Philadelphia sees big drop in international tourists in 2025
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Philadelphia saw a slump in international tourism last year, especially from Canadians — mirroring a national trend.
Why it matters: It's the first decline since 2020, the first year of the pandemic.
The big picture: While both the U.S. and Philly are poised to see a rebound in international tourism this year, the Trump administration's policies could slow that growth.
State of play: The number of international visitors to the city fell 14% in 2025 compared to the previous year, per an analysis by Tourism Economics for the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
- That's roughly 168,000 fewer people in Philly theaters, restaurants, businesses and hotels.
🇨🇦 1 major hit: The bulk of that drop came from our neighbors to the north — Canadians.
- Overnight visits from Canucks — the city's largest international market — plummeted by more than 125,000, or nearly a quarter, compared to 2024.
⬆️ 1 bright spot: The city experienced growth in some markets, including Mexico (8%) and China (5%), per the visitors bureau.
What they're saying: "Travel trade feedback to the [convention bureau] indicates Canadians continue to feel warmly toward Americans, but skepticism around U.S. entry experience, politics, and visa/airport processes persists," Svetlana Yazovskikh, vice president for global tourism for the visitors bureau, tells Axios.
✈️ What else: The Philly International Airport had nearly 5% fewer non-U.S visitors (roughly 14,400 passengers) pass through its terminals in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.
Yes, but: This is not a strictly Philly phenomenon.
- Last year, President Trump's policies — including tariffs, anti-foreigner rhetoric and an immigration crackdown — along with his "America First" stance, were blamed for fueling anti-U.S. sentiment and declines in international travel.
- The result: Nationwide, international arrivals fell by 6% last year, per a recent report from the firm Oxford Economics.
What we're watching: The city's mega-events, like World Cup matches, are expected to draw more global tourists this year.
- International visitors to Philly are projected to rise 5% this year, Yazovskikh says.
- And nationwide, foreign tourism is expected to rise 4% this year, per a recent report from Oxford Economics.
Plus: Philly has landed on several best-places-to-travel lists for 2026, like those from BBC Travel and Travel + Leisure, which should help boost the city's numbers.
⚠️ Threat level: Several issues could suppress demand and cap tourist growth in Philly this year, Yazovskikh said, including:
- Restrictive U.S. travel policies
- Global perceptions of the nation's entry experience
- Visa barriers
Editor's note: This story has been updated to attribute responses from the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau to Svetlana Yazovskikh, vice president for global tourism.