US to double ESTA fees, cut tourism promotion budget
Travellers to the US without a visa will soon be paying double – the US Congress has confirmed an increase in the ESTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) fee from $21 to $40.
This measure is part of a wider package of budget cuts which has particularly affected the official tourism organisation Brand USA. Instead of the previous $100 million annually, it will have only $20 million in future for the promotion of the USA in foreign markets.
The U.S. Travel Association has highlighted that while it supports investments in air travel security and preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the Olympic Games 2028, it strongly criticises the increase in costs for foreign visitors.
„Increasing fees for legal international visitors is effectively a self-inflicted tax on one of our greatest export strengths – the spending of international tourists,“ said Geoff Freeman, president of the U.S. Travel Association.
Freeman has called on Congress to fully fund Brand USA in the upcoming 2026 budget and consider reducing or eliminating these fees wherever possible.
For many travellers and partners in the tourism industry, this increase could affect the competitiveness of the USA as a destination, particularly at a time when global competition for tourists is intensifying.
