US trade body counts cost of Trump travel ban
President Trump’s foiled travel ban, which has been suspended by a Seattle court, has cost the US travel industry about $185 million in lost business, according to an industry body
The Global Business Travel Association fears the loss will be even greater if Trump’s executive order banning nationals of seven countries from visiting the US is eventually reinstated.
It said travel business to the US grew 1.2% in the week preceding the executive order and fell 2.2% after the ban was announced.
A previous survey by GBTA found about 30% of members expect to see less overseas business travel during the next three months and almost as many believe low demand could linger for the rest of the year.
On Thursday, a federal appeals panel refused to reinstate the ban, saying the administration had offered ‘no evidence’ that anyone from the blacklisted countries had committed at terrorist act in the US.
Minutes later Trump Tweeted: "See you in court, the security of our nation is at stake."
Commentators believe this indicates the President will take his legal battle to the Supreme Court, creating more uncertainty for the travel industry.
"Upholding the travel ban will clearly cause a rippling effect through the travel industry, ultimately hurting the economy," GBTA executive director Michael W. McCormick told The Hill.
"It also unleashes travel disruption like we saw when the order was first implemented."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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