- Almost 80% of Southeast Asians think the U.S. is becoming a less appealing travel spot.
- Findings from a CNBC survey reveal worries about discrimination, political decisions under Trump, and gun violence.
- Interest in the U.S. is especially high among travelers from Vietnam and the Philippines.
This year, heavier tariffs, troubling reports of customs detentions, and unflattering currency exchange rates have led many travelers, particularly those from Canada, to rethink trips to the United States.
Meanwhile, folks in Asia cite different reasons for their hesitation.
According to a recent survey by CNBC Travel, around 80% of Southeast Asian travelers feel the United States is losing its luster as a vacation destination.
A staggering one in four respondents noted that their desire to visit has dwindled over the past six months, mainly due to heightened concerns about potential discrimination, the political environment, and gun violence rather than simply financial issues.
Interestingly, younger travelers are influenced more by news on tariffs and border policies compared to older travelers, though overall, they’re still eager to explore the U.S.
This survey sampled 6,000 international travelers from several Southeast Asian nations such as Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia, carried out by Milieu Insight between May 22 and June 10.
About half of those surveyed reported having visited the U.S. at least once before.
Variations By Country
This aside, some travelers still express a strong desire to visit the U.S. While a significant portion has concerns, many from Vietnam (57%) and the Philippines (49%) indicated they’re more enthusiastic about a trip to America now compared to six months back.
This could relate to deeper family ties within the U.S. For instance, as reported by the Pew Research Center, Filipinos are projected to be the fourth-largest immigrant group in America, with Vietnamese ranking eighth.
As Zilmiyah Kamble, a senior lecturer at James Cook University in Singapore, explains, “This could be driven by personal connections in the U.S. But there’s also an allure tied to U.S. culture, showcased through TV and media, that continues to entice many.”
Pinky David, a Filipina frequently visiting the U.S. for work and family, commented on this trend for CNBC Travel: “Overall, a lot of Filipinos still look to America as a viable destination.”
In stark contrast, a considerable 55% of Singaporeans conveyed they are less keen on visiting the U.S. than they were last November, with only 7% now more interested, demonstrating a clear shift in sentiment.
The survey highlighted that Vietnamese respondents responded most significantly to the tariffs set by the Trump administration. Following a dramatic 46% trade tariff announced in April 2025, a revised deal reached in July dropped it to 20% on goods from Vietnam.
Negative Vibes
These findings align with a YouGov report from March, revealing that since January 2025, global perceptions of the U.S. as a travel location have notably decreased.
Understanding Perceptions
- Buzz: the general word—positive or negative—surrounding a location.
- Impressions: individual feelings about that place.
Continued survey results through March depicted negative impressions of the U.S. emerging in various regions, including Europe, the Middle East, and around Canada and Mexico, according to data furnished to CNBC by YouGov.
Despite this overall dip, the inclination to consider the U.S. for future travels has remained stable as per YouGov’s findings. Post-election of Donald Trump in November 2024 saw a rise in global interest towards visiting the U.S. from places like the UAE, India, and Hong Kong, although certain zones, mainly Singapore, Canada, and parts of Europe, exhibited decreased interest—setting an overall decline of 13% in global travel interest towards the U.S.
The Online Perspective
Diving deeper into the online sentiment, analyses by Sprout Social reveal a country-by-country variation regarding views on U.S. travel.
They recorded over 87,000 mentions and upwards of 1 million interactions across platforms like X, YouTube, Tumblr, and Reddit discussing potential travels to the U.S. from late April to early June. Notably, around 50,000 of those mentions originated in Canada, with a concerning 45% tagged as negative.
In a twist, about 96% of the interaction emanating from India was noted to be either neutral or positive, reflecting different sentiments in the region.
Interestingly enough, the harshest critiques about traveling to the U.S. stem from the American public itself, showcasing a complex image of international travel postures.
