International travel to the U.S. grew 4 percent in April compared to the same month last year, according to new data released by the U.S. Travel Association via the Associated Press.
The figures are undoubtedly surprising given the countless studies and reports that have suggested President Donald Trump's suspended travel bans would hamper travel from abroad.
According to the AP, U.S. Travel claims negative repercussions stemming from the Trump administration's controversial policies would have surfaced by April.
Trump signed his initial executive order attempting to temporarily ban travel from seven Muslim-majority countries on January 27 and signed a revised order in March. The ban has since been blocked by multiple courts but is set to be decided in the Supreme Court.
Still, officials are wary of what's to come if the administration doesn't do its part to combat a strong U.S. dollar and fragile global economy.
U.S. Travel's data comes from its Travel Trends Index (TTI), which measures both the direction and pace of travel volume to and within the U.S. The index takes into account the current direction and pace of monthly person-trips as well as the future direction and pace of person-trips over the next three to six months.
U.S. Travel's Current Travel Index (CTI) reveals that although travel demand increased in April, it did so at a slower rate than the six-month moving average. Looking ahead, the association's Leading Travel Index (LTI) projects travel to grow over the coming three months at a faster rate and grow over the coming sixth months at a slightly faster rate.
However, according to Deutsche Welle, the U.S. market may take a hit in the coming years as other destinations become more appealing to foreigners.
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"We need to address the Trump administration and its policies," U.S. Travel President Roger Dow said in a news conference via Deutsche Welle. "Many might be saying, 'I'm wondering if the US even welcomes us anymore.'"
While the "Trump Slump" hasn't been felt yet, many travel industry leaders acknowledge that there's work to be done to ensure the U.S. remains a premier destination for international travelers.
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