A growing number of Swedes are choosing Europe over the USA as a travel destination, with bookings to the US dropping by around 30 percent since the beginning of 2025. According to Didrik von Seth, CEO of the Swedish Travel Association, this significant decline is primarily driven by political concerns linked to Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
“We see a significant decrease in new bookings, and there are also those who choose to cancel their trips,” said von Seth.
He emphasized that the drop is not related to economic hardship, noting that many US-bound travelers are financially secure. Instead, it is political instability and Trump’s controversial statements that appear to be deterring travelers.
Travel agencies confirm a sharp decline
The travel agency Ticket has reported a 30% decrease in USA trips since January, while Tui has seen bookings fall to less than half of last year’s level. The pattern is consistent across the industry, with agencies reporting widespread cancellations and a lack of new reservations.
Tommy Swanson, founder of the North America-focused agency Swanson’s, shared similar observations. “Trump is not the best ambassador to attract people to the country,” he remarked. “Right now, I do not recognize the USA that I have sold trips to all these years. This is not really what I like.”
A survey conducted by Ticket revealed that nearly one in three Swedes over the age of 18 has lost interest in traveling to the USA following Trump’s latest election victory.
Europe dominates Swedish travel preferences
European destinations now dominate the list of most-booked trips among Swedes. A similar pattern has recently been observed among Danish travellers, as reported in a previous article by NordiskPost, where agencies cited political concerns as the main reason behind the sharp drop in US-bound bookings. According to both Ticket and Tui, cities and resorts across Europe are attracting far more interest than transatlantic options.
While the USA dollar’s weakening has made American vacations more affordable, it has not been enough to offset the impact of political discomfort.
Long-term consequences for US tourism?
Temporary dips in travel interest are common during times of unrest or crisis, but industry leaders warn that this downturn could last. “I have a hard time imagining that interest will return to a normal level within a foreseeable future,” said von Seth. Swanson echoed this sentiment, predicting that travel to the US may not recover throughout the year.
As Swedish travelers seek stability and familiarity, the US is losing ground to European competitors, with broader implications for the future of transatlantic tourism.
