More than half of South African travel agents have noticed a drop in client interest in travelling to the US, according to a recent Travel News poll. The results revealed that 53% reported a decline, 29% saw no change, and 18% said interest remained the same.
Thaybz Khan, Head of Commercial at Cruises International, confirmed the trend. “This trend aligns with what we see from a cruising perspective as well.” She attributed the dip primarily to cost. “Cost of airfare and visas would be the main factor here,” she told Travel News.
While Khan has not noticed visa issues specifically, she believes the political landscape is shaping broader sentiment.
“The recent policies would have dampened the consumer confidence overall, which affects travel in general, not just to the US,” she explained. She also noted a shift in consumer interest toward destinations in Asia.
However, not everyone has seen this change. Dharmesh Kooverjee, CEO of Travel Vision, said his company had not noticed a recent decline in South Africans wanting to travel to the US and that his clients had also not experienced visa challenges.
On the topic of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and policies, Kooverjee remarked: “I don’t believe that tariffs alone will impact South Africans wanting to travel to the US.”
Increase in farmers wanting to work in the US
In contrast, Trump’s intention to offer of asylum to South African farmers has contributed to growing demand for agricultural work opportunities in the US among this group.
Elzanne Richter, Owner of All About Travel, reported growing interest among South African farmers seeking temporary work in the US under the H2A visa programme. “The number of South African farmers has increased quite substantially, and there is a lot of interest in working on the H2A visa programme in the US.”
She added that the US remained the top destination for these workers. “No other country offers a similar programme. The UK has options, but they’re limited. It's very hard to get into Australia, and rates don’t compare to what they earn in the US.”
Global decline
While some South African segments remain committed to the US as a destination, the wider sentiment of declining interest appears to reflect a broader global trend.
In Europe, a similar pattern is emerging. A similar TTG Media poll found that 69% of British agents said their clients were put off visiting the US due to Donald Trump’s actions and rhetoric.
And, according to a February report from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, international inbound visits to the US could drop by 12,7% under an expanded trade war scenario, with a projected US$22 billion (R410,4bn) annual loss in spending.
The report cites three primary drivers: economic uncertainty, exchange rate shifts making the US more expensive, and weakening travel sentiment in key inbound markets.
