Where do you suppose the world got this idea about us?

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Where in the world would people in other countries get the crazy idea that the US isn't a welcoming nation for foreigners? I just can't put my finger on it. By the way, it's costing us billions of dollars in tourist income and tens of thousands of jobs.

U.S. travel industry launches plan to reverse 'Trump slump' tourism decline

Travel industry representatives sounded an alarm Tuesday over a long-term decline in international tourism to the U.S. and said they want to work with the Trump administration to reverse the trend.

Organizers of the new Visit U.S. Coalition said the decline started in 2015 and repeatedly said they are not blaming President Donald Trump, who has been criticized by some in the travel industry for spurring a “Trump slump” with anti-foreigner rhetoric and policies.

Instead, the new coalition blamed the tourism downturn on factors like the strong U.S. dollar, complex visa requirements and low-cost air travel that boosts travel elsewhere.

Coalition representatives were short on specific proposals to reverse the decline but mentioned making it easier for foreigners to get visas and the need for more welcoming messages to balance out stronger border security.

“People misinterpreted a lot of our security protocols to be an unwelcoming message,” said Geoff Freeman, CEO of the American Gaming Association, a member of the coalition. Freeman added that the U.S. can be a “welcoming and secure destination simultaneously.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/ct-us-tourism-trump-slump-20180116-story.html

[Boxerfan]

1. I lived in a "tourist" town.....

And I worked in the food industry that supported it-This is a very under reported story.

Anus Lips McGee has probably brought a 60% decline in a already dwindling source of revenue.

[lark]

2. I went to several European countries last year and some of them now hate us.

Their newspapers tell them he is so beloved and popular and they believe it. I told this couple from Australia that were on the boat with us that they shouldn't judge us or our country by him and that he was historically unpopular. The woman was quite nasty in insisting that most Americans loved him because that's what they saw on the news, and insinuating that we were just lying like he did all the time.

People over there in general were not as welcoming as they were when Obama was president.

[erronis]

18. Of course coming on the heels of one of the most popular US presidents, world-wide

We would expect there to be a bit of a let-down with someone a bit less attractive, intelligent, fun, etc., etc.

But there was more of a Thump when the Dump hit the floor and keeps going even lower.

I just hope he takes as many repuglicans with him.

[pangaia]

21. I would posit it depends on the intelligence of the people you/we are talking to.

NOBODY, but nobody I have ever talked to outside the US thinks Americans love fuckwad... except those Americans who woud fall into the category of uneducated, uninformed, right wing, racists morons.

But then, I don't frequent tour boats, either. I've never even been on a Rheinfahrt.

So we may be interacting with people with different backgrounds, lives.

[lark]

24. The people I was describing were from Australia, which also has Murdoch dominating the news.

They are probably getting the same lies as Faux Snooze viewers are here, and some folks are just asses. The Canadian sisters we hung out with most of the time were delightful and understand how much we hated dumpf since they had their own rw ass recently. Probably most of the people on the river tour were more affluent and rw than us, but we got an unexpected settlement and treated ourselves to the the Castles Along the Rhein tour. We didn't go for the company, but went for the experience, which was awesome.

[pangaia]

25. Yeah, Australia is a real mix, I agree. Much more so than say, NZ.

Hope you had a chance to visit some of the castles/towns.

I played many concerts in Europe back in the day, and went up and down the Rhine a number of times- Koblenz, Bonn, Koln, Dusseldorf, but usually driving, couple times by train, and always in the spring, for some reason..... Beautiful.

[mountain grammy]

3. I live at the west entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park

Visits were down this summer by close to 4%. Wondering if the trumpers will get it when business slumps again next year. This is an underreported story. Foreign tourists flock to our national parks, now endangered.

[oberliner]

11. That must be a really interesting place to live

[mountain grammy]

13. Yes, it really is an interesting place to live..

as we age, the altitude, cold winters and isolation become more of a struggle. Not sure how much longer we can stick it out.
I never get over seeing a moose in my back yard and the natural beauty that surrounds me.

[mgardener]

4. Wonder if

Mass shootings have anything to do with it?
Most other countries don't have anything like this on a regular basis like we do.

[Scarsdale]

7. Exactly.

There have been 11 school shootings since this year began. How many foreigners have been shot, some students others tourists? People are afraid to come here.

