Chinese Tourism To The United States Sharply Falls, As Trade War Continues

For the first time in 15 years, the number of Chinese tourists visiting the United States has sharply decreased, the U.S. government said Tuesday.

The National Travel and Tourism office said that Chinese visitors fell 5.7% in 2018 to 2.9 million, the lowest number since 2003.

One major reason behind the slowdown is the tension between President Trump and the Chinese government. The Trump administration has slapped tariffs on Chinese-made goods and also blacklisted Chinese companies such as Huawei. Some Chinese citizens might not want to contribute to the American economy in the midst of the trade war and go for other destinations.

The Chinese government also issued a travel warning for its citizens visiting the United States, warning them of shootings, robberies and high costs for medical care. In retaliation, the U.S. has put out its own travel warning for American citizens who are considering visiting China.

The U.S. tourist industry will have to do more if it wants to keep Chinese dollars flowing in.

Larry Yu, a professor of hospitality management at the George Washington University, said that travel companies will have to adopt technologies such as WeChat, a popular Chinese app that is used to book travel.

As the Chinese economy has expanded, more and more Chinese have been booking international trips. The U.S. welcomed more than 3 million Chinese tourists in 2016 and 2017.