Travel from Switzerland to the United States has dropped sharply, especially among the young and families, according to recent US travel data.
The number of Swiss holidaymakers visiting the United States fell steeply in February and March, according to figures released this week by America’s International Trade Administration. The decline, which began in February, intensified in March, with tourist arrivals from Switzerland down by 34% compared with the same month in 2024.
The decline was particularly pronounced among families and younger travellers. The number of people under 18 entering the US from Switzerland nearly halved in the first quarter of the year. Travel among those aged 18 to 24 it slumped by 20%. By contrast, visitors aged over 65 showed little change.
There was also a 5% drop in US student visas in addition to a 34% drop in tourists. These declines were offset by a 22% rise in business visas, possibly travel related to managing the impact of tariffs. In March 2025, the total number of people entering fell by close to 26%.
The reasons for the drop in tourist travel is not entirely clear, though political developments may be playing a role. Well reported incidents of European visitors ending up in detention are likely to be a contributing factor.
Switzerland is not alone. People across nearly all of Western Europe appear to be less interested in American holidays. Across the region, US tourism was down by close to 25% in March 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. Luxembourg (-52%), Denmark (-45%), Iceland (-41%) and Germany (-36%) led the way, with Switzerland (-34%) not too far behind. The only exception was Slovenia, where tourist numbers were up 43%.
The rise in the number of Slovenians travelling to the US may be linked to recent active promotion of Slovena as a tourist destination in the US. The two nations have been working together on tourism and this appears to have promoted travel in both directions.
More on this:
US travel data (in English)
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Leave a Reply