U.S. tourism tries to stay positive amid rough talk

Those in the travel industry say Trump’s vulgar messages have scared visitors away

Persuading international travellers to visit the United States never used to be difficult.

But things have gotten a little more complicated.

According to the Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office, the number of international visitors in the first half of 2017 fell 4 per cent from a year earlier. Those in the travel industry point to factors such as a global market that gives tourists more possible destinations, the strength of the dollar and tightening visa restrictions.

They also say the messages coming from the White House — the latest example being U.S. President Donald Trump’s vulgar comment about Haiti and African nations — play a role.

“Although the policy of the administration has not been targeted to- wards tourists, per se, tourists around the world are asking themselves whether they’re welcome in the United States,” said Daniel Korschun, associate professor of marketing at Drexel University.

This week, the U.S. Travel Association plans to announce that industry groups are forming the Visit U.S. Coalition in an attempt to combat the slump through advocacy, lobbying, advertising and other methods. Members include the American Gaming Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Christopher Heywood, spokesperson for New York City’s tourism organization, NYC & Co., said “negative rhetoric coming out of the current administration” was a driving force behind the group’s marketing last year, which featured the phrases “Welcoming the world” and “All are welcome.”

“We’re not a political group,” he said. “We’re a marketing group, but there was so much at stake, we needed to be more engaged.”