Will $ 250 ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ America cost its tourists? Travel experts light up red flag

In the midst of a 3.1% decline in the year-on-year in international arrivals in July, up to 19.2 million visitors according to the US government’s data, due to Trump’s immigration policy and hostility to some foreign countries, the new $ 250 ‘Visa integrity fee’ imposed on travelers to the US further injured the struggling travel industry. It was the fifth month of decline this year, which argues that 2025 inbound visitors would exceed the pre-pandemic level of 79.4 million. The new visa fee, which comes into effect on October 1, sets another obstacle for travelers from countries that are not Visa waiver such as Mexico, Argentina, India, Brazil and China. According to the American Travel Association, a trading group, the additional levy is the total visa cost at $ 442, making it one of the highest in the world. What do experts say? “Any friction we add to the traveler experience will reduce travel volumes by a certain amount. As the summer ends, it will become a more urgent problem, and we have to take into account the fees in travel budgets and documentation,” Reuters quoted that Gabe Rizzi, president of Altour, has a global travel management company. International visitor spending in the US is expected to fall below $ 169 billion this year, from $ 181 billion in 2024, the World Travel & Tourism Council believes. In December 2024, tourism economy, an Oxford Economics Consultancy, predicted that overseas travel to the US would rise by more than 10% in 2025. According to Aran Ryan, director of industry studies at Tourism Economics, it will now fall by 3%. The new visa fee is expected to have the biggest impact on Central and South American countries, which according to the report was a rare bright place for US trips. According to the National Travel and Tourism Office, Mexico’s journey to the US increased almost 14%. Argentina’s arrival increased by 20%, and from Brazil by 4.6% year to date. In general, Central America’s journey grew by 3%, and from South America by 0.7%, as opposed to a 2.3%drop from Western Europe, mentioned the Reuters report. It added that arrivals in China have remained sluggish since the pandemic, with Julie numbers still 53% below levels of 2019. The visa fee also poses a challenge for travel from India, where visits this year fell by 2.4%, largely as a result of a 18% decline in the arrival of students. For some, the increase in fees will simply be considered an extra cost above an already expensive trip to the US. The new visa fee contributes to the negative perception of the US under Trump, whose immigration policy, cutting of foreign aid and wide far -reaching rates has reduced the country’s attraction as a travel destination, despite major events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics in Los Angeles. The Trump administration proposed new regulations on Wednesday aimed at shortening the duration of the visas for students, visitors of cultural exchange and media staff. In addition, the administration announced a pilot program in early August that begins on August 20, which may require effects of up to $ 15,000 for certain tourist and business fish. This program, which will last about a year, is designed to address the issue of visitors who pay their visas too much. (With input of Reuters)