-
U.S. Reports $1.9 Billion Travel and Tourism Trade Deficit in December 2025 – Image Credit Unsplash
International visitors spent more than $21.3 billion on travel to and tourism-related activities within the United States in December 2025, according to data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office.
International visitors spent over $21.3 billion on travel to and tourism-related activities in the United States in December 2025, a 3 percent decrease from December 2024. Americans spent more than $23.2 billion traveling abroad during the same month, resulting in a $1.9 billion trade deficit for travel and tourism-related goods and services.
Year to date, international visitors have spent more than $250.2 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services, down 0.6 percent compared to the same period last year. On average, international visitors have contributed $686 million per day to the U.S. economy in 2025.
In December 2025, purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors in the United States totaled $12.0 billion, down 2 percent from $12.3 billion in December 2024. These purchases include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation, and other items incidental to foreign travel. Travel receipts accounted for 56 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports for the month.
Passenger fare receipts from international visitors totaled $3.2 billion in December 2025, a 2 percent decrease from more than $3.3 billion in December 2024. These receipts, representing expenditures by foreign residents on international flights provided by U.S. air carriers, accounted for 15 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in December.
Expenditures for educational and health-related tourism, along with spending by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers in the United States, totaled $6.0 billion in December 2025, down 4 percent from $6.3 billion in December 2024. Medical tourism, education, and short-term worker expenditures accounted for 28 percent of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in December 2025.