[Farmer-Rick]

5. Yeah, here in Gatlinburg TN there was a 36.5% decline in tourism this last year

But they are claiming it was the wildfires in 2016 that caused the decline. Poor Dolly, she invested so much into making money out of the national park visitors. Then they go and burn down in the worst fire ever recorded there.

Funny how global warming hurt all those people who didn't even really believe in climate change, cause you know it snowed one day.

[Ilsa]

6. I've been getting emails from her hotel offering

Special deals. It's a beautiful and fun hotel. Looking forward to returning soon.

[ancianita]

8. A variation on the Repub bullshit about being "socially liberal and economically conservative."

Tourism can't have it both ways.

No one on Earth wants to visit a beautiful land with ugly leaders and an ugly outlook on places they call "shitholes."

There is no "misinterpreting" Americans' "English only" backwardness -- the optics of our racial conflicts, the 'death for disobedience' by police, cannot hide any amount of tourist industry PR.

The silence of the media amplified 20% of the population who voted for Trump is deafening. They don't care if there's tourism. They don't even care if they're poor now.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

14. This industry organization is falling all over themselves to ignore the Trump effect.

How can anybody ignore that this is a direct outcome from Trump's persona and the ugly behavior of his sycophants. They embody the caricature of the ugly American.

[OliverQ]

9. I work in the hotel industry and I'm wondering if we're getting hit by

the travel slump too. I work in DC, so we get a lot of international guests and while winter is usually slower for us, I haven't even been working for a few weeks, because they don't have enough demand to justify more staffing. Currently looking for another job outside the hotel industry.

On a related note, I'm planning a trip to Austria and Italy in May. Should I be concerned about hate or negativity towards Americans there?

[erronis]

19. Put a Canadian flag on your backpack! If questioned you can say "Canadian Wannabe"

Actually just don't be an ugly american which is probably best typified by "Dump and the Deplorables".

[pangaia]

22. NO !!

[Laxman]

10. It Was Covered On NPR....

the last two days. It was interesting that they are traveling the world trying to undo the damage that Trump has done. When asked if Trump's rhetoric was to blame the head of the industry association just said "let's just say it isn't helpful".

U.S. Travel Industry Worries As International Visits Decline

Data suggest that the U.S. share of global travel has been declining since 2015. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks to David DuBois, part of the recently launched Visit U.S. Coalition.

https://www.npr.org/2018/01/28/581397054/u-s-travel-industry-worries-as-international-visits-decline

[SCVDem]

12. Who wants to visit a country

where most of the citizens are scared, unhappy and armed?

Our national mood is dismal.

[BobTheSubgenius]

15. Do you remember this old saying?

"A nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there."

It looks like the federal government has gone to work on changing the first half of it.

[Thyla]

16. Is it that people are avoiding visiting or

.... are they just not issuing the visas?
I had a friend from Kosovo have her visa withdrawn for no good reason, eventually she did get it back but only because some good people lobbied on her behalf. Do the numbers for visas applied for and given out exist somewhere?

I mean so far trump wouldn't put me off visiting, I don't think most liberals are that petty.

[matt819]

17. Misinterpreted??

People misinterpreted security protocols?

Bull. They interpreted them perfectly correctly. Foreigners are not welcome, especially those who are not white. The repercussions are being felt throughout the economy. Fewer tourists. Fewer foreign students. The US is now subject to travel warnings in many countries, thanks to anti-immigrant virus and gun violence.

[erronis]

20. You know when even the Chamber of Commerce (RW $hills) worries about the dump effect

It is real.

While they love all the pro-business, anti-consumer shit that's going on some smarter minds (not MBA's) understand the unintended consequences.

[Vinca]

23. How on earth do you craft that advertising campaign?

"Visit the U.S.A. Not everyone gets shot." "Visit the U.S.A. Not everyone is rounded up by ICE."

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

26. I know, we can target Norway!

Norwegians, the president loves Norwegians.

[underpants]

27. They are staying away because they think we're F'ing nuts

Not just because of Trump but that was probably the final straw.

[hatrack]

28. Well, good luck . . .

I don't think a marketing campaign is going to do much to help when the issue is roid-rage clowns in ICE checking your passport, two school shootings a week and a "president" who just called a quarter of the world a "shithole".