Japan has surpassed the United States as the top travel destination for international travelers, according to new research from Brand USA presented at its board meeting on Tuesday. The shift marks a significant change in global travel preferences, with Japan gaining ground as interest in the U.S. wanes due to rising costs and political climate concerns.
Shifting Travel Priorities
While the U.S. once held a comfortable lead over competing destinations, that gap has narrowed considerably. In January of last year, the U.S. led Japan by more than eight percentage points as the top destination. However, in both August and October 2026, Japan finished ahead of the U.S. in survey rankings.
“We still lead year to date, but Japan is now our most direct competitor for the long-haul International traveler,” said Chelsea Benitez, senior director of research and analytics at Brand USA. The survey polls roughly 11,000 people each month from 11 key markets for the U.S.: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
U.S. consideration fell from 30% in 2019 to 24% year to date in 2026, while Japan climbed to 23%. The data points to cost and the political climate as the joint top barriers, each cited by 24% of respondents. Additionally, 23% said they want to visit other countries first.
Deferred Demand and Economic Impact
Demand for international travel overall remains steady, with 57% of October respondents planning an international trip in the next 12 months, in line with 2024 and 2025. This indicates that the U.S. is losing share to competitors rather than to travelers staying home. Brand USA framed much of the decline as deferred rather than lost, with nearly 60% of travelers choosing other destinations this year saying they expect to visit the U.S. within five years.
Net advocacy has weakened significantly. The share of travelers who would recommend the U.S. fell from 64% in 2024 to 53% year to date. Conversely, those who would discourage visitation rose from 7% to 16%. These figures land alongside overseas visitation of 24.1 million through September, down nearly 6% year over year.
The Tourism Economics forecast for 2026 stands at 67.8 million international visitors, more than 2 million below its June projection. This downward revision underscores the tangible impact of shifting traveler sentiment on the U.S. travel industry.
Source: Skift
