Category: Economic Growth – Travel & Tourism

Trump Administration Proposes Increased Vetting of Foreign Tourists; Visit U.S. Coalition Encourages International Travel as Key to Domestic Growth

Posted on by Trey Jackson

The State Department recently announced a proposal to require visa applicants to provide further extensive information on their social media presence, email addresses, and work histories when applying to travel to America.  Inbound tourists, business and convention travelers, students, and other non-immigrants would be subject to such “extreme vetting” policies proposed by the Trump Administration, along with immigrants seeking permanent U.S. residency.    

The Visit U.S. Coalition released “ America is Open for Business ,” a video highlighting international travel as a key driver of the health of America’s economy.

This newly proposed screening requirements would have affected nearly 15 million travelers last year alone from key long-haul markets such as China, India, Mexico and other nations that do not participate in the visa waiver program (VWP) with the U.S.  ( Visit U.S. Coalition, April 11.)  The new proposal would not affect travelers from countries granted visa-free travel status to the U.S. including most of Europe, Canada, Australia and Japan.

Under the proposed new requirements, U.S. visa applicants would be required to submit five years’ worth of personal information regarding telephone numbers, email addresses and details about their social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.  Fifteen years’ worth of physical address, employment, and foreign travel history would also be required.  (See State Department Form 5535.)  Currently, such information is only requested on a case-by-case basis when particular visa applications are flagged to warrant additional scrutiny due to terrorism or national security-related concerns.  The new proposal would require the additional information as a matter of course to supplement the already-exhaustive online visa form that tourists and other non-immigrants must currently submit when seeking U.S. entry.

“We should be encouraging international tourism and promoting policies that not only make the visa system more secure and accessible, but also streamline the process,” said Jeffrey D. DeBoer, President and CEO of The Real Estate Roundtable. “Increasing inbound international travel to the U.S. helps power the commercial real estate industry here at home through spending at hospitality, retail, attraction, health, and investment properties – all of which generate revenues to boost overall economic growth and create American jobs.”

Last month, the multi-industry Visit U.S. Coalition (which includes The Roundtable) released its policy agendaaimed at promoting and increasing inbound international travel to the United States. The coalition advocates for policies to regain the nation’s lost share of the global travel market by 2020, which will result in 88 million international visitors who directly support 1.3 million U.S. jobs and spend 294 billion dollars in travel exports – crucial to achieving the Administration’s economic goals. (Roundtable Weekly, March 2)

Following the State Department’s announcement of further intense screening for foreign inbound travelers, on Wednesday the Visit U.S. Coalition released “America is Open for Business,” a video highlighting international travel as a key driver of the health of America’s economy.

The State Department will be accepting public comments on the proposed enhanced vetting requirements until May 29.

“Visit U.S. Coalition” Unveils Policy Goals to Encourage Foreign Tourism and Boost Job Growth

Posted on by Trey Jackson

The multi-industry Visit U.S. Coalition (which includes The Real Estate Roundtable) on Wednesday released its policy agenda aimed at promoting and increasing inbound international travel to the United States. (VisitU.S.Policy Agenda, Feb. 28)

The multi-industry Visit U.S. Coalition  (which includes The Real Estate Roundtable) on Wednesday released its policy agenda aimed at promoting and increasing inbound international travel to the United States. ( VisitU.S. Policy Agenda , Feb. 28)  

The coalition advocates for policies that urge the Trump Administration and Congress to regain the nation’s lost share of the global travel market by 2020, which will result in 88 million international visitors who directly support 1.3 million U.S. jobs and $294 billion in travel exports – crucial to achieving the Administration’s economic goals. (Roundtable Weekly, Jan. 19 and Feb. 9)
 
“Robust international travel helps to power the U.S. commercial real estate markets, not only hospitality properties but retail, attraction, health and investment properties as well,” said Jeffrey D. DeBoer, President and CEO of The Real Estate Roundtable.  “We look forward to continuing to work to emphasize that America is a uniquely welcoming, interesting and safe travel destination for international visitors.  Positive national tourism policies boost overall economic growth, support and create jobs, generate revenues to help modernize our infrastructure, and generally improve the quality of life in our communities,” DeBoer added.
 
The coalition aims to safely and securely welcome more overseas travelers to the U.S. – who stay an average of 18 nights and spend approximately $4,360 at hotels, stores, restaurants and attraction properties on business and leisure trips. The coalition’s agenda encourages federal policy makers to:

  • Embrace International Travel to the U.S. as a National Priority
  • Expand Intelligence Sharing and Streamline the Travel Entry Process
  • Make America’s Visa System More Secure and Accessible to International Travelers
  • Increase Security and Efficiency in America’s Travel Screening Systems at U.S Ports of Entry

Led by the U.S. Travel Association and the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the coalition also includes the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Resort Development Association.

International Visitor Spending in the U.S. Drops; “Visit U.S.” Coalition Aims to Spur Tourism and Economic Growth

Posted on by Trey Jackson

Spending by international travelers to the U.S. decreased 3.1 percent over the past year, the second consecutive annual drop in 15 years, according to Department of Commerce data released Tuesday.  (U.S. Travel Association, Feb. 7)

Travel Exports vs. All Other Exports  
(U.S. Travel Association)

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As the U.S. hospitality sector is a vital component of the commercial real estate industry – providing significant capital investment, opportunities and infrastructure improvements in local communities throughout the country – The Real Estate Roundtable recently joined 12 other national trade organizations as a member of the “Visit U.S.” Coalition to work with policymakers in reversing the decline. (Roundtable Weekly, Jan. 19).  

