London-based market researchers Euromonitor International have published a blog post in which it's claimed that US President Donald Trump's protectionist policies and ban on travel to the USA from 7 predominantly Muslim countries is likely to have a negative impact on US tourism.
Quoting Euromonitor travel project manager Nadejda Popova:
“The ambiguity of these very latest developments introduced by President Trump is casting a shadow over the future travel demand to and from the US."
“The new executive order could also impact how the US is perceived as a tourism destination and how open to foreign travellers it will be in the future.”
Related:
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) reports that flight inquiries from Europe to the USA have been down 30% since Mr. Trump's inauguration.
The Muslim travel market:
Muslim travelers make up about 10% of the global travel market and account for upwards of $150B in annual spend. The Muslim share of US inbound travel is estimated at around 4% - more than 2 million annual arrivals.
Watch for a new/improved Executive Order coming soon that will mitigate much of the damage of the earlier version, which was perhaps not fully thought out prior to issuance.
- David
