This summer, questions about safety and hospitality seeped into travel conversations in a way not seen in years. And it was not just U.S. citizens asking about safety abroad — travelers from other countries were also worried about coming here.
On the same day, I had an old friend ask if I thought his wife would be safe on a biking trip in Italy, and a Canadian friend ask if he needed to wipe his phone before arriving in Los Angeles.
Relatives were worried about me running into tourism protests in Barcelona, while people I met in Barcelona asked me if the National Guard would not allow them into museums in Washington, D.C.
So, when I saw recent headlines about Brand USA cutting its workforce after suffering an 80% budget cut, I felt the timing could not be worse. Just as travelers are concerned about what to expect on their trips, an organization with the mission of making visitors feel welcome is crippled.
Just as travelers are concerned about what to expect on their trips, an organization with the mission of making visitors feel welcome is crippled.
With every new barrier that dissuades tourists from visiting the U.S. — including false narratives about safety in some of our most beloved cities — there’s the risk that travelers will decide it’s simply not worth the hassle. Sure, New York City is amazing, but so are London, Mexico City, Tokyo and Rome. And as we shut ourselves off from the world, we also make our own citizens fearful they will not be welcome overseas.
A recent survey by TravelAge West reveals that 82% of advisors have clients who have expressed concerns about international travel, and 77% report that this has increased in the past six months.
Perhaps the people who love to travel — and can afford it — will continue to do so. But what about the 100 million U.S. citizens who do not currently have a passport? Will the pool of potential travelers keep growing, or stagnate?
The industry must double down on communication, reassurance and global connection — there’s still time to avoid a longer, steeper decline.
