U.S. President Causes Drop in International Tourism
President Donald Trump has hurt the U.S. tourism industry, although not on purpose.
Fewer foreigners have visited the country since Trump assumed the Oval Office on Jan. 20, according to a study. International tourism dropped by as much as 16% since then. The study based its findings from more than 50 million mobile users worldwide.
The analyzed data then showed that the U.S. lost its appeal to more international visitors, falling an average of 11% in October through a 16% decline in March.
The First Lady
While the president may have affected the tourism industry, Melania Trump has seemingly drawn interest among Americans to visit her birthplace: Slovenia. The European country recorded an 8% increase in tourists from the U.S. in March year over year, according to the statistics office.
Americans who spent overnights in Slovenia by also increased 30.6%, while domestic surged by 22.5% at the same time. Some of these tourists are likely first-timers, as much of the increase attributed to the First Lady and how they want to discover her homeland.
There’s Still Hope
Melania may have done her country a favor by raising interest in Slovenia, yet the same can’t be said for her husband. California’s tourism industry, in particular, seemed to have taken the biggest hit. International tourism in the state fell the most between January and March.
While such a decline is happening, travel experts say that DMOs and CVBs can look at tourism apps like visitwidget.com. Why not consider alternatives to promote your town or region? A tourist app, for instance, serves as a good way to attract more visitors since mobile devices have become so prevalent. With an Internet connection, travelers can do many things while they’re on the go.
More tourists from around the world may avoid the U.S., yet not all people ultimately decided to shun the country for good. A decline in international tourism affects the economy in the form of lost jobs and smaller income for retail and hospitality businesses. As such, President Trump should find a way to woo foreign tourists and make the country a good place for travel.
