US inbound tourism to shrink due to coronavirus concerns
The US Travel Association is projecting a 6% short term decline in inbound tourism due to the coronavirus outbreak.
USTA expects the decline over the next three months and it would be the largest fall in tourism since the global financial crisis more than a decade ago.
Still, the trade group says there is no reason to cancel travel plans to the US.
"It’s important to keep in mind that the restrictions and warnings are highly specific to countries where there have been pronounced outbreaks. Right now there is absolutely no official guidance that people need to be reconsidering travel in the U.S," said U.S. Travel Association CEO Roger Dow.
"For the many of us who have upcoming plans to attend a convention or go on a family vacation, public health officials have repeatedly said there is no cause to alter those US-based plans at the moment."
Airline and cruise line executives are scheduled to meet with Vice President Mike Pence at the White House this week to discuss current and future travel restrictions, and the current climate of anxiety about global travel.
Most airlines, hotel chains and cruise lines have eased restrictions to offer short term travel waivers for worried travelers, as travel company stock values continue to tumble.
Nine people have died so far in the virus hotspot of Washington State and experts are forecasting many more cases will be identified in the coming days.
Officials say they plan to significantly ramp up testing after test result delays and the use of faulty test kits
"As we expand testing we will certainly pick up additional cases," said Peter Jay Hotez, professor at the National School of Tropical Medicine, in Houston, Texas.
"We will also need have capacity for isolating those individuals," Hotez told Al Jazeera.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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