They Don’t Want to Visit Us Anymore

The Week magazine, March 17, 2017, quoted The Guardian, a British newspaper, about the drop in British visitors to the United States: “Interest in travel to the U.S. has plummeted since President Trump’s inauguration. . . .”

According to the same article, the Global Business Travel Association “estimates the U.S. travel industry has lost $186 million in revenue so far because of Trump’s presidency.”

Citizens of the United Kingdom don’t require visas for temporary visits. If Britons are visiting the U.S. less frequently, think about those who must first go through the hassle of applying at a U.S. embassy or consulate for a visa to visit the country.

My work overseas for the U.S. State Department included processing visas for temporary visits. I dealt with endless lines of visa applicants. Perhaps my successors are less busy.

American tourism depends in part on global travelers paying money for hotels, meals, and recreational activities. Businesses depend on merchants from other countries buying our products. Universities depend on foreign students kicking in hefty fees to attend our schools. Without them, American students would pay even higher tuition costs.

Foreign citizens do not vote in our elections, but they can certainly vote, or refuse to vote, with their money.

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