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Ranked: America’s Most Popular Cities for Overseas Tourists, 2025/2026 Data

 


Ranked: America’s Most Popular Cities for Overseas Tourists, 2025/2026 Data

Ever wonder where overseas tourists actually go when they cross the Atlantic (or Pacific) to visit America?

I mean, the U.S. is huge. You can't see it all in one trip, not even close. So which cities get the lion's share of international love? And more importantly... why?

Well, I've dug into the latest data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO), the Survey of International Air Travelers (SIAT), and multiple 2025/2026 travel reports to give you a clear, ranked answer.

Buckle up. Here are the U.S. cities overseas tourists simply can't get enough of right now.

#1 New York, NY, The Undisputed King

Let's be honest: you saw this coming.

New York City attracted 9.5 million overseas visitors in 2024 alone, that's more than a quarter of all overseas tourists to the entire United States. Statista confirms that in 2025, New York remained the top port of entry for international visitors, with 5,846,403 arrivals.

Why does NYC dominate so completely?

It's the density, baby. Times Square alone sees over 300,000 visitors daily. You've got Broadway shows, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, world‑class museums... and somehow a pizza slice that'll change your life.

Plus, NYC pulls from every travel segment: leisure tourists, business travelers, students, and people visiting friends and family.

NYC Traveler Intelligence

  • Top source markets: UK, Italy, Mexico
  • Economic impact: $84.7 billion in total economic impact, supporting roughly 397,000 jobs across the five boroughs
  • 2026 outlook: Projected 66.3 million visitors total (+2%), with international arrivals expected to rebound to 12.9 million

#2 Miami, FL, The Rise of the Sunshine State

Now here's where things get really interesting.

For the first time in forever, Florida officially overtook New York as the most visited U.S. state by international travelers in 2025. That's not a typo. Florida hosted an estimated 9.3 million overseas visitors , narrowly beating New York's 9.1 million.

Miami is leading that charge.

In 2025, Miami recorded 4,725,981 international arrivals, second only to New York among all U.S. ports of entry. And early 2026 data shows Miami accelerating: over 2.29 million international visitors during January–April 2026 alone.

Miami's secret sauce? It's the bridge between North and South America. Latin American travel demand, cruise industry expansion, world‑class nightlife, and yes, year‑round warm weather, have turned Miami into a global powerhouse.

Miami Traveler Intelligence

  • Overseas travel in Florida: up 4.5% in the first nine months of 2025
  • Miami International Airport: saw about 55.3 million travelers in 2025
  • Top markets: Brazil remains a massive feeder (though arrivals were down 6% at MIA in 2025)

#3 Los Angeles, CA, Hollywood's Pull Remains Strong

LA rounds out the top three, and it's not hard to see why. In 2025, Los Angeles recorded 3,200,172 international arrivals.

Hollywood. Beverly Hills. Santa Monica Pier. Universal Studios. The Getty. The beaches. For overseas tourists, LA is practically a movie set come to life, and they love it.

Early 2026 data shows LA attracting 1,729,268 international visitors during January–April, driven by entertainment tourism, strong Asia‑Pacific air connectivity, and major sporting and cultural events.

That said, LA faced some real headwinds in 2025. International tourist arrivals fell 8% in the summer months, thanks to January wildfires, immigration raids, and President Trump's tariff threats scaring off visitors, especially Canadians.

LA Traveler Intelligence

  • Visit California projects a 9% decline in international tourism for 2025, citing "weakening consumer sentiment, limited airlift from key global markets and a strong U.S. dollar"
  • But LA's tourism momentum is still strong, supported by growing cruise demand, music tourism, and international business conferences

#4 Orlando, FL, Theme Park Capital of the World

Here's a stat that'll blow your mind: Orlando welcomed 76.7 million visitors in 2025 , a record high and a 1.8% increase over 2024. That makes it the most‑visited destination in the entire United States.

Of those 76.7 million visitors, 6.3 million came from overseas.

Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Orlando is practically synonymous with family vacations. But here's the catch: international visitation actually fell 2.4% in 2025, largely due to a 13.3% drop from Canada, Orlando's #1 international market.

The good news? Other markets stepped up. The UK (+2.8%), Brazil (+5.6%), Mexico (+4.6%), Colombia (+5.0%), and Japan all reached record highs, helping offset weaker Canadian demand.

Orlando Traveler Intelligence

  • Big news: Orlando International Airport launched its first nonstop passenger charter flights to Tokyo in 2025, Florida's first direct service to Asia‑Pacific
  • Leisure travel dominance: 81% domestic leisure, 10% domestic business, 8% international

#5 San Francisco, CA, Tech Hub Meets Tourist Magnet

San Francisco welcomed 23.7 million visitors in 2025, who spent a cool $9.4 billion across hotels, restaurants, and attractions.

International visitors? About 2.26 million, down 3.2% from 2024, but spending is projected to climb 5.8% to $5.2 billion in 2026 as Asian outbound travel rebounds.

The Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf, and Napa Valley access remain huge draws. But SF also benefits from something unique: Silicon Valley‑linked corporate travel. Overseas business travelers keep coming, even when leisure tourists hesitate.

San Francisco Traveler Intelligence

  • 2026 forecast: 24.02 million visitors, $9.83 billion in spending, driven by Super Bowl LX and FIFA World Cup 2026 events
  • Moscone Center: 34 events in 2025 generating nearly 657,000 hotel room nights (+64% vs. 2024)

#6 Las Vegas, NV, The Entertainment Capital Faces Headwinds

Las Vegas welcomed just over 38.5 million visitors in 2025 , the lowest level since 2021, down 7.5% from the previous year. International visitors fell 4.8% to 4,726,500.

The culprit? A steep 17.4% drop in Canadian arrivals (a loss of 252,400 visitors), combined with declines from the UK (-1.4%), Germany (-3.3%), and France (-7.4%).

But don't count Vegas out. Early 2026 data shows some stabilization, with the city drawing 454,057 visitors in the opening months of 2026. And the LVCVA launched a $35 million "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" campaign pitching the city as an "ultimate escape at an unbeatable value".

Las Vegas Traveler Intelligence

  • Convention activity remained stable with 6 million attendees in 2025, nearly matching 2024 levels
  • Room rates fell 5% to $183.52, making Vegas more affordable for international value‑seekers

#7 Washington, D.C., The Political Heartbeat

DC quietly had a great 2025. Overall visitation hit 27.2 million people , surpassing the previous year's record by 200,000.

Now, international visitation did decline by 4% to 2.1 million visitors. But compared to the national average drop of 5.5%, DC outperformed.

Why? Domestic travel insulated the capital. Of those 27.2 million visitors, 25 million traveled domestically. And visitor spending hit a record $11.9 billion.

Plus, DC offers something few cities can match: most federal museums are free to enter. That's a huge value proposition for international travelers watching their budgets.

Washington, D.C. Traveler Intelligence

  • India emerged as the top spending market for DC in 2025
  • Looking ahead: America's 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026 are expected to drive significant international demand

#8 Honolulu, HI, Paradise in the Pacific

Honolulu rounds out our list, welcoming roughly 5–6 million visitors annually, with a substantial share coming from Japan, South Korea, and Oceania.

While the islands faced some tourism softness in 2025, Japanese visitation to Hawaii was at just 43.1% of 2019 levels, the Aloha State's pull remains undeniable.

Honolulu Traveler Intelligence

  • International arrivals at Honolulu's port of entry: 518,417 through June 2025
  • Honolulu was the 4th busiest port of entry in 2019 but dropped to 11th by mid‑2025, a sign of the broader international travel slowdown to the US

What's Driving America's International Tourism Numbers?

Alright, we've covered the what. Now let's talk about the why now , because the story behind these numbers is just as important as the rankings themselves.

The Canadian Pullback

This is the elephant in the room.

Canadian visitors to the US fell 20.9% in 2025 , a staggering drop of over 4 million visitors. Why? President Trump's tariff fights, repeated remarks about annexing Canada, and broader immigration policies have genuinely soured Canadian travelers on the US.

In Las Vegas alone, Canadian arrivals fell 17.4%, a loss of 252,400 visitors. In Orlando, Canada remained the top international market despite a 13.3% drop. Border states felt it even worse: passenger vehicles crossing the US‑Canada border fell by nearly 20% in 2025.

The "Trump Slump"

Beyond Canada, international tourism to the US faces a broader crisis. Total international visitor arrivals fell 5.5% in 2025, reaching just 68.3 million travelers, well below 2019's pre‑pandemic peak of nearly 80 million.

Industry experts point to a perfect storm: political rhetoric, immigration enforcement, tariff disputes, and a strong US dollar have all made America less appealing to overseas tourists.

As one LA tourism worker put it bluntly: "They just don't come."

A Shifting Global Landscape

Here's the kicker: while US inbound tourism declined, global international travel increased by roughly 80 million people in 2025. That means the US isn't just facing a temporary dip, it's losing market share.

The good news? Major events like the FIFA World Cup 2026 (hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico) are expected to inject at least $4.3 billion in tourism‑related expenditures, with New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other host cities set to benefit.

But as one travel analyst cautioned, lengthy visa processing times, concerns about entry procedures, and geopolitical tensions could still dampen that impact.

So there you have it: America's most popular cities for overseas tourists, ranked by the data.

New York still wears the crown, but Florida is breathing down its neck. Miami is surging. Orlando is breaking records. And even as political headwinds create turbulence, the timeless appeal of these iconic American cities keeps the world coming back.

If you're an international traveler planning your first (or tenth) US trip, here's my advice: don't just chase the rankings. Chase your vibe. Want world‑class culture and nonstop energy? Hit NYC. Craving sun, nightlife, and Latin flair? Miami's calling. Theme parks and family magic? Orlando awaits. Hollywood dreams? LA's your stage.

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