Canada Joins UK, Japan, Germany, and More in Leading the Decline of International Visitor Arrivals to the U.S., While U.S. Outbound Travel Continues to Thrive, with Mexico, Europe, and the Caribbean as Top Destinations

Published on December 11, 2025

In September 2025, key markets such as Canada, the UK, Japan, and Germany played a pivotal role in the decline of international visitor arrivals to the U.S., as global tourism recovery faces persistent challenges. While these countries contributed to the downturn in inbound travel, outbound travel from the U.S. flourished, with Mexico, Europe, and the Caribbean emerging as top destinations for American travelers. This stark contrast highlights the growing imbalance: while U.S. arrivals remain below pre-pandemic levels, Americans are increasingly exploring international destinations. The latest travel data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) reflects these shifting dynamics, showing U.S. citizens’ continued enthusiasm for overseas travel despite struggles in foreign tourism to the U.S.

According to the report, the number of non-U.S. resident arrivals dropped 11% year-over-year to 5,477,289, reflecting a continued gap from pre-pandemic levels. In contrast, outbound travel from the U.S. saw a modest increase of 0.5%, with 8,546,659 departures recorded. This suggests that while inbound tourism struggles to recover fully, outbound travel remains strong, and U.S. citizens are increasingly eager to explore international destinations.

Comparing September 2025 with 2019 figures, arrivals stood at 81.7% of the levels seen in September 2019, while outbound departures exceeded pre-pandemic numbers, reaching 112.6% of the 2019 volume.

Key Markets and Shifting Travel Patterns

International arrivals to the U.S. showed a 7.7% decline year-on-year, totaling 2,826,200 visitors. The largest number of international visitors came from neighboring Mexico (1,505,562) and Canada (1,145,527), followed by the United Kingdom (373,675), Japan (194,092), and Germany (162,435). Together, these five markets accounted for more than 60% of total arrivals.

Visitor volumes from overseas markets displayed similar trends. The United Kingdom led the pack with 318,430 arrivals, followed by Japan (161,536), Germany (135,711), Brazil (120,172), and South Korea (118,004). When it comes to business travel, the U.K. once again topped the list with 53,645 arrivals, followed by India (44,120), Japan (29,787), Germany (25,468), and China (17,823).

Continued Strength in Outbound U.S. Travel

Outbound travel by U.S. citizens remained strong, with 8,546,659 departures in September, representing a slight increase of 0.5% from the previous year. This consistent outbound growth suggests that American travelers are eager to explore destinations abroad, despite the ongoing challenges in global tourism recovery. The year-to-date market share for North America (including Mexico and Canada) stands at 49.1%, with overseas destinations capturing 50.9% of all U.S. international departures.

Mexico maintained its position as the leading outbound destination for U.S. citizens, accounting for 34.1% of all international departures in September. Despite a 2.7% decline in travel to Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico together made up nearly half (47.1%) of total outbound travel volume for the year. Europe also saw a rise in demand, attracting 2,494,825 U.S. travelers, which is a 4.8% increase from the previous year.

The Growing Gap Between Inbound and Outbound Travel

The latest data reinforces the ongoing imbalance between inbound and outbound flows. While U.S. travelers continue to show robust demand for international travel, especially to regions like Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe, foreign arrivals to the U.S. remain subdued. This is largely due to slower recoveries in key long-haul markets and the broader impact of economic conditions and specific market challenges.

These September figures reflect a continuation of earlier trends, with inbound numbers fluctuating while outbound travel maintains a steady or growing momentum. The NTTO’s findings provide valuable insight into the evolving travel landscape, illustrating how U.S. residents continue to prioritize international trips even as inbound tourism faces a slower path to full recovery.

As the travel sector transitions beyond the pandemic-era recovery phase, these trends highlight the shifting dynamics of global travel demand, with Americans increasingly venturing abroad while international visitors still face hurdles in returning to the U.S.