From bustling New York City to sunny Los Angeles and the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon – the US was a dream destination for Germans for years. But now things seem to have changed.Published on : Thursday, March 8, 2018
From bustling New York City to sunny Los Angeles and the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon – the US was a dream destination for Germans for years. But now things seem to have changed.
German tourists are now increasingly avoiding travelling to the United States, where President Donald Trump has been making headlines with his “America first” agenda since taking office in January 2017. This effect has been dubbed the “Trump slump.”
Last year, booking revenues dropped by 17 percent compared with the previous year. In the upcoming summer season, it is expected that the revenue figure could drop a further 20 percent.
This drop is in spite of the significantly weakened US dollar, making American destinations more affordable for budget-savvy Germans.
Norbert Fiebig, the head of the German Travel Association (DRV) said that he is unsure about what is causing the prolonged slump. “There was initially a negative effect when Trump took office,” Fiebig said. “But it is questionable how long Germans will be guided by their opinion of the US president when it comes to the dream destination USA.”
Besides the Germans, tourists from the Middle East and Latin America also avoided the US after Mr. Trump declared a travel ban for citizens of several predominantly Muslim countries, announced the construction of a wall on the border to Mexico and reportedly made derogatory comments about nations like Haiti. Such things gave rise to fears that the US is no longer a welcoming destination for foreigners.
Overall, tourism to the US has dropped 4 percent since Mr. Trump took office, according to the US Department of Commerce. By contrast, Germany is booming as a tourist destination. Hoteliers recorded more than 460 million overnight stays in 2017, marking the eighth consecutive year of growth.
Tags: German tourists