Trump's War on International Tourism

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the United States is "on track to lose a staggering $12.5BN in international visitor spending this year:"

This significant shortfall represents a 22.5% decline compared to the previous peak.

The loss won't be felt by Travel & Tourism alone, with WTTC saying it represents a direct blow to the U.S. economy overall, impacting communities, jobs, and businesses from coast to coast.

According to the study, the U.S, the largest Travel & Tourism sector in the world, is the only country among 184 economies analysed by WTTC and Oxford Economics, forecast to see international visitor spending decline in 2025. [bold added]
And this came out in May, before a Norwegian tourist was treated like a terrorist for no apparent reason, and booted for having an unflattering meme of the Vice President on his phone.

Please read this account and tell me if you'd waste time or money planning a trip to a place that treats guests this way:
"They took me to a room with several armed guards, where I had to hand over my shoes, mobile phone and backpack."

Officers quizzed Mads [Mikkelsen] about his visit, and his plans, before adopting a personal line of questioning. "They asked direct questions about drug smuggling, terrorist plans and right-wing extremism, completely without reason," he claimed.

"They demanded full information about everyone I was going to meet in the US, including name, address, phone number and what they did for work." Mads' mother was due to meet up with him a few weeks into his stay and the pair had planned to travel to several national parks.

"I had travelled for twelve hours, slept poorly, and was physically and mentally completely exhausted even before they started the questioning," he continued. A strenuous crackdown by U.S. Customs and Border Protection has followed President Donald Trump's return to office, with the service being allowed to search phones.

... Mikkelsen explained: "They threatened me with a minimum fine of $5,000 or five years in prison if I refused to provide the password to my phone."

Image from Dublin Live. The author believes this illustration is protected as, fair use under U.S. copyright law.
After handing over his password, Mads was told he would not be allowed to go through with his planned vacation after two images were not to the officers' liking. One image was of a meme showcasing JD Vance with a bald, egg-shaped head. Variations of the image were shared endlessly in March on social media, with the Vice President himself posting his own version.

...

Mads told Nordlys he tried to explain the images as being harmless and meant as jokes but the immigration authorities ignored his pleas. He claims he was then strip-searched, forced to give blood samples, a facial scan and fingerprints.

"Later I was taken back in, and the situation got even worse. I was pushed up against a wall and was strip-searched with a lot of force. They were incredibly harsh and used physical force the whole time," he claimed.

"I felt completely devastated and broke down, and was close to crying several times. I was on the verge of panic. It felt like I was a terrorist suspect where I was sitting. I tried to pull myself together several times, but in the end, I just wanted to get home again."

The Norwegian adds he was placed in a cell for a further five hours, refused food or water and placed on a plane back to Oslo the same day he arrived for the holiday of a lifetime... [bold added]
Most of this would have been unnecessary even if Mikkelsen were a suspected terrorist, but then again, this is coming from an Administration with a disgraceful record of respecting the individual rights of foreigners and of treating friendly countries like dirt.

Trump supporters -- in the travel and tourism sector anyway -- are perhaps beginning to realize that how someone treats people in weak positions is an indication for how that person would treat anyone, if given the chance.

-- CAV

No comments: