European Tourism Interest In America Plummets 12% Following Travel Ban

[stollen]

Using data from the UK, Italy, Spain, France and Germany, the study looked at searches from January 1 – February 8, comparing them with data from the previous year. Italy reported the greatest decline, with a 17% decrease in search following the ban. Interest from Germany dropped 14%. The site receives over half a million searches a day.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandratalty/2017/02/22/european-tourism-interest-in-america-plummets-12-percent-following-travel-ban/#56f74e5462f8

[Sherman A1]

1. Oh look, it is the

Free Market thing at work........

ooooppps

[DFW]

2. We should be thankful it's not triple that.

There is a lot of "Who wants to visit a country that puts a government like THAT in there?"

It permeates all strata, not just liberal students in backpacks on a shoestring budget. I have heard the same thing from Swiss millionaires when I was down there 4 weeks ago.

On the other hand, there is some good news: not only does it mean that 88% are still interested, but unlike many Americans, Europeans inform themselves in detail before they go. They know which areas are Blue and will therefore be more hospitable to foreigners and those who think like they do. Yes, there will still be plenty who visit the national parks of Utah and Arizona, but they are concentrating on areas in which they feel they are not likely to be harassed as foreigners, and where their own views will not be met with hostility. This means big cities with some cultural offerings, such as the whole northeast, Chicago, L.A., the Bay Area, and some smaller ones, like Portland, OR, Seattle, Santa Fe, Denver.

The U.S. dollar is at a high point against the Euro. It now takes almost 95 euro cents to buy a dollar, where it was below 80 euro cents for a long while. So this will be a factor for people on a budget.

I tried to get into my favorite hotel in Boston for one night in July when I will be passing through. I was quoted over $600--for ONE night (we're staying somewhere else this time). I'm "gold for life" with that hotel, and that was the cheapest rate they could quote me! Usually, it's a third of that. Demand for blue areas is surging like a runaway freight train. I'll bet rooms in Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Louisville are more reasonable--if anyone wants one, that is.

[get the red out]

3. In country travel

I am in a dog sports FB group, and some of the upper echelon competitors/judges in the group are getting worried about flying within the US to competitions because of the growing "papers please" issues even on domestic flights. This is just a hobby for me, so I compete close to home, but some folks either work as judges, flying all over, or are sought after teachers and workshop givers, who have to keep their reputations up. One lady said it just might not be worth judging anymore die to this Trump insanity.

[stollen]

8. "Ausweise, bitte!" even on domestic flights?

How is it that Germany can take in a million immigrants with no noticeable security changes to the flying routine while the US takes in, perhaps, 20,000, and all hell breaks loose--not just at the airport?

[get the red out]

14. Reported by the press

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/02/23/federal-agents-ask-domestic-flight-passengers-to-show-ids-in-search-for-undocumented-immigrant/?utm_term=.a790aba45639

We have right wing media that a lot of people use to stay in their own opinion bubble, and that generates massive enough fear and hate to, with a little help from Russia and our RW FBI, elected tRump.

[stollen]

17. Thanks for that link.

Surreal.

I'm not going back, and I get a free flight. I'll go to Canada, though! (Canada...another country that will stop crossing the border)

[DFW]

24. Over here, there have always been random ID checks before boarding domestic and/or EU flights

They tell you at the boarding area if there will be an ID check, and people hold out their IDs with their boarding passes. It is always the airline personnel that does the verification. There has been no noticeable change because it was already SOP here, though it is random, not systematic.

[napi21]

28. Yea, but Germany doesn't have 'THE CONMAN" as their leader! That's the diff! nt

[LisaL]

4. Give it time. It's only been a month.

[stollen]

6. I'm hoping Florida will feel the pinch

It tends to be the "don't miss" destination for Europeans.

[secondwind]

7. I think Rubio spoke out about the ban, citing tourism issues in his home state.

[stollen]

9. Isn't Rubio in Europe now, trying to avoid a constituent town hall?

[smirkymonkey]

18. I expect that it will plummet.

Nobody will want to come here with Trump at the helm.

[stollen]

5. For $600/nite you could go to Oman for $400 w/infinity pool over a canyon

"America First" is insulting to a lot of Europeans. That statement alone is enough to send European tourists elsewhere. The euro/$ exchange rate is added fuel, plus, as stated in the piece, the entry hassles.

As an American, I'm not going back to the US. I'm not going to the UK, either, because of Brexit.

[DFW]

25. "America First" has become a joke to Europeans

Every time I have a meeting in Zürich, I get greeted with "America First" by my Swiss colleagues, laughing their heads off at my distress, though not in as mean way. I have known then for MANY years, and know they are just ribbing me. They know perfectly well that I'm no happier with the situation than they are.

[MrModerate]

10. Thanks, Trump! Who needs tourism when you're making America great again? n/t

[stollen]

11. I found 2016 stats from National Travel and Tourism Office

And the US was already trending lower then, probably because of the exchange rate. It's only going to get worse, and that will create a huge chain reaction, particularly in FL.

http://travel.trade.gov/view/m-2016-I-001/table3.asp

and here's the forecast, which is already off the mark.

http://travel.trade.gov/view/f-2000-99-001/forecast/Arrivals.pdf

[Jeroen]

12. American tourists only!

[stollen]

19. "Trump Slump"

is here!

[yardwork]

22. That is exactly the attitude of his supporters.

Fearful angry people living in their anti-science bubbles think that "foreigners" are scary and dangerous. They have no idea that their own attitudes and lack of skills and knowledge are the reason that their communities are dying.

I blame the educated, elite Republicans, though. They know what they're doing.

[roamer65]

13. United States of North Carolina.

Tourism will drop even further in the future.

[dembotoz]

15. I am sure Germany in 39 was a real tour hotspot.

Seriously, would u travel here?

[stollen]

16. My grandfather made a return to his Lower Saxony home in 1939

and was there a week as Germany started to invade Poland. He got the last boat out of Hamburg, leaving earlier than planned. A photo of Hitler was on the wall inside the ship.

[DFW]

27. My father in law was from Niedersachsen, too

He wasn't so lucky. He was drafted off his farm in 1942 at age 17 and sent to Stalingrad as cannon fodder. He returned minus a leg, and was considered one of the lucky ones.

[leftyladyfrommo]

20. It will get worse.

People will be scared to death to come here and we'll they should be.

[dalton99a]

21. MAGA: A crazy despot with ICE thugs on every airplane

[Mendocino]

23. I like to visit National Parks,

many particularly in the West have huge amounts of foreign visitors. The economy of these park towns could plummet with decreased tourism.

[dembotoz]

26. So where will the deals be when the industry starts to panic

Cruise or Vegas or where?