That was the message from World Travel and Tourism Council president and chief executive David Scowsill.
Speaking at the Routes Americas 2017 Strategy Summit in Las Vegas, he warned of the dangers of adopting isolationist policies, in the wake of President Trump’s recent decision to ban travellers from seven countries.
He added that if such policies were implemented it could seriously impact the country’s tourism industry.
Scowsill said: “The US is in danger of taking the same path it took after the 9/11 terror attacks, which led to a decade of economic stagnation in the travel and tourism sector.
“Strict visa policies and inward-looking sentiment led to a $600 billion loss in tourism revenues in the decade post-9/11, as previously reported by the US Travel Association, with a noted 9% drop in international arrivals in the period of 2001-2009.
“The Trump administration is in danger of steering the country in the same direction, which could have a huge impact on the country’s travel and tourism sector, which generates over 8% of the country’s GDP and supports nearly 10% of total employment in the US.”
Scowsill added that airlines, hotels and travel agencies were already reporting a drop in international bookings following the ban and urged the president to take a number of considerations into account.
He said travel remained a key generator of American jobs and economic growth, and urged Trump to keep tourism out of politics and not issue blanket bans that “have little effect on safety”.
Scowsill also urged the president to consider the years of lost tourism growth, to consult with the industry before issuing further changes and remember that technology already available can help in the fight against terrorism.
He said: “For the president who has promised to create jobs and to make America great again, travel and tourism seems the most obvious answer. After all, the livelihood of millions of Americans depends on people being able to use planes, trains and automobiles to spend their tourist dollars.
“Travel and tourism thrives by breaking down barriers, not building them; by making it easier for people to travel, not applying blanket bans.”
