Major LGBTIQ+ organisations from around the world, including in Australia, have withdrawn or issued their own travel cautions regarding WorldPride DC 2025.
Australia and other countries have updated their travel advisories, warning their queer citizens of potential legal and safety risks.
As a result, many major queer organisations worldwide and InterPride have withdrawn from WorldPride 2025, citing safety concerns for transgender and queer travelers.
Washington WorldPride organisers say they are preparing alternative ways for those unable to attend, such as proxy participation in marches, while emphasising the importance of visibility and resilience in the face of adversity.
Trump's policies have led to a significant decline in U.S. tourism, particularly among LGBTIQ+ travellers.
The United States tourism industry, once poised for a record-breaking year in 2025, is now experiencing a significant downturn as the political climate under President Donald Trump's administration is making overseas travellers reconsider their plans. Heightened trade tensions, stricter immigration controls, and a wave of anti-LGBTIQ policies have led to widespread cancellations and mounting safety concerns, particularly ahead of WorldPride in Washington, D.C.
Australian travellers are increasingly choosing to avoid the United States. Tourism officials had initially projected an 8.8% increase in international visitors for 2025. However, recent months have shown a reversal in this trend, with current predictions indicating a 9.4% decline in arrivals. This downturn is expected to lead to a loss of $9 billion in visitor spending.
Recent data shows a 7.8% year-on-year decline in the number of Australians visiting the U.S., marking the largest drop since the pandemic began.
This decline follows a previous 9.4% annual increase in visitors up to January 2025. Industry leaders attribute this decrease to several factors, including boycotts due to tariffs, stricter U.S. border controls, safety concerns, anti-trans and LGBTIQ+ policies and a general growing unease regarding the direction of the Trump administration.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has also warned that a valid visa does not guarantee entry into the U.S., with border officials wielding broad powers to deny admission and search electronic devices, emails, and social media accounts.
Equality Australia has issued a travel alert for LGBTIQ+ travellers, particularly those with passports that have an "X" gender marker or whose gender expression does not match their passport photos. These individuals may face heightened scrutiny, denial of entry, mistreatment, and even arbitrary detention in the United States. The U.S. State Department has suspended the processing of passports with the "X" gender marker and has removed all references to "TQ" on its travel website, making travel for trans and nonbinary Australians to America unadvisable.
While Trump's newly announced tariffs on imports from countries including Australia have so far not directly affected tourism services, industry leaders warn that the resulting economic uncertainty and potential for higher costs in the U.S. could further dampen Australian demand for U.S. travel.
What Australian Travellers Should Do
- Review the latest travel advisories from DFAT and Equality Australia before booking U.S. travel.
- LGBTIQ travellers should be aware of the heightened risks, especially if their documents or identity might attract scrutiny at U.S. borders.
- Consider alternative destinations if safety or entry is a concern.
