Business travel to the United States dropped by 9% in April, according to new government data, as international frustration over the Trump administration’s tariffs and border policies appeared to take a toll.
The National Travel and Tourism Office released early figures on Thursday showing a decline in the number of airline and ship passengers entering the U.S. with business visas during the month.
Most regions around the world saw fewer business travelers heading to the U.S. Western Europe had one of the biggest drops, with arrivals down 17.7% compared to April 2024.
The only exception was the Middle East. Business travel from that region rose by 9.4%, helping offset some losses — but not enough to change the overall trend.
The data did not include business travelers coming by land from Canada or Mexico. However, Mexican arrivals by air, for travelers holding business visas, fell by 11.8%, the report said.
