U.S, Jan. 29 -- The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has warned that proposed changes to the United States' Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) could significantly reduce international travel demand, adding to what industry leaders describe as already severe damage to inbound tourism caused by recent US government policies.

According to new WTTC research reported by The Business Travel Magazine, a survey of more than 4,500 travelers from key Visa Waiver Program markets-including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and South Korea-shows growing reluctance to visit the United States. The research was conducted between 23 December 2025 and 2 January 2026.

The survey found...