This new social media policy for foreign travelers could cost the US millions

A lot of travelers will skip visiting the U.S. if a proposed rule change is implemented that would require some foreigners to share social media account information on arrival. The warning comes from the World Travel & Tourism Council, a global industry group that surveyed nearly 5,000 international residents who regularly travel abroad. Out of the 5,000 people in the survey, one-third said they would likely skip a trip to the country if the Visa Waiver Program required them to submit social media account information, CNN reported, citing the survey. 

The proposal that was posted on the Federal Register by US Customs and Border Protection last year suggests that travelers coming from countries that are part of the visa waiver program should submit additional personal information as part of an electronic application, using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The visa waiver program has 42 countries, including the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Israel, Qatar, and many European countries. As per the posting, travelers will need to disclose social media information from the last five years. While it is currently open for public comment till February 9, the U.S. is already seeing a drop in international visitors, as per CNN. 

In the survey, two-thirds of the 4,563 travelers from Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and other countries said they were aware of the potential policy change already, and they weren't too happy about it. A large share of the surveyees said they would find the U.S. less welcoming if the rule is implemented, and the country would become less attractive for both leisure and business travel.  

The WTTC report suggests that the decline in travelers could cost the country an estimated $15.7 billion in visitor spending, and in one scenario, the U.S. could see a reduction of 4.7 million international arrivals, marking a 23% drop in visitors from ESTA countries in 2026. Furthermore, the decline could cost 150,000 jobs and put "the US at a competitive disadvantage," Gloria Guevara, president of WTTC, said in an interview on CNN's  “Quest Means Business." She added that travelers have plenty of other options that do not have such "intrusive" measures, before noting that 2025 marked a banner year in global travel, with countries around the world seeing increases in the number of visitors, but that wasn't the case for the U.S.

Earlier this week, a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson noted that the proposed changes are not final and subject to change. “Most are designed to support Executive Order 14161, aimed at protecting the U.S. from foreign terrorist and other national security and public safety threats,” the spokesperson said, per CNN. However, they did not clarify how social media would be used to evaluate applicants. Also, it remains unclear how the social media information would be collected in the first place. Currently, ESTA applicants are only asked for information on their passport, birth date, and any past criminal record.

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