A recent post from the US Embassy in Singapore declares that visiting America is not an entitlement, but a privilege reserved only for those who respect its laws and values.
Whilst no one would argue that visiting any country is an automatic right, the tone and manner of this message feel unnecessarily adversarial and frankly, obnoxious.
This is hardly the language of welcome — it leans more towards arrogance and exclusion.
But here is the irony: fewer and fewer people are trying to go to the US.
- Foreign air arrivals to the US fell 2.5 percent from January to April, with a 10 percent drop in March alone.
- Overseas visitor numbers plunged 11.6 percent in March year-over-year.
- The World Travel and Tourism Council forecasts a 12.5 billion dollar loss in tourism revenue this year — the only one of 184 countries facing a decline.
- Visitor spending is projected to shrink 7 percent from 2024, landing 22 percent below 2019 levels.
Key markets are pulling back:
- Travel from Canada is down roughly 20 to 25 percent, resulting in 320,000 fewer seats on routes.
- European travellers from Germany, Spain and others are down 15 to 30 percent, dragging total overseas visits down by mid-teens percentages.
Bottom line: As America brags about keeping people out, the world is already turning away.
It is no longer about privilege — it is about competition. Today’s global travellers seek places that are open, inspiring and gracious — not adversarial and self-important.
Michel Lu - Follow
Founder & Executive Chairman at The Orientalist Spirits, Revolver Asia, Wildfire Burgers, CODA, Liquid Assets, Beluga Capital.
