The United States experienced a 12 percent decline in foreign visitors in March compared to the same period last year, according to data released Thursday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The drop represents the sharpest decline in inbound travel since the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Xinhua, Canadian travellers, the largest group of foreign visitors to the country, decreased by 18 percent in March, following a 12.5 percent drop in February.

Air arrivals from Mexico also fell sharply, down 23 percent in March.

The drop is particularly noticeable from China, where visits fell by 11 percent, and other regions such as Africa (down 9 percent), parts of Asia (down 7 percent), and Central America (down 6 percent).