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Ahead of a proposed rule change that would require social media account information from some foreign travelers to the United States, international travel experts are saying the policy could further deter visitors from coming to the US — a decline that could translate into billions of dollars in lost revenue for the travel sector.The warning — from the World Travel & Tourism Council — comes after the global industry group surveyed nearly 5,000 international residents who regularly travel abroad and found one-third of respondents would be somewhat or much less likely to visit the US if applicants to the Visa Waiver Program are required to submit information about their social media accounts.
The potential decline in travelers could cost the US an estimated $15.7 billion in lost visitor spending, according to WTTC. Under one scenario, the US could miss out on as many as 4.7 million international arrivals, which would represent a 23% drop in visitors from ESTA countries in 2026.
Gloria Guevara, president of WTTC, told CNN the proposed change could cost the US more than 150,000 jobs and “put the US at a competitive disadvantage.”
The travelers affected have other destination options, she said in an interview on CNN International’s “Quest Means Business,” and they consider the request for social media account information “intrusive.”
“There are so many places to travel, and the ESTA travelers will choose another destination,” she said. “We will see a decline and the decline is translated into jobs.”
Last year was a banner year in travel globally, she noted; countries all around the world saw increases in the number of visitors.
“That was not the case for the US,” she said.
Two-thirds of the 4,563 travelers surveyed – who hail from Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom, among other countries – said they were aware of the proposed policy already. And a large share of them said it would make the US feel less welcoming and less attractive for both leisure and business travel, according to the WTTC survey results.
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