Monument Valley and other parks in the Navajo Nation are facing a steep decline in tourism, especially from international visitors, after a brief post-pandemic rebound. Local guides and tour operators, who rely heavily on foreign travelers, have seen bookings drop sharply this year, forcing some to lower prices for the first time. The downturn is impacting the region's economy, where tourism supports thousands of jobs and many families struggle to make ends meet even in good years.

Contributing factors include a drop in Canadian visitors, global economic uncertainty, and changing travel patterns, with guides reporting fewer tours and hotels seeing fewer reservations. The Navajo Nation is responding by increasing its tourism budget, investing in technology to better understand visitor trends, and developing new accommodations and rental platforms to keep more tourism dollars within the community. However, there are concerns that larger businesses could overshadow small, local operators, and that federal policies may continue to deter international guests. Despite the challenges, officials remain hopeful that the unique cultural experiences offered in the Navajo Nation will continue to attract travelers from around the world.