A majority of U.S. travel buyers (62 percent) believe the Trump administration is having a negative impact on business travel, according to a recent poll of Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) members.
The survey of GBTA's American and European members was conducted just prior to last month's Supreme Court decision to uphold Trump's controversial travel ban and highlights growing concerns regarding the administration's policies and messaging as it pertains to travel.
More than one in five (23 percent) U.S. travel buyers indicated that the administration's executive orders on travel have driven at least some level of reduction in their company's travel while 37 percent expect some level of reduction going forward following the June 26 Supreme Court ruling.
Overseas, nearly one-third (31 percent) of European travel buyers reported that the Trump administration's executive orders on travel have led to some level of reduction in their company's travel. What's more, 38 percent of European travel buyers say their willingness to plan meetings and events in the U.S. has decreased as a result of White House policies.
Long-term, U.S. buyers are also concerned about how other countries might respond. A majority worry that some may make travel more difficult for U.S. travelers (64 percent) while more than one-half (51 percent) cited the potential for increased threats against U.S. travelers abroad.
GBTA points out that even the slightest decline in travel spending can have a costly impact. "For every one percent decrease in business travel spending, the U.S. economy loses 74,000 jobs, $5.5 billion in GDP, $3.3 billion in wages and $1.3 billion in taxes," the organization stated.
Based on the survey results, GBTA says its "deeply concerned about the long-term impact" but that any damage to the U.S. as a destination for foreign travel is not "irreparable" as its strong economy makes it a coveted business destination.
The association suggested several potential solutions, including continued expansion of the Visa Waiver Program and bi-partisan Congressional encouragement of the White House to implement policies that provide more certainty and predictability.
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