mexico
• 38,000 from Canada

World Cup-related visitors represented 4.6% of abroad air arrivals, 10.3% of Mexican air arrivals, and 1.9% of Canadian air arrivals.

The fairly high percentage of World Cup-related visitors from Mexico shows the competition’s local significance and the involvement of all 3 North American host nations.

NTTO likewise approximated that about 374,000 abroad visitors took a trip to the United States for the competition utilizing all modes of transport, consisting of air, land, and sea.

The occasion created considerable worldwide travel, the general decrease in incoming arrivals suggests that tournament-related need did not balanced out weak point in other worldwide travel sectors throughout the quarter.

The second-quarter figures catch just the competition’s opening part, which started June 11 and continued into July. The outcomes do not represent the complete effect of the World Cup on worldwide travel or U.S. hotel need.

Florida, New York, and California Lead International Visitation

International visitors stayed greatly focused in recognized U.S. tourist and hospitality markets.

Florida got around 2.7 million global air visitors throughout the quarter, followed by New York with 2.6 million and California with 2.2 million.

Texas drew in 924,000 worldwide visitors, while Nevada invited roughly 846,000.

Together, these 5 states represented check outs comparable to 85% of overall worldwide air arrivals, although specific tourists might have gone to several states.

At the city level, New York City stayed the most gone to location, drawing in around 2.6 million global air tourists.

Miami followed with 1.3 million, while Los Angeles and Orlando each got around 1.2 million visitors. Las Vegas invited 829,000.

These 5 locations represented sees comparable to 64% of worldwide air arrivals.

The geographical concentration highlights the significance of global travel to hotel markets with significant direct exposure to abroad leisure tourists, worldwide service visitors, and significant occasions.

Visitor arrivals alone do not develop hotel space need, as global tourists might utilize various lodging types or check out numerous locations throughout a single journey.

UK Remains Largest Overseas Source Market

The United Kingdom was the biggest abroad source market for U.S. travel throughout the 2nd quarter, representing roughly 1 million visitors.

India ranked 2nd with 602,000 visitors, followed by Brazil with 461,000, Japan with 423,000, and Germany with 368,000.

Together, these 5 nations represented roughly 35% of abroad visitation.

The findings highlight the significance of both recognized European markets and significant long-haul markets in Asia and South America.

For hotel operators, distinctions in tourist origin can affect reserving patterns, length of stay, circulation techniques, and need for specific lodging classifications.

Abroad Visitors Stay Longer and Spend More

The study likewise offers insight into global visitor costs and journey period.

Abroad visitors invested approximately $1,938 per journey in the United States and remained approximately 17.5 nights.

Canadian visitors reported typical expenses of $1,129 per journey and a typical stay of 9.4 nights.

Mexican visitors invested approximately $1,537 per journey, with a typical stay of 9.5 nights.

The distinctions show the differing qualities of long-haul and local travel markets.

For the hospitality market, longer global journeys can support need throughout numerous locations and lodging classifications, although the reported expenses consist of travel-related costs beyond hotels.

The figures likewise show why modifications in abroad visitation can have wider financial ramifications than arrival counts alone recommend.

U.S. Residents Made 20.7 Million International Air Trips

The study likewise analyzed outgoing travel by U.S. citizens.

Around 20.7 million U.S. locals took a trip globally by air throughout the 2nd quarter, representing a 2.0% decrease compared to the exact same duration in 2025.

Of those departures, 15.9 million were to abroad locations, 3.1 million to Mexico, and 1.6 million to Canada.

Travel to abroad locations was mainly the same, decreasing 0.1% year over year.

Departures to Canada increased 3.0%, while flight to Mexico decreased 12.2%.

Italy was the most checked out overseas location amongst U.S. locals, getting roughly 1.8 million tourists.

The United Kingdom followed with 1.7 million, France with 1.4 million, Spain with 1.1 million, and the Dominican Republic with 937,000.

These 5 locations represented gos to comparable to 43% of U.S. outgoing abroad departures, with some tourists checking out numerous nations.

U.S. citizens taking a trip to abroad locations reported typical expenses of $2,120 per journey and remained approximately 13.9 nights.

Typical costs was $1,273 for journeys to Canada and $1,101 for journeys to Mexico.

Ramifications for U.S. Hotel Demand

The second-quarter outcomes indicate numerous factors to consider for the U.S. accommodations market.

The decrease in global arrivals in spite of World Cup-related travel recommends that significant occasions can create localized need without always reversing more comprehensive market patterns.

Second, the 8.0% decrease in abroad arrivals is especially appropriate for entrance locations and hotel homes that depend greatly on long-haul worldwide tourists.

Third, distinctions in visitor costs and length of stay highlight the significance of global market structure instead of arrival volumes alone.

The concentration of global travel in Florida, New York, California, Texas, and Nevada enhances the direct exposure of significant hotel markets to modifications in global travel patterns.

The outcomes offer a helpful criteria for assessing global need throughout the World Cup duration. A more total evaluation of the competition’s effect will need third-quarter arrival information, hotel efficiency stats, and details about visitor costs throughout the host markets.

The NTTO has actually carried out the Survey of International Air Travelers constantly considering that 1983. Its findings supply info on global travel patterns, journey preparation, demographics, and expenses.

Extra information, consisting of interactive visualizations and downloadable reports, is readily available through the NTTO Survey of International Air Travelers