Ahead of proposed rule changes that would require social media account information from some foreign travelers to the U.S., international travel experts say the policy could further deter visitors to the U.S., a decline that could lead to billions of dollars in lost revenue for the travel industry.
The World Travel and Tourism Council’s warning comes after the global industry group surveyed nearly 5,000 foreign residents who regularly travel abroad and found that requiring Visa Waiver Program applicants to submit information about their social media accounts would make one-third of respondents either somewhat or significantly less likely to visit the United States.
According to WTTC, the U.S. could lose an estimated $15.7 billion in tourist spending due to the potential drop in travelers. In one scenario, the United States could miss out on up to 4.7 million international arrivals, which would translate into a 23% drop in visitors from ESTA countries in 2026.
WTTC President Gloria Guevara told CNN that the proposed changes could cost more than 150,000 U.S. jobs and “put the United States at a competitive disadvantage.”
In an interview on CNN International’s “Quest Means Business,” he said affected travelers have other destination options and that he considers requests for social media account information “intrusive.”
“ESTA travelers will choose another destination because there are so many destinations to choose from,” she says. “We will experience a decline and that decline will be reflected in employment.”
Last year was a strong year for travel globally, she noted. Visitor numbers increased in countries around the world.
“That wasn’t the case in the United States,” she said.
Two-thirds of the 4,563 travelers surveyed (from countries including Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the UK) said they were already aware of the proposed policy. And, according to WTTC’s survey results, a majority of people said they felt the U.S. would become less welcoming and attractive for both leisure and business travel.
The proposed rule change, published in the Federal Register by U.S. Customs and Border Protection last year, would affect travelers using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) as part of the Visa Waiver Program for nationals of more than 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Israel, Chile, and Qatar.
ESTA is an online application that gives visitors from 42 eligible countries the right to visit the United States without a visa for up to 90 days. Currently, visitors using ESTA are asked to provide information such as passport number, date of birth, and past criminal activity.
The new policy would build on one of President Trump’s executive orders aimed at protecting the United States from foreign terrorists and reducing public safety threats, according to a proposal published in the Federal Register.
It’s unclear what specific social media information will be required, or how the information collected will affect travelers wishing to visit the United States. The Federal Register states that ESTA applicants must submit “social media from the past five years.”
Questions asking for social media information were first added to the application in 2016, and the section was marked as “optional.” In the new proposal, this information will be mandatory.
CNN Travel has requested further information from CBP.
However, the Greater Miami and Beaches Hotel Association said government officials privately told them that visitors would be required to provide an account name or handle, but not access to the account or specific posts, and that CBP would not review all applicants’ social media activity.
“CBP has made clear that it will not review social media accounts for comments, posts, or activity critical of President Trump or other political leaders. Under this proposal, CBP would collect usernames only to match them against sensitive information the government already has,” the association said in a blog post this month.
However, the policy remains a major concern for the association, which noted that Miami will be one of the FIFA World Cup venues.
“Our success depends on the ease of traveling internationally and the perception of how accessible it is,” the hotel association said.
In a separate move, the State Department has already told embassies and consulates that student visa applicants may be screened for “hostile attitudes toward our people, our culture, our government, our institutions, or our founding ideals.”
According to these guidelines, applicants must have a public profile, and a lack of online social media history may be considered a disadvantage in the application process.
The new proposal will be open for public comment until February 9, as the U.S. is already seeing a decline in international visitors, which could have a chilling effect on this year’s marquee events such as the nation’s 250th anniversary and the World Cup.
The U.S. Travel Association reported a 3.5% drop in international travel to Japan in November compared to November 2024, which is consistent with statistics for the second half of 2025 as a whole. The group noted that Canada would not be affected by the proposed rule changes, although travel from Canada is down double digits.
In a statement released last year, US Travel officials said the proposed policy for ESTA applicants was concerning, especially since there was no detailed information from CBP about the rule change.
“Travelers have legitimate questions about what information they need to provide, and security experts have legitimate questions about whether this policy will meaningfully strengthen the security of the United States,” the group said in a statement. “One thing is not at issue: This policy could have a chilling effect on travel to the United States.”
Proposed changes to visa waiver applications include adding fields for applicants to enter their phone number for the past five years and email address for the past 10 years, as well as contact information for next of kin, place of birth, place of residence, and phone number for the past five years.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has made sweeping changes to almost every aspect of the immigration process, tightening restrictions on all forms of legal and illegal entry into the United States.
And there are concerns in the travel industry that international visitors will go elsewhere.
“Visa Waiver Program travelers come here to do business with American businesses, buy American products, and experience the beauty of our great country,” the U.S. Travel Association said in a statement. “If we get this policy wrong, millions of travelers could be robbed of billions of dollars they spend on their businesses and elsewhere, and America will only become even weaker.”
