US relaxed gun laws expected to dent tourism
Travel agents fear relaxed gun control in the US will deter foreign visitors following recent spate of civilian shootings.
Three police officers were shot dead and three others wounded in Louisiana on Sunday by a former Marine who went on a rampage.
The killings followed the gunning down of five police officers in Dallas during a protest against the fatal shootings of two African-Americans in the Louisianna and Minnesota. Seven others were wounded in the attack by a military veteran.
There have been repeated calls for tighter gun control in the US, where it is often easier to buy a lethal weapon than it is an alcoholic drink.
However, successive governments have been reluctant to introduce stricter controls as ‘the right to bear arms’ is enshrined in the US constitution.
According to Wikipedia, an estimated 270 million to 310 million US civilians own a gun and 37% to 42% of households own a gun.
In a TravelMole poll following the recent civilian shootings, 55% of those who responded said the US’s relaxed gun control laws will lead to a reduction in inbound tourism.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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