US Government Shutdown: hurting tourist industry - travel implications

Intl. tourists starting to avoid
 visiting US following Govt, shutdown

Not only in the US, but also in bordering countries, the multi million tourist industry is starting to hurt from the Trump Administration government shutdown.

In the Bahamas local business owners warily eye the Trump U.S. government shut down and any potential impact on the tourism industry, fearing a continuation that could lead to a drop in visitor arrivals to the Bahamas, as around 800,000 federal employees await pay.

With the shutdown entering its 26th^th day and Friday marking the first missed pay period for these workers across the United States, planning future trips to The Bahamas will be the last thing on their minds.

Similar situations can be seen in Mexico and Canada, which usually attract a lot of US tourists throughout the year.

As the lock-down continues, travelers and tourists visiting the US  are also dwindling.

International Airlines around the world are advising their customers traveling to the U.S. that they arrive at airports at least three hours prior to their scheduled departure time, due to increased processing times and other delays and many tourists have cancelled plans to visit the US.

Airline pilots tell @RealDonaldTrump that the #shutdown is jeopardizing national security — air marshals, TSA, air traffic controllers and more.

The largest association of pilots in the US has also expressed concerns over the safety of the nation’s airspace which it said was being threatened due to the shutdown.

There has not been a blanket order yet to clos,  but National Parks across the US are struggling to remain open without funding to pay rangers. Without staff at the gates, parks are also losing a reported $400,000 a day in entry fees. Many campgrounds and walking trails have had to close due to a build-up of litter and other sanitation issues.

Bottom-line: at this point in time, international and local tourists probably should think twice before planning a trips to and in the US.

EU-Digest