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tourists—it’s handing them to its rivals.         reliant on tourism—Florida, California, New
                This isn’t merely a marketing issue. Amer-    York, Nevada, and Texas—face serious eco-
            ica’s political actions are actively driving trav-  nomic risks. A decline in foreign visitors
            elers away. Threats of land grabs in places like   means fewer tax dollars, struggling busi-
            Greenland and Panama reinforce an image of        nesses, and lost opportunities.
            unpredictability and aggression, deterring vis-       Even more damaging is the long-term hit
            itors, investors, and businesses alike.           to America’s reputation. Travelers are slow to
                America’s diplomatic stance matters, too.     return to destinations they perceive as unwel-
            While alienating NATO allies, the U.S. aligns     coming or politically unstable.
            itself with strongmen like Vladimir Putin and         While U.S. tourism businesses scramble to
            Kim Jong-un. These optics don’t just weaken       counteract negative perceptions, branding
            ties; they deter democratic travelers. Just as    won’t fix bad policy. The country must decide
            Russia was shunned after invading Ukraine,        whether it will be an open and welcoming des-
            the U.S. risks similar treatment if it continues   tination or one travelers avoid. At the mo-
            to disregard democratic norms.                    ment, the world is already making its choice.
                The consequences are enormous. The
            travel industry supports millions of American            Ron & Mary James
            jobs, from hotel workers to retailers. States
                                                                      EDITOR & PUBLISHER










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