I have previously commented on the drop in airline reservations observed after Trump’s Muslim ban.   For example, ForwardKeys saw international bookings to the U.S. fall by 6.5 percent. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) agrees. It’s data predicts that visitor exports, which is money spent by foreign visitors in this country, will decrease in 2017. According to Helen Marano, WTTC’s Senior Vice President Government Affairs: “Already, there have been clear signs and data that international visitors are rethinking booking their holidays to the U.S.”

Add to this the extreme vetting proposed by the Department of Homeland Security. This involves asking for passwords to access private posts on Facebook and other social media, and asking for access to your contacts (from your cell phone for example). This would apply to foreign visitors coming to the USA and include visitors from the 38 countries – the UK, France, Australia and Japan among them – that participate in the visa waiver program.

It is not surprising, given this climate, that tourists are showing less interest in visiting the US.  And the industry has taken notice.

This could mean a ‘Trump Slump’: well over $10 Billion per year in lost tourism revenues. So much for the taunted business acumen of a hotel and resort owner turned President! You would think that hospitality 101 was not a course attended by young DT.

I was curious about our local tourism industry on the East End of Long Island.  The 4th quarter of 2016 showed some decrease in real-estate prices  compared with 4th quarter of 2015 according to Corcoran.  But, since the November election, the stock market has soared, which is usually a good omen for the tourist season and the real-estate market in the Hamptons.

Now, with an expected drop of rentals and purchases from foreign visitors it’s unclear what will happen this coming summer.

In 2010, New York State represented 33% of international visitation within the USA. Thus, the effects of Trump-slump are most likely to be felt right here in New York State.  For Long Island, tourism is the number one industry. It represents a 6 Billion dollar industry and many jobs.

It is stunning that Rep. Lee Zeldin and his LI Republican colleagues are not speaking up for our local economy and local tourism in terms of criticising the proposed Muslim ban and the extreme vetting of tourists.  How is this pro-business?

Some more sources:

http://time.com/money/4687114/trump-slump-foreign-tourism-us-immigration-travel/

https://www.wired.com/2017/02/guide-getting-past-customs-digital-privacy-intact/

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/02/give-us-your-passwords/516315/

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3167928/security/us-idea-to-collect-travelers-passwords-alarms-privacy-experts.html