Bookings for leisure trips from Finland to the United States declined sharply last year.

Leisure flight packages from Finland to the United States decreased by around 25 percent in 2025, according to the Association of Finnish Travel Industry (Smal). The group represents travel agencies and tour operators across the country.

Previously, the US has been a very popular destination for travellers from Finland, according to Smal's managing director, Heli Mäki-Fränti.

"I just heard from Denmark that travel from Denmark to the US decreased by 50 to 60 percent, and by 30 percent from Sweden and other countries, so this is a broader European phenomenon," she explained.

There are several reasons for the decline, according to Mäki-Fränti. For example, prices in the US are generally relatively high at the moment.

Another factor is that the fee for the so-called Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) has recently doubled. The fee for the required entry document rose from 21 US dollars to 40 dollars in September.

She noted that people who are planning to visit the US fill out the ESTA form well in advance of their trip to ensure that the document is in order when they do travel.

People visiting the US should also be prepared for long waits at airport border entry points, according to Mäki-Fränti.

"Many people say that entering [the US] takes a very long time. When there's a queue, it can take several hours," she said, suggesting that the political tone there may be making prospective visitors feel rather unwelcome.

Negative news from the US has also affected people's desire to visit the country.

"Of course, as a tourism professional, I sympathise with my colleagues in the United States. They are also having quite tough times there at the moment, and there will certainly be a lot of unemployed people in the tourism industry. It will affect tourism revenue," Mäki-Fränti said.