Mark Whitehouse, Columnist

Trump Really Might Be Scaring Away Tourists

Economic data show a decline in spending by foreign visitors to the U.S.

April 3, 2017 at 10:30 AM UTC

Mark Whitehouse is a member of the editorial board covering global economics and finance. Previously, he reported on economics for the Wall Street Journal and was managing editor of Vedomosti, a Russian-language business daily.

A nice place to visit?
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Will Donald Trump scare tourists away from America? Judging from the latest U.S. spending data, he might already be doing so.

Since Trump’s election in November, businesses that rely on tourism have become increasingly concerned that the president’s “America First” policies -- including bans on travel from selected Muslim-majority countries and extra vetting of visa applicants -- will make the country less attractive as a destination for all kinds of visitors. Some organizations and companies have even reported a decrease in bookings.