The two-year fall-off in international visitor spending confirmed by Commerce data also tracks America’s loss in long-haul market share – a decrease from 13.6 percent in 2015 to 11.9 percent in 2017.  Overall travel volume increased 7.9 percent in the same period – meaning that foreign travelers are opting to visit other countries than the US and spending their money elsewhere. (U.S. Travel Association, Travel Exports vs. All Other Exports, Feb. 2)

“The slide (in international travel to the U.S.) has deprived our economy of an estimated $32 billion in additional spending and 100,000 additional jobs.”

 U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow     

“We are certainly concerned about the statistics,” said Craig Kalkut, vice president of government affairs at the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) – a founding member of the Visit U.S. coalition.  Kalkut added, “It’s important for the hotel industry but also the businesses that surround [and occupy] hotels and the economy overall, so it’s time to take some action.” (Commercial Observer, Feb. 8)

USTA President and CEO Roger Dow stated, “International inbound travel is America’s No. 2 export overall; directly supports more than a million American jobs; and brings in $245 billion a year to our economy. But the U.S. share of the growing global long-haul travel market has been eroding since before the start of the Trump administration … That slide has deprived our economy of an estimated $32 billion in additional spending and 100,000 additional jobs. The good news? The problem is fixable, through balanced messaging and sound policymaking.”  (USTA, International Visitors Are Crucial to President Trump’s Priorities, Feb. 7)

In the coming weeks, Visit U.S. will advance policy recommendations that support its shared objectives with the Trump administration. (Visit U.S., Jan. 16)

The Roundtable Joins “Visit U.S.” Coalition to Spur International Tourism, Domestic Job Creation and Economic Growth

Posted on by Trey Jackson

The Real Estate Roundtable joined 10 national trade organizations as a member of the “Visit U.S.” Coalition, which launched on Wednesday with the goals of spurring job creation and economic growth while reversing a decline in international visitors to the United States.  (Visit U.S., Jan. 16).

According to the U.S. Travel Association, global travel volume to the United States from 2015 to 2017 fell from 13.6 percent to 11.9 percent — the first decline after more than a decade of consistent growth.  The statistics also show that if the U.S. had maintained its 2015 international travel market share, its economy would have gained an additional 4 million international visitors, $32.2 billion in spending and 100,000 jobs. 

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The coalition represents a broad cross-section of industries that have come together to address the recent drop in travel to the U.S. and resulting opportunity cost to the economy and jobs.  According to the U.S. Travel Association, global travel volume to the United States from 2015 to 2017 fell from 13.6 percent to 11.9 percent — the first decline after more than a decade of consistent growth.  The statistics also show that if the U.S. had maintained its 2015 international travel market share, its economy would have gained an additional 4 million international visitors, $32.2 billion in spending and 100,000 jobs. 

“As a vital component of the commercial real estate industry, the U.S. hospitality sector provides significant capital investment, creates enormous job opportunities and encourages infrastructure improvements in local communities throughout the country,” said Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer.  “CRE is the provider of secure spaces where people live and play in the United States, and we welcome the opportunity to work with the Trump Administration and our coalition partners to encourage a positive uptick in international tourism to our cities, towns, destinations and attractions,” added DeBoer. 

Roundtable members were recently briefed on the drop in foreign travel to the United States and the economic ramifications by Katherine Lugar, president and chief executive officer of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) — the largest trade association representing the U.S. lodging industry.  (Roundtable Weekly, Oct. 6, 2017) 

AHLA, a founding member of Visit U.S., supports policy initiatives such as reforms that enable safe and secure processing of visitor visas to strengthen business and leisure travel — as well as the H-2B program to provide valuable support for businesses looking to supplement their workforce with temporary seasonal employees when American workers are unavailable. 

During the travel coalition’s launch this week, Lugar said, “Fewer visitors means fewer hotel stays, fewer meals eaten in our restaurants, fewer goods purchased in our retail stores, and fewer visits to our national attractions. It also means fewer American jobs and a loss to our economy. We are committed to working together with the Administration to balance a welcome message with strong security to ensure we don’t fall behind to other countries.” 

U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow, another founding member of Visit U.S., added, “America is the best country in the world to visit, but we’re losing the competition for international travelers and the dollars they spend when they come here.  The Visit U.S. Coalition is founded on the principle that we can have strong security but at the same time welcome robust numbers of international business and leisure travelers. We can do both.” 

Left to Right: Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey DeBoer,   American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO  Katherine Lugar , and Roundtable Chairman William C. Rudin (  Rudin Management Company, Inc  .)

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“The U.S. economy is on the upswing, but we can grow even more by encouraging more travel to America,” said U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue, also part of the coalition. “Travel creates jobs and economic activity across a swath of industries and sectors as people visit the U.S. and spend their time and money with American businesses. The Chamber is proud to join with our partners in the business community to make the case for a renewed focus on travel as a driver of economic growth and American prosperity.”

Media coverage regarding the coalition’s launch includes: