The United States posted a decline in foreign tourist arrivals in the first three months of 2017 against the same period last year. During that span, 697,791 fewer people traveled to the US, which translates to a loss of around $2.7 billion in potential spending.
According to the report, the figures represent 4.2 percent decline in international visitor arrivals as the total was down to 15.8 million. However, European countries also didn’t fare better because arrivals were also down 10.1%.
President Donald Trump’s incendiary words and his travel ban seemed to have turned off the rest of the world, said the information social media survey conducted by the New York Times. However, rising violence and terrorism are also cited as reasons why people are keen on staying home.
While the US suffered a decline in visitor interest, the other markets appear to be thriving in the first four months of the year, said the World Tourism Barometer of the United Nations.
For instance, Egypt and the Palestinian territories (West Bank, Gaza Strip and Eastern Jerusalem) all posted positive growth in tourist arrivals at 51% and 57.8%, respectively. The latter mostly on pilgrimage tours.
Other countries that have bucked the global trend of declining international tourist receipts include Northern Mariana Islands (up 37.3%), Iceland (up 34.9%), Tunisia (32.5%), Vietnam (31.2%), Uruguay (30.2%), and Israel (25%).
Daniele and Stefany Ceccato of DMC Travel Tailor said there’s room for growth in the international market, but people are tired of the usual group tours. The busy schedules of visitors also demand that they maximize their short vacation trip.
Founded in 2016, the company has been giving their customers the experience of a lifetime with their custom-tailored trips.
“It’s like your dream vacation without all the hassle of preparation,” Daniele said. As an added bonus, the company also allocates five percent of its profits to charity in their effort to give back for all their blessings.
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