U.S. Domestic Market Remains Strong, While International Travel Lags
Despite global economic challenges and geopolitical uncertainty, the United States continues to maintain strong domestic travel volume and has recorded a slight increase in international visits.
In February, domestic travel reached a record, with more than 64 million passengers processed by the Transportation Security Administration, representing a 2.7% year-over-year increase. However, international travel from nearby markets such as Canada and Mexico declined by 3.9% compared to the same month in 2025, and by 5.4% versus February 2024.
Canada, in particular, continues to show a significant contraction, with a 17.5% year-over-year decline in February 2026 and a 29.7% drop compared to 2024, indicating a sustained downward trend. In contrast, long-haul international markets—such as Europe, Asia, and South America—recorded moderate growth of 0.8% year-over-year, although they remain 1.7% below 2024 levels.
These findings are based on the monthly report from the U.S. Travel Association, which compiles and analyzes industry data to support strategic planning and strengthen initiatives aimed at attracting visitors.
In the case of Puerto Rico, indicators remain largely positive, in line with 2025 performance—a record year for the destination, with growth across key metrics, including the cruise segment.
Puerto Rico recorded in February 2026 an increase of more than 10% in arrivals from Europe and from Central and South America, while visitor flow from the United States showed a slight decline of 2%. These figures point to the Island’s continued strength as a tourism destination.
The slight decrease in visitors from the United States—Puerto Rico’s primary source market—has a limited impact on the overall outlook. This segment still represents between 83% and 85% of total travelers. The decline is mainly driven by operational factors within the aviation industry, such as reduced routes and limited seat availability, rather than a loss of interest in the destination.
In fact, the stability—and even growth—across several metrics reinforces Puerto Rico’s favorable position within the global tourism landscape, even amid an uncertain economic and political environment.
In response, Discover Puerto Rico continues to focus on strengthening its marketing efforts to sustain and diversify demand. The current strategy prioritizes more precise audience segmentation, targeting high-conversion groups such as women travelers, the Puerto Rican diaspora, Spanish-speaking international travelers, and high-value experiential or adventure tourism segments.
As part of these efforts, the organization recently launched the “Awaken Your Senses” campaign, aimed at positioning Puerto Rico as a destination for authentic and differentiated experiences. Promotional initiatives have also been intensified in European markets, leveraging high-profile cultural events to expand the destination’s visibility.
These efforts are further complemented by strengthened strategies targeting key international markets across Latin America.
Overall, the data reflects a resilient destination that, rather than slowing down, continues to adapt to global market dynamics. With strong demand, a well-positioned brand, and a more focused marketing strategy, Puerto Rico is well positioned to sustain its competitiveness and continue attracting visitors in an increasingly challenging environment.