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'These Esta changes are more bark than bite, but the answer cannot be to build higher walls'

Opinion
Guy Novik
12 December 2025

USAirtours founder and chair Guy Novik reflects on US proposals to require visitors to provide five years' social media history as part of their Esta application.

Social media
(Credit: iStock / DrAfter123)

The US could require Esta applicants to provide a five-year social media history (Credit: iStock / DrAfter123)

For those of you that prefer solutions rather than whingeing, or get bored much beyond 280 characters, I’d skip straight to the last paragraph.

We have been promoting travel to the US since I started USAirtours more than 43 years ago, and in that time, we have sent more than a million customers to enjoy the incredibly diverse landscape and culture that can been found among the 50 states of America.

Past presidents were aware of the significant financial value associated with inbound tourism supporting jobs in the US travel and hospitality industry.