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America just lost four million visitors it never saw coming. International arrivals to the United States fell 5.5% in 2025, even as global travel hit a record high, according to CNN. Behind that number is a pile of individual decisions: travelers from Australia, Germany, Japan, and beyond explaining, often bluntly, why they are staying home. Here is what they are actually saying, in their own words.
This article was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and clarity.
Menu prices in the United States rarely match what customers pay at the register. Servers often earn a lower base wage than other workers, with tips expected to cover the difference, a system many foreign visitors find baffling.
“Why the heck do I need to be partly responsible for a proper salary for these people? Also it is just annoying to have to calculate the tip every time.”
— MickJof
“Tipping. – We have the prices printed properly on the menu – There you have to factor in an extra percentage because apparently they don’t pay their staff otherwise. I didn’t know the first time I went there & things got very scary.”
— downvolt
In the U.S., sales tax gets added at the register instead of being built into the price shown on the shelf or menu. Rates vary by state and city, so shoppers rarely know their exact total until they pay.
“Sticker price is not what you will end up paying. There’s taxes on top of that.No idea why you couldn’t just work that into each sticker price so I know exactly how much cash to pull out at checkout. Sincerely, australian.”
— thurg
“It is also annoying that listed prices are almost exclusively without tax. In my country — and across most of Europe as far as I’m aware — you pay exactly what is listed as the price. No hidden surprises.”
— MickJof
Mass-produced cheese dominates most U.S. supermarkets and diners, a letdown for travelers used to Europe’s regional varieties and aged wheels.
“In fact American cheese is awful, but maybe I’m spoiled living in cheese country. For dinner the food isn’t quite as bad, but its still nowhere near the quality and variety that you find in Europe.”
— MickJof
“It is very difficult to find really good cheese here. One of the many things I miss about life in Europe. But free refills is one huge plus of life in the US! LOL”
— 1dad1kid
Sugar shows up in far more American food than most visitors expect, including bread, sauces and packaged snacks that would be unsweetened elsewhere.
“Almost everything contains sugar. Breakfast is never with fresh bread and fresh good meats and cheese.”
— MickJaf
“Ever been to the free breakfast at a 3-star chain hotel in the US? Tends to be mostly sugary cereal, super processed preservative-filled breads and maybe some processed meats…”
— NoRefrigerator6162
Single-use plastic turns up constantly in American hospitality, from cutlery to plates at hotel breakfasts, according to visitors used to reusable service elsewhere.
“Plastic! Too much plastic is a problem in Europe also, but the amount of plastic (and styrofoam or other disposable crap) used here is bizarre. I also find it really bizarre that in every hotel breakfast its all disposable cutlery and plates also. You really NEVER see this in Europe, not even in the cheapest hotels.”
— MickJof
“While I agree with your plastic comment, being an American who has lived in the Netherlands and travels there every year, the Netherlands doesn’t really have water refilling stations, anywhere. At least where I live, everyone carries a refillable bottle of water with them.”
— werdygerdy
The United States remains one of the only countries that has not adopted the metric system, so temperatures, distances and weights all require mental conversion for most international visitors.
“Gallons, miles, feet and especially Fahrenheit is so bizarre. Also because the conversion factor to metric is odd. Almost all the world, as well as the scientific world, uses metric which makes so much more sense in every way. Why does the US hold on to such an archaic system?”
— MickJof
“As an inpatient pharmacist, I get more annoyed by the day by the imperial system. Metric is so clean and makes so much sense, and I have to memorize the conversions to metric anyway.”
— Druggistman
Since June 2025, the State Department has required most visa applicants to disclose every social media handle used in the past five years and set profiles to public for review.
“They aint gett8ng mine lol. I be wilding out on that First Amendment ??????” [on Social Media]
— GOyster
“Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles… and omitting them can lead to visa denial or future ineligibility.”
— IndiaRedT9
Outside a handful of large cities, American public transit largely stops at the city limits, leaving travelers without local options between destinations.
“American public transit is a joke outside of (certain parts of) a few large cities.
Some suburbs might have very limited and unreliable bus service, but more rural areas have zero transit at all… And even if you’re in a place with decent transit, there’s often no way to get from one city to another without a car. You really can’t overstate just how car-dependent most of the U.S. is!”
— SevenSixOne
American bathroom habits catch plenty of international visitors off guard, starting with toilet bowls that fill much higher than the low-water designs common elsewhere.
“The toilet water being so high. Wiping was terrifying!”
— Nothos927
“In my experience, most people don’t really care in America and will wear shoes anywhere in their house. Some people will ask you to take your shoes off but it’s rare.”
— iamdelilah
“On my stag do road trip around America we visited Walmart a couple of times. My mates favourite story was when he was in the Walmart toilet and a guy next to him dropped his lollipop in the urinal and picked it up and put it back in his mouth ??”
— u/luke854
Add-on charges have become one of the most common complaints from international visitors, particularly mandatory resort fees tacked onto hotel bills after booking.
“What I hated the most in the US was ‘resort fees’… That stuff is very scammy and should be illegal.”
— gorogy
“In addition to the cost of a hotel or airbnb, plus car costs, eating out in the US is getting ridiculously expensive, tipping percentages have gotten higher, and stuff you used to not tip for back in 2018 now make you tip. Attractions are also expensive.”
— bacharama
Medical care ranks among the top financial fears for visitors, since the United States has no universal healthcare system and prices are rarely disclosed upfront.
“I honestly really admire the United States… but to be honest, the thought of American healthcare costs really terrifies me.”
— Unknowntzs
“One tourist in the U.S. said the ER nurse told them to GET TF OUTTA THERE because even a simple check-up could cost around $2,000.”
