Europeans Are Cutting U.S. Summer Trips Due to 'Bad Buzz', Accor CEO Says

Summer bookings from Europe to the United States have fallen by 25%, according to Accor Group CEO Sébastien Bazin.

"We see a pretty strong deceleration cross Atlantic. The forward booking from European travelers going to America is minus 25%," Bazin said in a Bloomberg TV interview.

The CEO of the Paris-based group, which runs about 5,600 hotels worldwide, cited "bad buzz" after recent reports of some tourists being detained by U.S. border agents.

This sharp decline follows an 18-20% decrease in the first quarter of 2025, Bazin said, attributing the decline to "anxiety to go in an unknown territory."

He said European travelers are increasingly opting to spend their vacations in alternative locations like Canada, South America, and Egypt.

Accor has a presence in the U.S. with luxury and premium brands like Fairmont and Sofitel, but a majority of its hotels are outside of the country.

Industry Concerns About Hotel Demand

The CEO's comments coincided with broader industry concerns about the impact of geopolitical instability and U.S. travel policies.

Recent reports of international visitors being denied entry at the U.S. border have heightened these concerns.

In response, some U.S. allies, including Germany and the UK have issued revised travel advisories for traveling to the U.S.

Virgin Atlantic’s CFO recently warned of slowing U.S. demand. 

"Trump policies might cut U.S. travel growth by half," said Seth Borko, head of Skift Research, referring to a range of actions like a possible tariff war to increased uncertainty about how border agents will interpret and enforce border rules.

"That would be billions of dollars of impact, but the industry could still grow throughout it," Borko said about the U.S. tourism sector.

Accor's Growth

Despite the downturn in U.S. bookings, Accor remains optimistic about its global growth prospects.

The company said last year was a record year for hotel signings and that the group opened 293 new hotels and resorts opened, adding 50,000 rooms.

Accor said it is particularly focused on expansion in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions, where over 60% of its planned 2025 openings are located.

Accommodations Sector Stock Index Performance Year-to-Date

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