The Trump Slump: Tourism is down

[_MeDotOrg]

The world-wide economy is actually doing pretty well, but Tourism in the United States is down 4% (4.6 BIILLION dollars). I'm in the tour industry, and subjectively this feels like the worst year in a while. Many tour companies are laying off people here in San Francisco. My hours have been cut back, and tips are way down.

In January we usually get a lot of visitors from Australia and New Zealand, but there appears to be a noticeable drop-off this year.

Trump's 'America First' sounds an awful lot like 'screw you' to the rest of the world. It's only logical that tourism is down as a result.

[_Jersey Girl]

I completely believe you. I have a follow up question to your post. How do you think American tourists are being received in other countries? I ask because I'm planning a transatlantic trip and I wonder how folks will receive us.

[_MeDotOrg]

When you deal with tourists, you're dealing with people who want to experience new cultures and perspectives, so I think a lot of people have a built-in inclination to be friendly to tourists. I get visitors from Russia or Middle Eastern countries, but I figure they are here because they want to experience the country. So I actually make a concerted effort to be nice to people from countries that are sometimes hostile to the United States.

Depending on the country, I think most people are aware that Donald Trump is a very unpopular President in the United States. And again, most tourists are somewhere else because they want to experience something different. So my guess is that people who are involved in tourism are going to be more more aware of the American zeitgeist as being extremely fractured with respect to Trump.

As an added measure of safety, you could wear a Hillary Clinton button, but that might not help if you're visiting Russia.

[_Kevin Graham]

The world-wide economy is actually doing pretty well, but Tourism in the United States is down 4% (4.6 BIILLION dollars). I'm in the tour industry, and subjectively this feels like the worst year in a while. Many tour companies are laying off people here in San Francisco. My hours have been cut back, and tips are way down.

In January we usually get a lot of visitors from Australia and New Zealand, but there appears to be a noticeable drop-off this year.

Trump's 'America First' sounds an awful lot like 'screw you' to the rest of the world. It's only logical that tourism is down as a result.

That's $4.6 billion we lost just in the first half of last year. It wouldn't surprise me if we start losing $10 billion/year because of Trump. I lived in Orlando during 9/11 and it completely devastated the tourism industry in Florida at the time. Trump appears to be their next 9/11.

[_Jersey Girl]

As an added measure of safety, you could wear a Hillary Clinton button, but that might not help if you're visiting Russia.

Clinton? Nah, if I get a button I'll get me one of these.

[_subgenius]

I completely believe you. I have a follow up question to your post. How do you think American tourists are being received in other countries? I ask because I'm planning a transatlantic trip and I wonder how folks will receive us.

Geez, how stereotypical can you be?
How well do you receive tourists from other countries? Do you even care or know about other nation's political culture?....nope, because you're American and seemingly over value your presence in other countries, because surely it's not just small talk, these "other countries" must be in awe of getting to meet an American.

[_subgenius]

The brilliance of this particular hair fire is that, once again, the facts prove you guys as comical. Tourism was already declining in 2016....But why get bogged down with reality, amiright?

[_Jersey Girl]

I completely believe you. I have a follow up question to your post. How do you think American tourists are being received in other countries? I ask because I'm planning a transatlantic trip and I wonder how folks will receive us.

Geez, how stereotypical can you be?
How well do you receive tourists from other countries? Do you even care or know about other nation's political culture?....nope, because you're American and seemingly over value your presence in other countries, because surely it's not just small talk, these "other countries" must be in awe of getting to meet an American.

You're saying that to the wife of a lifer in the US Military. We were stationed overseas you giant dumbass.

[_Gunnar]

I completely believe you. I have a follow up question to your post. How do you think American tourists are being received in other countries? I ask because I'm planning a transatlantic trip and I wonder how folks will receive us.

Geez, how stereotypical can you be?
How well do you receive tourists from other countries? Do you even care or know about other nation's political culture?....nope, because you're American and seemingly over value your presence in other countries, because surely it's not just small talk, these "other countries" must be in awe of getting to meet an American.

Your apalling ignorance and eagerness to jump to unwarranted conclusions about others is showing once again. I have known Jersey Girl on line for years, and I know of very few people who are more open than her to experiencing and learning about other peoples and cultures and ways of doing things. Your eagerness to unjustifiably malign those who don't happen to share your points of view says much more about you than it does about her. I have never encountered a more closed minded and uneducable person than you!

[_subgenius]

You're saying that to the wife of a lifer in the US Military. We were stationed overseas you giant dumbass.

Congratulations, I'm a military spouse as well. But all that is irrelevant to your "American tourist" question...unless you guys are planning to vacation in uniform??