— Jezitor
Several long-time visitors described a noticeable change in everyday social behavior compared with past trips.
“We visited from England at least once a year for the last 40 years. …Then we began to feel a change in the atmosphere. A reluctance among Americans to respect each other’s point of view. More anger, more impatience, more hatred of others. Groups of people apparently happy to train to physically fight those they disagreed with.
“I never thought I would see Americans, so careful about manners and decency, to the point that they say their dogs use the bathroom, wear T shirts saying F Your Feelings. Amazed that a country that declares itself as Christian elected a man who advised other men to grab women by the p. A coarsening of manners. The growing division. The election of people like MTG to positions of responsibility.”
— Lis Fairhurst
Political changes since 2017 have kept some travelers, including Americans living abroad, from returning at all.
“As an American citizen who lived 53 years in the United States, and now nine years in France… not having been back to the US since before Trump’s inauguration in 2017, I rely on the news I read, and what I hear from friends and family, to track the changes in the mood and character of the country. [They] confirm the impression I have and validate my apprehension about going back even for a visit. It sure makes me sad!”
— Christopher Putney
Personal safety, particularly around theft, came up repeatedly among visitors describing bad airport and city experiences.
“I got mugged 2 hours after I arrived in NY”
— FreePorygon-Z
“I am half-Japanese, and thus have a lot of friends and family from Japan who used to come visit, shop, and tour the states. Not anymore. Stuff always, every single time, has gone missing from their luggage.
They have to spend hours in line at immigration, where the staff is less than helpful to people who speak English poorly. The TSA routinely has hassled and harassed my cousins, attractive Japanese girls who speak little English and get confused in our security checkpoints.
Last time my ex-gf came to visit from Japan, she had all of her underwear stolen out of her suitcase. It was all in a little baggy, which was taken. She said an LAX TSA agent winked at her and blew her a kiss.
So unprofessional, and it is turning people away from the states. These are the first and last people foreigners see when they come to and leave the U.S., and they are the absolute scum of the earth.
And anyone that comes here and says ‘Oh, its really not that bad,’ travel outside the US and see how much better it is getting through security.”
— TracyJordan01
Gun violence remains one of the most frequently cited reasons international visitors avoid the U.S., especially parents traveling with children.
“I don’t want to visit America because I’m scared there will be a shooting and my children will…”
— throwawayparent42
“Am I being paranoid? …The more I hear about gun violence in schools, supermarkets and public places on the news, the less and less I want to travel to the United States.”
— TravelNervousAussie
“I live in Denmark and we constantly hear about violence and everyone you meet has a gun, the US just flashes warning flags.”
— ScaredDane
Roadside encounters with American police have left a lasting impression on some foreign visitors.
“In 1990 my family and I traveled to the USA from Australia. We were pulled over on a motorway to check maps in or near San Diego which I think is illegal because a cop pulled up behind us. My dad in his akubra hat, stubby wearing gloriousness hopped out of our car and went to walk to the cop saying “Gday mate we’re a bit lost can you help us?”
Dude reached for his gun and screamed at dad to get back in his car. Cops do not act like that in Australia. He made dad keep his hands on the steering wheel and gave us a stern warning about never ever exiting your car when a cop pulls you over. He ended up showing dad on the map where we had to go but it really wound us up!”
— vegemitebikkie
Entry requirements have grown more demanding for travelers from lower-income countries, according to commenters describing their own visa experiences.
“I would just note that what we in the third world believe is sufficient savings might not impress a consular officer… the system isn’t really functioning with fairness or just treatment.”
— our_family_story
“They want every single social media account you’ve used in the last 5 years… honestly I don’t even remember half of them. That alone put me off visiting the US.”
— SomeNoOne
Detention fears go beyond delays for some travelers, touching on custody policies that have drawn scrutiny even among legal residents.
“I’m a legal green card holder and was planning on visiting my family… but I’m worried I’ll get detained when trying to return, even though my record is squeaky clean.”
— therewasanattempt
“My mom tried crossing the border to visit me. She was detained for 2 days without communication because they thought she wanted to live with me.”
— turn0360
“I don’t want to take a chance of ending up stopped at the airport and then taken to a prison in El Salvador, with my hair shaved off and forced to kneel in line with prisoners.”
— Karolina Pieper, German citizen
Some longtime visitors say the disappointment isn’t about safety or cost, but a shift in the country’s mood.
“I have lived in USA 35 years ago. Went back 10 years later and backpacked for 4 months. Been back again twice since. Last time 2017. I found it a fabulous holiday destination. So much to see and do.
The only places I haven’t been are the desert states. I come from desert here, so wasn’t interested. Yellowstone is stand out. Also loved Seattle and The Smithsonian in DC has the most fantastic museums. Truly amazing. Grand Tetons have to be some of the most spectacular scenery on earth.
But I don’t think I’ll ever get back again. The gun culture terrifies me. And in 2017? The homeless just living on the streets was really depressing. And the whole “vibe” of the US had changed. People seemed stressed, angry, anxious and depressed sort of.
Plenty of workers surviving “on tips” just looked exhausted and would look straight through you. Not their fault. After travelling around a bit, my 10-year-old said “mum, people here seem so sad….” And I had to agree with her.
It’s not the country I backpacked through in 1995.”
— Gracie1994
“Never again. Went twice as a kid and it felt like the affluent areas were like a fake movie set and the rest of the country (behind the movie sets) were just sad, miserable people who were completely defeated. Never really felt safe like if you turned the wrong corner a mugging or death awaited.”
— GeezuzX
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