Guides Association of New York City (GANYC) Urges US Government to Halt Proposed Requirement for Visitors to Turn Over Years of Social Media, Email and Phone Records to Enter the US
New Measures for Visitors from Visa Waiver Eligible Countries Would Devastate International Inbound Tourism, Threatening Thousands of Jobs and Billions of Dollars in City, State and Federal Tax Revenue
The Guides Association of New York City (GANYC) stands in strong opposition to the proposed federal regulations that would require visitors entering the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to disclose extensive personal information, including 5 to 10 years of social media history, phone numbers, email addresses, biometric data, and detailed family background information. These proposed measures, published in the Federal Register by U.S. Customs and Border Protection OMB Control Number 1651-0111, would impose significant new barriers to travel without clear evidence that such requirements will meaningfully enhance national security. Such measures would devastate the international inbound tourism industry in New York City and across the United States.
GANYC calls on all government officials to speak out against these proposed new requirements, and urges all New York-area residents to contact their elected representatives to urge them to fight these new requirements, which would apply to visitors from the 40+ countries eligible for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program, which allows them to visit the United States without a tourist visa.
This proposal, scheduled to go into effect on February 9 2026, would mandate that all ESTA applicant countries have to submit the following information to apply for a tourist entry to the United States:
- Social media history from the last 5 years.
- Personal and business Telephone numbers used in the last five years;
- Personal and Email addresses used in the last ten years;
- IP addresses and metadata from electronically submitted photos;
- Family member names (parents, spouse, siblings, children);
- Family number telephone numbers used in the last five years;
- Family member dates of birth and places of birth;
- Family member residencies;
- Biometrics—face, fingerprint, DNA, and iris
This would have a “chilling effect” on international inbound travel to the United States, according to the U.S. Travel Association. In 2025, there was already a 6% decrease in international visitors to the US in 2025, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, which was expected to amount to a $12.5 billion decrease in spending by International visitors to the US.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/07/travel/new-york-city-tourism-down-trump
These measures are coming as the New York City tourism industry has finally risen back to almost pre-pandemic (2019) levels, with nearly 65 million visitors from around the world coming to the city in 2024. These visitors brought in $51 billion in direct traveller spending. This economic activity supported over 388,000 leisure and hospitality jobs—approximately 9 percent of the New York City workforce—and benefited thousands of small and minority-owned businesses across all five boroughs. In addition, it is estimated that the $6.8 billion in tax revenue generated by visitor spending saves each New Yorker about $2,000 in taxes each year.
International visitors play a disproportionately large role in this economic ecosystem. They represent about 20 percent of total visitors but account for approximately 50% of overall tourism spending, largely because they stay longer and spend more per day compared to domestic visitors. Office of the New York State Comptroller
The proposed new screening rules threaten to deter visitors before they book a flight to the United States, and will push them to visit other countries for their vacations and holidays. A further decline in international tourism would lead directly to fewer bookings for tour guides, less revenue for small tourism businesses (including restaurants, museums, and retail establishments), and a reduction in tax revenues that fund public services and infrastructure. The ripple effects could extend to thousands of jobs tied to tourism and hospitality in our city.
Professional licensed tour guides who are members of GANYC have already reported a major downturn in bookings from international inbound visitors. Here are a few examples:
- A tour guide specializing in Dutch tourism has recorded a 30% decline in visitors since November 2024. Another guide catering to Danish visitors reported that 90% of group tours from Denmark cancelled in 2025.
- A guide catering to French speakers from France, Canada, Switzerland and Belgium stated that business was down 25% in Q4 2025 vs. Q4 2024. Another guide who caters to tourists from Italy reported that tours had decreased by 40% from December 2024 to December 2025.
- A tour guide who works with French tourists stated “In 2024, 80% of my work was from International travelers. Now it is down to maybe 20%. People have reported that they had to change their travel dates because ESTA applications were denied.”
- Tour guides working with cruise ships that stop in US ports are reporting less guests getting out at these ports to shop and tour due to the problems of obtaining proper paperwork and entry options. Instead, they are disembarking at Caribbean and Canadian Ports.
Conclusion and Call to Action
At a time when global tourism is highly competitive and travelers have myriad destination options, imposing excessive compliance burdens—especially on visitors from longstanding allied countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program—risks reversing hard-earned gains in international visitation. In addition, these proposed requirements would lead to two signature worldwide events scheduled for 2026 – the America250 celebrations, and the FIFA World Cup – attracting much fewer attendees from outside the United States.
The Guides Association of New York City urges federal policymakers to reconsider this proposal and work collaboratively with tourism industry representatives to develop screening practices that ensure both national security and continued global access to the United States.
We call on:
- Congressional leaders to scrutinize the potential economic harm of these regulations
- The Department of Homeland Security and CBP to engage with stakeholders and refine protocols that are effective without unnecessarily deterring travel
- Elected officials at all levels to advocate for policy that protects public safety while sustaining the vibrant tourism economy that is vital to New York City and our nation
- New York-area residents to contact their elected officials to urge them to fight against these proposed new regulations
New York City’s standing as a world-class destination has been built by its diversity, openness, and welcoming spirit. Policies that undermine that spirit will not only harm our city’s economy—they will hurt the very communities and small businesses that depend on global visitors and the licensed professionals who bring our city’s rich stories to life.