Australians Continues to Travel in the US Despite Trump-Era Border Crackdowns: Resilience Amidst its New Challenges and Changing Policies

Australians are defying a global slide in international travel to the United States, with strong growth in the number of people visiting the country. Despites Donald Trump order of “extreme vetting” border controls and United States detentions and deportations, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report almost 70,000 Australians visited the US in May 2025, an 8% increase from the same period last year. In total, travel from Australia to the US has risen 4.8 per cent year-on-year.

The US warning level according to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is still at the lowest level, but there is a lot more warning. DFAT has revised its travel advice for 2025 on several occasions, including warning Australians to have their identification with them at all times and of possible detentions on arrival.

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Border Anxiety: A Personal Experience

While Australians are generally upbeat, there are exceptions. When Melbourne-based Laura Hall and her family booked a trip to the US over a year ago, they were already anxious about their upcoming trip, particularly after reports that Aussies were being denied entry or faced personal questions. Hall was concerned they would face a lengthy investigation, including looking through social media accounts.

But her experience was smoother than she expected. “I thought they’d screenshot my socials or grill us,” Hall shared. “It was smooth, we were even recommended restaurants by the officer.” Her family flying under the Mobile Passport Control app to make their entry process easier, a means to avoid the lengthy immigration line.

Criticism of the travel ban extended well beyond civil rights groups.

Professor Dolnicar noted although travelling to the US remains a bucket-list destination for many Australians, concerns over privacy are increasingly an issue. Some travellers are uncomfortable with the idea that border agents can check their phones, ask probing questions and potentially scrutinize their personal social media posts. That would say… that Australians are not used to having their right to privacy and freedom interfered with, and the invasive questioning more widely seen under current US border policies bombards Australians’ human rights, or people here or people travelling here.

This increasingly unsettling trend may be why some Australians feel that now is the time to visit the US, sooner rather than later, before the border becomes more impassable. “There’s a sense of urgency. People think, ‘If, I ever want to go to New York, I’ll go now, before it becomes more difficult,’” Dolnicar said.

U.S. Tourism Holding a Steady Course, Despite Setbacks

Strong appetite for the USWhilst interest in the US remains very strong among Australians, the bigger picture is that many are looking to destinations closer to home. Asia has proved to be an increasingly attractive option, with more Australians attracted to the region by cheaper holidays and shorter flight times. Outbound travel from Australia was up 12.5% over the year to May 2025, with double-digit growth in Australian visitors to Japan, Vietnam and China, according to ABS numbers.

Professor Dolnicar says this trend is a reflection of Australians’ increasing comfort with international travel following various lockdowns. “This is down to disposable income and pent-up travel demand,” she said. “Australians want to travel again.”

The state of US Tourism and Decline Worldwide

But that increase in Australian visitors has been part of a more mixed picture for American tourism. The United States tourism industry, which receives more than $215 billion in annual spending from international visitors, has suffered from reduced visits from a number of countries, including Canada, the Middle East and parts of Europe. One of the more stark examples is Canada, which has experienced a 14% drop in travel to the US during the first six months of 2025, as anger over tariffs and other political issues takes its toll.

Also looming is the Trump administration’s decision to slash funding to Brand USA, the nation’s official travel agency, by $80 million, a move that is anticipated to hurt the visibility of the US as a place attracting international tourists.

Potential Deterrents for Future Travelers

In addition to increased fears about being scrutinised at the border, a new $250 “visa integrity fee” has been brought in by the US for the majority of non-immigrant visa applicants. Australians who travel on the visa waiver program are unaffected, but experts say this can discourage travellers for other countries who would have to go through the visa process.

The new fee and stronger border controls could put off would-be visitors, particularly from countries where the US is already struggling to entice tourists, Dolnicar said.

Conclusion: The Resilient Australian Traveller

In spite of political squabbles and border security angst, Australians continue to make the trip to the US, spurred on by the country’s strong cultural connections and inherent curiosity. But the bigger picture is that there are larger global issues at play, such as privacy and U.S. tourism policy, that could shift the landscape for overseas visitors. Privacy and border interactions continue to cast a cloud over their trip, while Australians seize the opportunity to travel while they can.

The ratio of security versus openness to international visitors, as the global travel scene changes, will determine how trends affect tourism for both the US and other destinations such as Australia.

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