by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:40 AM ET, Thu September 10, 2026
Summer international travel spending continues to decrease in the United States, according to new July data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO).
The latest report analyzed international and American travel spending and found that international visitors spent nearly $20.4 billion on travel to and on tourism-related activities within the United States in July, a decrease of nearly 1% from July 2025—and this during the month when the FIFA World Cup final matches should have provided a much-needed boost, as it did in June.
Earlier July data from the International Trade Administration found that international arrivals also fell 7% from July 2025—a month that saw its own dramatic year-over-year declines.
By comparison, Americans continue spending more money abroad year over year: they spent nearly $20 billion traveling abroad in July, up nearly 3% from last year. Despite the higher spending, the number of Americans heading abroad in July actually decreased 2.2%.
NTTO reports a trade surplus of $413 million.
From January to July, international visitor spending is relatively unchanged from 2025 levels, at around $145.4 billion.
U.S. airline fares from international visitors fell 3% in July, totaling $2.8 billion. Passenger fare receipts account for 14% of U.S. travel and tourism exports that month.
Another major kind of tourism spending, medical, education and short-term worker spending, accounted for 31% of U.S. travel and tourism exports in July, and these actually increased 3% to total $6.3 billion.
This data likely shows that June’s boost to international visitation was a short-term effect of the FIFA World Cup. International travel spending and international visitation both increased moderately in June compared to June 2025.
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