Contentious foreign relations, a rising dollar, and fears about visiting a country that has detained overseas visitors are resulting in the US hemorrhaging tourism money like it’s Baby Billy’s production of Teenjus.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) projects the US to lose $12.5 billion in travel revenue in 2025—a 7% dip from last year and a 22.5% drop from 2019, when international spending reached a record $217.4 billion. Of the 184 foreign economies tracked by the WTTC, the US is the only one on pace to see a decline in tourism revenue.

Everyone is staying away

In March, US airports that have historically served throngs of international visitors who want to see Disney parks and the Grand Canyon were experiencing massive year over year declines in international arrivals:

• Arrivals from the UK and South Korea both dipped 15%.
• Tourists from Germany plummeted 28%.
• Other markets that had previously been staples, including Spain and Ireland, fell between 24% and 33%.

According to the US Travel Association, foreign travelers spend an average of $4,000 per trip, eight times more than domestic travelers. That’s putting a major dent in US tourism, which makes up 9% of the US economy.

New York feels Canada’s wrath

While some of this can be explained by a fluctuating US dollar and other factors, Canada’s response to President Trump’s rhetoric about annexation is giving New York far more problems than the Boston Celtics:

• New York City expects a 17% decline in tourism in 2025, with the biggest drop coming from Canada.
• Gov. Kathy Hochul said 66% of northern regions of the state near Montreal and Ottawa have felt a “significant decrease” in Canadian bookings this year.
• Expedia says US travel from Canada is down 30% this year.

Big picture: Travel analysts have expressed uncertainty about the future, but should trade wars continue or anti-American sentiment rise, things may worsen.—DL

After a decade of watching fans of horror, British dramas, and anime all get their own apps, ESPN watchers are finally up. The Disney-owned sports network officially announced its all-encompassing streaming service yesterday, and it will be called…ESPN.

The new service, which will debut sometime before the NFL season, marks the first time fans will be able to access the entire suite of ESPN’s vast catalog of networks and content without a cable subscription. It will cost $29.99 per month, or $35.99 for an ad-supported bundle that includes Disney+ and Hulu.

It’s been a long time coming. Despite live sports’ status as a gold mine, media companies have fumbled packaging them in the streaming world, a process complicated by the industry’s shifting broadcast rights agreements. In January, a deal to combine the sports offerings of Disney, Fox, and WBD into an app called “Venu” fell apart.

Big picture: ESPN has dragged its feet on bringing its flagship channel directly to the consumer for a decade, but finally decided it needs an option for the tens of millions of Americans who have cut the cord. Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said that the streaming service will target the vast market of viewers who like sports but don’t have traditional cable.—MM

There’s a gas that might accelerate a Mt. Everest ascent that has nothing to do with a hot-air balloon. In the coming days, Austrian mountaineer Lukas Furtenbach will lead a group of four climbers on an attempt to reach the world’s tallest peak in under seven days, in part by inhaling xenon gas to prepare.

Furtenbach claims the substance can expedite the arduous journey from Everest’s base camp to the summit, which typically takes ∼40 days, by lowering the risk of altitude sickness, a common side effect of abrupt altitude gain.

The time-constrained alpinists are paying Furtenbach’s company $153,000 each for guiding them on the xenon-powered vertical speedwalk. To get ready:

• They’ll be treated with xenon, known to spur the production of erythropoietin, a protein that boosts the formation of oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
• They’ve also spent weeks acclimating to a high-altitude environment by sleeping in low-oxygen tents.

Furtenbach says he previously tested the method by quickly ascending Everest and other super peaks without developing altitude sickness. He believes a faster climb is safer, since there’s less chance of getting caught in bad weather or an avalanche.

But…medical experts and pro mountaineers note that research into whether xenon actually promotes red blood cell production is sparse and inconclusive—and some warn it might increase the risk of a health emergency midclimb.—SK