Managing director James Thornton told TTG he believed the outspoken billionaire, who is the Republican party’s presumptive presidential candidate, would put travellers off heading to the US through the operator if he were to win power.
Thornton said Trump’s political views, which have featured controversial immigration plans including building a wall between America and Mexico, would alienate tourists, making them “not interested” in holidaying in the US.
“Fantastic cities like New York and Los Angeles and iconic sites like the Grand Canyon – people are always going to want to go and see them for sure,” he said. “But if someone like Trump got in, it would potentially make people say ‘maybe you know what? I’m not interested in the US’.
“People move away from destinations for certain reasons and sometimes it’s political, social or environmental, but I think that if Trump gets in we will see less passengers travelling to the US through Intrepid.”
Since announcing his plans to stand for election, Trump has been the frontrunner within the Republican Party and is strongly tipped to face Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton when American’s go to the polls later in the year.
Thornton’s comments came in the week following the murder of 49 people at LGBT nightclub Pulse in Orlando.
He said that he believed Trump taking charge in the White House would have a “wider impact” on the operator’s bookings to the region than the threat of terrorism.
“Trump would have more of an impact if he gets in than isolated incidents like this [the Orlando shooting], as people are more resilient to [terrorism].”
