No ‘Trump Slump’ In Tourism, But ‘Trump Bump’ Possible

United Airlines jets sit at gates at Denver International Airport on Saturday, May 2, 2015, in Denver, as seen from a United 757 leaving a gate. (AP Photo/David Boe)
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NEW YORK (AP) — Last winter, the U.S. tourism industry fretted that Trump administration policies might lead to a “Trump slump” in travel.

But some now say those fears were premature. International arrivals and travel-related spending are up in 2017 compared with the same period in 2016.

There might even be a “Trump bump,” according to Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, a nonprofit representing the travel industry.

A few months ago, some warned that President Donald Trump’s travel ban and anti-immigrant rhetoric could hurt tourism. But latest numbers from the U.S. Travel Association showed a 4 percent growth in international travel to the U.S. in April and a 5 percent growth in May compared with the same months last year. Various individual sectors of the travel industry also report no declines so far.

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