Trumps immigration, trade policies could cost tourism industry $12B: report

The US economy could lose out on billions of dollars this year as President Trump’s policies hamper the tourism industry, according to a report.The administration’s mass deportation efforts, costly trade war, anti-LGBTQ legislation and, most recently, a travel ban on 12 countries have hammered foreign arrivals and spurred anti-US boycotts.The backlash from foreign visitors is expected to cost the US economy a whopping $12.5 billion this year, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.However, the organization’s estimates have been vastly off the mark in the past.It predicted that growth in the country’s travel sector would slow significantly in 2017 after Trump’s surprising first election victory, but the number of visitors actually jumped amid a worldwide upswing in tourism.Though Trump has made clear his frustrations with the trade deficit, the projected decline in tourism would only worsen the issue, as spending by foreign visitors in the US is counted toward our exports, according to a Bloomberg report.The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.Foreign arrivals to the US by air have plunged 2.5% so far this year through April compared to the year before, according to the US International Trade Administration.The largest drop came in March, when arrivals fell 10% after Trump unveiled hefty tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico.Those tariffs, combined with Trump’s call to annex Canada as the 51st state, have prompted frustrated Canadians to call for a travel boycott and to stop buying US products.Figures on Canadian tourism have not been released by the US yet, but Canada’s statistics bureau said trips across the border tumbled 15% in April for the third straight month of decline.Research firms have scaled back their expectations for US tourism this year since Trump took office.

Tourism Economics now expects just 66 million visitors – above previous expectations of 79 million – as policy changes prom...