Speaking at the Routes Americas 2017 Strategy Summit in Las Vegas, World Travel and Tourism Council president and chief executive David Scowsill warned president Donald Trump against adopting isolationist policies in the wake of his recent decision to ban travellers from seven countries.
He added any decision to do so could be close to catastrophic for the country’s tourism industry, with a similar impact as was last seen after the single biggest terrorist attack on American soil.
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 airlines, hotels and travel agencies are already reporting a drop in international bookings following the ban and instead urged the president to take a number of considerations into account.
He said travel is a key generator of American jobs and economic growth and urged Trump to keep tourism out of politics and issuing blanket bans that have little effect on safety.
He also urged the president to consider the years of lost tourism growth, consult with the industry before issuing further changes and remember that technology available can already help in the fight against terrorism.
Scowsill 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.
“Our sector bridges divides between cultures, fosters understanding across religious and geographic boundaries. It is a massive generator of jobs and economic growth.”
