Published on
March 16, 2026
Image generated with Ai
In December 2025, Mexico, alongside the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, and Japan, played a significant role in driving over six million international visitors to the United States. This surge in arrivals highlights a strong recovery in global tourism, as the U.S. saw international travel reaching 88 percent of pre-pandemic levels. The increase in visitors reflects growing confidence in international travel, with key markets contributing to a steady rebound in U.S. tourism after years of disruption caused by the pandemic.
In December 2025, international visitor arrivals to the United States totaled 6,048,545, showing a 6.2 percent decline compared to December 2024. Meanwhile, outbound travel by U.S. citizens surged to 10,205,347, marking a 3.6 percent increase year-over-year. These statistics, reported by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), reflect shifting travel patterns, with fewer international tourists entering the U.S. while more Americans are traveling abroad. Overall, international arrivals in December 2025 reached 88 percent of pre-pandemic levels recorded in December 2019.
Of the total international arrivals to the U.S. in December, 3,208,088 were overseas visitors, a smaller decline of 1.3 percent from the previous year. The top international visitor markets to the United States included Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Japan, collectively accounting for 59 percent of all international arrivals in December. Among these, Mexico remained the dominant source of international visitors, contributing 1,639,874 arrivals.
The five leading countries sending tourists to the U.S. in December were:
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- Mexico: 1,639,874 visitors
- Canada: 1,200,583 visitors
- United Kingdom: 319,162 visitors
- Brazil: 227,273 visitors
- Japan: 180,627 visitors
When considering overseas tourism arrivals, the United Kingdom led with 291,982 visitors, followed by Brazil with 218,892 and Colombia with 158,728. Other notable markets included Japan (156,826 visitors) and South Korea (143,425 visitors).
In the business travel sector, India, the United Kingdom, and Japan were the top contributors. India sent 27,538 visitors for business purposes, followed by the United Kingdom with 25,416 and Japan with 22,371. Other key business travel markets included Germany (13,518 visitors) and South Korea (13,442 visitors).
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For student arrivals, China remained the largest source of international students with 16,110 students, followed by India with 14,900 students. South Korea (4,228 students), Taiwan (2,588 students), and Brazil (2,102 students) rounded out the top five.
In total, the U.S. welcomed 68,287,793 international visitors in 2025, representing a 5.5 percent decrease compared to 2024. Despite this decline, this figure still accounted for 86 percent of the visitor arrivals seen in 2019 before the pandemic. Overseas arrivals in 2025 totaled 34,289,238, a 2.5 percent decrease compared to the previous year.
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However, some regions showed growth in visitor numbers. Central America saw a notable increase of 4.7 percent, bringing in 1,688,028 visitors. Eastern Europe and the Middle East also saw growth, with arrivals rising by 2.5 percent and 2 percent, respectively, reaching 1,126,172 and 1,123,909 visitors.
Mexico remained the largest international source market for U.S. tourism in 2025, with 17,980,030 visitors, reflecting a 6.4 percent increase compared to 2024. In contrast, arrivals from Canada declined by 20.9 percent, with 16,018,525 visitors in 2025.
The top U.S. ports of entry in 2025 were:
- New York: 5,846,403 visitors
- Miami: 4,725,981 visitors
- Los Angeles: 3,200,172 visitors
On the outbound travel front, U.S. citizens continued to travel in increasing numbers. Departures reached 10,205,347 in December 2025, representing 115 percent of the total departures recorded in December 2019 before the pandemic.
Mexico remained the most popular destination for U.S. citizens, accounting for 41.8 percent of all outbound travel in December, with 4,263,541 departures. Canada saw a decline of 9.2 percent in outbound travel from the U.S. compared to the previous year, while Europe emerged as the second-largest destination region. European destinations saw 1,590,280 departures, a 2.9 percent increase from December 2024, representing 15.6 percent of all outbound travel.
Overall, the year-to-date figures reflect similar trends. Mexico was the leading destination for U.S. travelers, with 39,680,600 trips, while the Caribbean accounted for 11,339,823 trips. Together, these regions made up 46.7 percent of all U.S. outbound travel. Europe followed as the second-largest destination, with 1,590,280 departures in December alone.
While the U.S. saw a decrease in international visitor arrivals in December 2025, outbound travel by U.S. citizens continued to grow, with Mexico and Europe emerging as the top destinations. As international tourism rebounds, particularly from regions such as Central America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, the travel patterns in the U.S. reflect evolving preferences and shifts in global travel dynamics.
