U.S. Tourism Is Tanking—and So Is Your Kid’s School Bus

U.S. Tourism Is Tanking—and So Is Your Kid’s School Bus

The United States is losing billions in tourism—and no, that’s not just bad news for the Statue of Liberty gift shop.

In 2023, the U.S. travel and tourism market brought in $2.36 trillion. That’s trillion with a “T.”

But as international visitors vanish and domestic travelers scale back, that giant cash flow? Drying up faster than Lake Mead.

Here’s the kicker:

Many American cities rely on tourism like it’s oxygen.

Think hotel taxes, sales taxes, museum fees, restaurant surcharges. It all goes straight into funding schools, public transit, and infrastructure.

So when people stop coming?

School buses start disappearing.

Transit systems get more delays than Spirit Airlines.

Roads become pothole obstacle courses.

And remember all that “support your local economy” talk Americans dish out overseas? Turns out they forgot their own cities depend on tourism, too.

Less travel = less tax revenue = your kid’s classroom gets another broken air conditioner.

But hey, at least there's room in Times Square now.