My AirBNB has hosted many people traveling from other countries. They have consistently been my best guests. They are polite, treat the rooms well, enjoy interacting with an American family, and serious about enjoying their vacation time. This article is concerning for those of us who do rely on international tourism.
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From the article:
Online booking websites reported that flight searches from international points of origin to the United States were down anywhere from 6 percent to 17 percent since Trump signed the executive order on Jan. 27. But experts say what’s more alarming is the icy message it sends to the world.
This is just a guess but I would estimate that 40% or more of my guests pre-January this year have been from overseas. I haven’t had one inquiry from foreign guests this year. I’m not surprised really, although it’s hugely disappointing.
How important is the tourist industry to the US? I don’t know but as this affects the hotel industry airlines and cruise ship operators in addition to we hosts, I hope that there will be some sort of major protest / backlash.
Even as a citizen with a Global Entry card who has never visited a majority Muslim nation I feel less inclined to book international travel. I was on the verge of cancelling my Costa Rica trip for July but have since calmed back down. I really feel for the hosts who depend on international travelers. Hopefully things will settle down soon.
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In many markets, tourism is a huge economic engine. Certainly Florida is part of that. So is most of the Northeast and Washington, DC. I tried to google some real numbers, but it appears that you can only find numbers for specific markets.
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It is - or should be. Hopefully the hotel industry, plus the various Florida tourism bodies have enough clout to counteract this current trend. I hope so…
Or we may have to weather a downturn… another downturn. None of my European visitors have canceled for the summer, but I am not getting new ones which I didn’t expect.
I’m the same. This time last year I had future bookings from guests from Russia, France, Scandinavia, Ireland, more … but nothing now.
You’re wrong @Robert_Dudley the ban (Trump has no intention of it being temporary) along with the increased racism in the States, means that I and many I know feel uncomfortable about travelling to the U.S.
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You’re right that that video and the fallout of the scandal did us no good. But on the Gulf coast, our Canadians have come back as strong as ever this winter, in spite of the exchange rate.
My husband and his techie colleagues do not want to visit the US especially if they want to get his social media passwords.
We’re going back on Friday for 3 days and I’m not looking forward to it. :’(
As with every scandal/crisis, give it a few months and people will move on. As long as the president keeps his mouth shut that is. I doubt he will learn. But people still travel to Paris after last year.
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I wonder if there is any drop in Americans travelling internationally. I haven’t seen many Americans here recently.
He hasn’t kept his mouth shut in years and he isn’t going to change. Just like Richard Nixon never changed. From a tourism point of view the best case scenario would be that the scandal keeps him distracted or he resigns allowing Pence to possibly govern like a grown up. Worse case scenario is that he creates a security crisis to justify his policies (his own Reichstag fire) and the ensuing war and closed borders destroy tourism for years.
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It wasn’t the president of France that caused the issue @Sarah_Warren: (
I doubt people will move on, because there is now a situation in the US, where people who feel it is OK to express and act on racist views feel more comfortable doing so. As long Trump is in power, this is likely to continue.
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I know, but my comment was that in general, people are quick to forget and move on. Paris was just the most recent travel crisis that came to mind.
I agree, for specific incidents. But if an overall atmosphere of fear, harassment, xenophobia is believed to be existing in this country then it will affect tourism. If people are afraid they will be detained or harassed or asked for social media passwords at the airport then they might choose to stay home.
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Or, more likely, go somewhere else. There are lots of places.
I have to strongly disagree with @Sarah_Warren on this one. Paris was a terrorist incident; carried out by EU citizens. The Charlie Hebro offices were the same. These attacks were not state-sponsored by the French government. The number of people-areas-businesses affected were actually quite small. It shows a schism in French society [great New Yorker article about this last year] but it doesn’t implicate an entire country or generate fear that you are LIKELY to be the victim of a similar attack.
Right now, if you are a foreigner, or a citizen, or a legal-resident, the GOVERNMENT has created an atmosphere that implies that ANYONE can be searched physically and electronically if they cross our borders.
When governments change their behaviors this way, travelers will too. I have not had even one inquiry from a non-USA resident since this Executive Order was signed.
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Here is what I know from my English family and friends.
Due to the Paris terrorist attacks school trips to Paris were cancelled due to fear of further attacks.
That was just one sector of the community that affected Paris tourism.
As for America, all my friends decided in 2016 (before the election) not to travel to America in 2017 due to the exchange rate. In the past the trips made between them were: Christmas shopping trips to New York, Florida or Hawaii for family vacations, Las Vegas or San Fran for birthdays/anniversaries
Two families have chosen to go to Mexico instead and other friends are holidaying in Europe.
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Yea definitely agree with you the current exchange is not doing us any favors while we live & work in the states temporarily. When we first visited the states in 2014 £1 = $1.60 ish. The GBP dropped like stone after bloody brexit. Big bonus for my family wanting to visit from NZ on the other ha!