International travel to New York and the entire United States was "constrained" last year due to geopolitics and federal policies including tariffs and higher immigration restrictions, according to recent reports released by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
The findings showed that in 2025 there were nearly 176,650 fewer overseas visitors to New York, a 3 percent decrease, compared to 2024. Only California had a larger decline of over 275,000, while the national decrease was 2.5 percent.
"Federal policies are driving foreign travelers away and taking billions in tourism spending and harming our economy as exports substantially decline," DiNapoli said in a statement in early April. "New York is a top destination for tourists to the US, and policies that welcome and encourage international travel are needed to avoid damaging economic consequences."
"Tourism is an economic engine for New York City. … International visitors are critical to our visitor mix: while they represent only about 20 percent of total visitation, they account for approximately 50 percent of all visitor spending," said travel expert Tiffany Townsend, executive vice-president of Global Communications for New York City Tourism + Conventions, which represents nearly 2,000 member organizations.
