Trump's tax blow hits US tourism hard

Anger over tariffs imposed by the Trump administration could cause a sharper-than-expected drop in international tourism to the United States this year. Tourism Economics predicts a 9.4% drop in international visitors to the United States this year, nearly double the 5% decline the group predicted in late February, according to the AP.

Earlier this year, Tourism Economics predicted a boom year for international travel to the US, with arrivals up 9% from 2024.

But the holdup of high-status European travelers at the U.S. border in recent weeks has scared off international travelers, said Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics. Potential travelers are also angry about tariffs, Trump’s stance on Canada and Greenland, and his tense White House exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

US tourism will return during the pandemic because of Mr. Trump's tax policies. PHOTO: DREW ANGERER

The decline will have consequences for airlines, hotels, national parks and other places frequented by American tourists.

Tourism Economics expects visitor numbers from Canada to fall sharply by 20% this year, with the decline being felt particularly in border states like New York and Michigan as well as popular tourist destinations like California, Nevada and Florida.

The U.S. Travel Association has also warned that Canadians are staying away. Even a 10% drop in Canadian visitors could result in 2 million fewer visits, $2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 jobs.

Foreign visitors are expected to spend $9 billion less in the United States than they did in 2024, when international tourism to the country increased by 9.1%, Mr. Sacks said.

“The irony is that tariffs are meant to help correct the trade deficit, but they hurt the trade balance by causing fewer international tourists to come and spend here,” Sacks said.

International arrivals were nearly back to 2019 levels before the pandemic halted most travel. Now, Sacks thinks the U.S. won’t get back to those levels until 2029.

According to Vi Nguyen (TNO)

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/don-thue-cua-ong-trump-giang-manh-vao-du-lich-my-post317637.html