Overseas tourism to the United States softened in September 2025, with arrivals from the top 20 long-haul markets falling 6% year-on-year, according to preliminary data excluding Canada and Mexico land crossings. The month delivered 2.1 million visitors, with sharp contrasts across source markets. Data were available only this week due to the shutdown of the federal administration.
The United Kingdom remained firmly in the top spot, sending 373,675 travelers, though arrivals dipped 3.2%. Japan surged to second place for the month, posting a 7.8% increase with 194,092 arrivals, reflecting strong travel demand despite a weaker yen. Germany, typically a key autumn market, slid to third as inbound numbers plunged 20%.
India and China, two of the largest emerging long-haul markets, also recorded double-digit monthly declines, down 11.3% and 10.9%, respectively. South Korea dropped 13.5%, while France saw an 11.9% slump.
A few bright spots emerged with as some tourist markets progressed on “elective affinities.” These are countries which generally see the current US administration as favorable to their own government. As an example, Taiwan climbed 10.2% in September, Argentina edged up 3.4%, and Israel delivered the strongest monthly performance with a 35.2% spike in arrivals.
Overseas arrivals are still growing on year-to-date
Year-to-date, the top 20 overseas markets collectively grew 1.2%, reaching 18.6 million travelers. The U.K. remains the largest source market for 2025 with 3.0 million arrivals, up 1.4%. India ranks second despite a 5% decline, while Japan holds third place with a 6.1% gain. Brazil continues its upward trajectory with a 2.1% increase, and South Korea rebounded strongly on a cumulative basis, rising 8.7%.
Meanwhile, several major European economies are weighing down the overall growth picture. Germany is down 11.3% year-to-date, France is off 6.3%, and the Netherlands has dropped 7.3%. Meanwhile, Argentina posted one of the year’s most notable surges, climbing 17.3% to more than 613,000 arrivals.
Despite September’s setbacks, the broader 2025 trend remains modestly positive, although this growth seems to weaken month after month.
| Rank | Country of Residence | Arrivals YTD 2025 | % Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Kingdom | 3,018,273 | +1.4% |
| 2 | India | 1,647,662 | –5.0% |
| 3 | Japan | 1,466,665 | +6.1% |
| 4 | Brazil | 1,378,994 | +2.1% |
| 5 | Germany | 1,326,373 | –11.3% |
| 6 | China (PRC) | 1,245,924 | –3.1% |
| 7 | France | 1,196,020 | –6.3% |
| 8 | South Korea | 1,187,959 | +8.7% |
| 9 | Italy | 895,288 | +6.5% |
| 10 | Colombia | 746,098 | –0.1% |
| 11 | Australia | 731,362 | –4.9% |
| 12 | Spain | 683,600 | +1.6% |
| 13 | Argentina | 613,920 | +17.3% |
| 14 | Netherlands | 438,468 | –7.3% |
| 15 | Dominican Republic | 385,916 | +0.5% |
| 16 | Ireland | 354,148 | –1.0% |
| 17 | Israel | 353,185 | +13.3% |
| 18 | Ecuador | 332,893 | –10.6% |
| 19 | Taiwan | 330,450 | +6.1% |
| 20 | Poland | 299,495 | +4.9% |
(Source: https://www.trade.gov/i-94-arrivals-program)
