10 Destinations Americans Visit Less Due To New Travel Rules
Travel rules rarely arrive with drama. They show up as an extra pre-approval, a new fee, or an online form that has to be finished before the airport even happens.
For Americans, that friction changes choices fast, especially on short vacations built on tight PTO and tight connections. A single missed step can turn into a canceled boarding pass, or a first day spent in a line.
Some travelers adapt and keep going. Others quietly pick places where entry still feels simple, saving the paperwork-heavy dream trip for a year with more slack, more patience, and fewer apps, QR codes, and passwords to chase. Ease wins more often than pride admits.
United Kingdom
UK trips still feel familiar, but they no longer start at the gate. Many visitors now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation approved before departure, which turns a passport routine into a pre-trip checkpoint that has to be handled at home.
The fee is £16, and it is typically valid for multiple journeys over two years or until a passport expires, but it does not guarantee entry. Airlines can treat it as a boarding requirement, so travelers end up tracking approval emails and app logins with unusual care. For short PTO breaks, that friction nudges some Americans toward Ireland, or toward staying domestic. Until a longer stay feels worth it.
Schengen Area
Mainland Europe still sells the grand tour, but the border moment has grown more procedural. The Entry/Exit System records many non-EU travelers with biometrics, replacing the old rhythm of a quick stamp, and it is being introduced gradually across the region.
First-time enrollment can add minutes per person while fingerprints and a facial image are captured, and those minutes stack when several flights land together. Uneven waits can squeeze connections and sour the first hours in town. Americans who once booked tight rail transfers now build in slack, visit fewer cities, or choose the UK and Ireland for short vacations.
Venice, Italy
Venice still feels like a dream, yet day visits now come with paperwork. On select peak dates, the city requires day-trippers to register, pay an access fee, and carry a QR code that can be checked at entry points.
The price is €5 when paid in advance and €10 when paid closer to the visit, so spontaneity can cost more than planning. The fee only applies on specific high-traffic days, but that calendar matters for day trips. It targets daytime access during busy months, turning a simple side trip into a scheduled decision. Some Americans still go and plan ahead, while others swap in Bologna or Verona and save Venice for an overnight stay.
Brazil
Brazil still pulls Americans with Rio, rainforest gateways, and the Pantanal, but entry is no longer as frictionless. Since Apr. 10, 2025, Brazil reinstated a visa requirement for U.S. nationals, with an e-visa option, adding lead time before flights feel truly locked in.
The process may be manageable, yet it changes behavior. Families who once booked on impulse now factor in application steps, fees, and the fear of a delay that can derail a tight PTO window at the worst moment. Some still commit and plan earlier, while others choose Mexico or the Caribbean for quick breaks and save Brazil for a longer, slower trip. Later.
Israel
Israel remains meaningful for many Americans, but the trip now begins online. Starting Jan. 2025, visa-exempt travelers, including U.S. citizens, must obtain ETA-IL approval before travel for short tourism or business stays of up to 90 days.
The requirement is usually straightforward, yet it trims spontaneity. A last-minute fare becomes less tempting when approval has to be secured, saved, and ready for airline checks, and when a delay or denial would unravel the trip before takeoff. Some still go for family and heritage with no hesitation, while others pick Greece or Turkey for shorter breaks and return when planning feels easier.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali still sells the quick-reset fantasy, but arrival has gained an extra step. Since Feb. 14, 2024, foreign visitors are charged a tourist levy of IDR 150,000 per person per visit, paid once per arrival into Bali through the official system.
The amount is not huge, yet the friction is real after a long flight. Travelers now juggle another receipt, another confirmation screen, and another thing that can be forgotten when plans change mid-trip or an island hop loops back to Bali. Some Americans shrug and pay, while others choose Thailand, Vietnam, or Hawaii for short breaks where entry feels lighter and the first day stays simple.
Kenya
Kenya’s safaris and beaches still feel like a dream, but entry now runs through an Electronic Travel Authorization filed before travel. Visitors apply online, pay the required fee, and wait for approval, which replaces the old idea of sorting entry details at arrival.
It is not complicated, yet it nudges travelers toward fixed plans. Applications often ask for itinerary and lodging details up front, which clashes with people who like to keep options open until the last minute. Americans still go for milestone trips, but some choose Morocco or South Africa for shorter vacations when fewer pre-trip steps matter. In practice.
New Zealand
New Zealand still feels like the long-haul reward for fjords, hikes, and road trips, but it asks travelers to do more before arrival. Many visitors need an NZeTA tied to their passport, and most also pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, set at NZD 100.
The purpose is conservation and infrastructure, yet the effect is upfront friction. When multiple travelers each add required fees before flights and rental cars, a shorter itinerary can look less sensible. Some Americans delay the dream and choose Canada or Iceland instead, saving New Zealand for longer trips where the admin feels proportional and jet lag is worth it.
Thailand
Thailand still tempts Americans with street food and islands, yet arrival now comes with a digital deadline. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card must be completed online for most foreign travelers, replacing the paper TM6 form across air, land, and sea entry points.
There is no fee, but timing and details matter. The card is expected within 3 days before arrival, and it collects passport, flight, and lodging information, so last-minute changes can get annoying. Travelers keep the confirmation ready for check-in and immigration. Most adapt quickly, yet some pick Japan or Malaysia for short breaks, preferring places where arrival feels familiar.
Cuba
Cuba still fascinates Americans, but U.S. rules keep it from being a simple vacation choice. Tourist travel is prohibited, and visits must fit one of 12 authorized categories, which shifts planning from mood to compliance.
That change adds mental load. Travelers build an itinerary that matches the category, avoid restricted transactions, and keep trip records for five years. A loose beach week often does not fit the framework. Some still go for family, education, or cultural programs and document carefully. Many others choose Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic, where entry is straightforward and downtime stays the point.
