With global headlines suggesting the US has lost some of its shine as a destination, a new large-scale survey of recent international visitors tells a rather different story. The findings matter — both for how Americans travel abroad and for what they can expect when hosting visitors from overseas.
The gap between perception and reality is a familiar feature of travel, but rarely does data make the point quite so cleanly. A survey of more than 1,200 international visitors to the United States — conducted by YouGov for the U.S. Travel Association and released in May 2026 — found that 91% were satisfied with their recent trip, and 83% said they felt welcome during their stay.
These are not numbers that reflect the prevailing narrative. In a period when visa scrutiny, border policy debates, and shifting diplomatic relations have generated considerable noise, the actual on-the-ground experience of foreign visitors appears to be holding up rather well. Sixty-one percent left with a more favorable opinion of America than when they arrived — and 56% said the trip improved their perception of US safety, a finding that will raise eyebrows given how safety concerns have featured in recent travel advisories issued by other governments.
The survey drew on travelers from eight markets: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, South Korea, and the United Kingdom — all of them significant sources of inbound tourism and, between them, a reasonable cross-section of global opinion. Respondents had all visited the US within the six months prior to the survey, taken between April 17 and 28 this year. These are recent, lived experiences — not abstract impressions formed from media coverage.
One detail worth noting: more than three-quarters of visitors (78%) said they shopped at a small business during their trip. That figure reflects something often overlooked in discussions of American tourism — that most meaningful travel experiences happen not in flagship hotels or airport terminals, but in the kind of neighbourhood restaurants, local markets, and independent shops that make a destination worth visiting in the first place. It also suggests that the communities receiving these visitors are playing a significant role in shaping the impressions they take home.
For Americans with international travel planned, or those with friends and family considering a US visit, the survey offers a useful corrective to the more alarming headlines. The experience of actually being in America, it turns out, tends to be considerably more positive than the coverage of it. That has always been true of travel — the place is rarely the same as the story told about it — but it’s a reminder worth sitting with, particularly when deciding whether to encourage overseas guests to make the trip.
Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.